Ararat derby to attract attention

All eyes will be on Ararat’s Alexandra Oval in Mininera and District Football League this weekend with competition heating up and new clubs emerging as teams to watch in 2018.

Great Western is top of the ladder and will attract considerable interest when it takes on Ararat Eagles in a district derby at Ararat.

Both teams have started 2018 with a bang, with Great Western having two wins from two games and Ararat Eagles coming close to victory in their first game against Tatyoon and securing four points against SMW Rovers last weekend.

Both teams have young and enthusiastic lists and will be keen to secure another win.

Sam Cocks, Ben Birch-burton and Steven Lorenzo will be three Lions the Eagles will have to watch. They have kicked 28 goals between them in the first two games, Cocks booting 14.

With these strong forwards, along with Danny Grellet and Nicholas Dunford, the Lions appear set to win three in a row.

However, Ararat Eagles after the first two games are showing everyone they are far from the easy beats of old. With new coaching and new ideas, combined with returning players, the Eagles will certainly go into this game full of confidence.

Tom Taurau was outstanding for the Eagles in their 11-point win over SMW Rovers and with brother Jackson, as well as Zac Jenkins, Naish Mcroberts and Luke Hamilton, are doing a lot of the heavy lifting.

The new-look Eagles will be eager to continue their momentum.

Wickliffe-lake Bolac has started its season as expected after pre-season hype with two victories, the most recent coming against Glenthompsondunkeld to the tune of 35 points.

Will Slattery kicked five in the Magpies victory, and with Addison Milner, Bradley Keilar and Chris Thornton providing plenty of skill around the ground, will be hard to beat this weekend.

Woorndoo-mortlake also be coming off a after a 36-point win Moyston-willaura.

Jordon Buckley, Richard Mccormick and Luke Kensit were instrumental in the Tigers’ win and will look to lead the team into battle against the Magpies.

Last year’s premier, Lismore-derrinallum, will be searching for its first win of the season when it hosts SMW Rovers.

Last week, despite the best efforts of Brandon Greenwood, Jayden Molloy, Todd Lamont and Michael Lockyer, the Demons were unable to hold up against Tatyoon.

Rovers are also coming off a loss and will be looking to get this season back on track and turn to the likes of Tom Thewlis, Ben Jackson, John Forbes and Tom Mcwilliam to lead the way.

In other games, Caramut hosts Moyston-willaura, Glenthompson-dunkeld and Tatyoon play at Dunkeld and Hawkesdale-macarthur and Penshurst battle at Macarthur. will high over