Swifts probing for promising start
Swifts will look to consolidate an early lead in Horsham District football this weekend when they take on wounded Natimuk United at Natimuk on Saturday.
The Baggies, sitting on top of the ladder ahead of Harrow-balmoral by percentage, have rekindled their reputation as a rough, tough and uncompromising outfit.
They meet the Rams having secured points from the opening two rounds.
Swifts were too good for Kanivaleeor United last week, celebrating the 300th senior game of Nick Pickering with a 77-point win.
The Baggies gradually overtook the Cougars at Stawell’s North Park, kicking five goals in the second, third and final quarters respectively and in the end had 27 more scoring shots than the visitors.
Pickering featured prominently in his milestone game, alongside Ryan Folkes, four-goal Ben Davis and Zac Armer.
Kaniva-leeor United now takes on Taylors Lake this weekend at Kaniva in a game where both sides would be desperate to break the ice.
Hamish Bennett, Noah Hannagen and Tyson Mitchell were the Cougars’ best against Swifts and the team will be hoping to capitalise on generating more opportunities in front of goal.
Taylors Lake crashed badly against Pimpinio last run, falling short of victory by 78 points despite the efforts of Andrew Cameron, Trae Martin and Billy Finnigan.
The result would have swelled the Pimpinio’s confidence stores and the Tigers will need all and more when they confront Harrow-balmoral at Harrow.
Pimpinio would be intent to lift its standing in the competition this year but needs to show what it can do against benchmark outfits.
Jack Baird, Noah Jacobsen and Dylan Thomas were in the thick of the action last week and a variety of players kicked goals.
Harrow-balmoral has a reputation of having the best playing group in the league and showed off its strength by pulling away from arch rival Kalkee in a big second half on Saturday.
The Roos led at every change at Kalkee but put the foot down with a 10-goal-to-two second half to win by 56 points.
Simon Close kicked five goals as Nick Pekin, Michael Close and Peter Staude led the charge.
Kalkee will need to regroup for what looms as a massive game against Rupanyup, again at Kalkee.
The clash between the two also represents an old rivalry and the Kees, while Simon Hobbs, Harvey Gunn and Alexander Smith were good last week and Isaiah Adams kicked another four goals, will need a big effort to win.
Rupanyup produced an overwhelming second half to trounce Laharum last week and alongside Swifts and the Roos, is also unbeaten.
Laharum led the Panthers at half time last week before the home side kicked seven and eight goals in the third and final quarters respectively. In the end the margin was 76 points.
Jack Kreuzberger and Blake Turner both kicked six goals in the win and shone alongside Daniel Schaper and Jordan Weidemann.
Winless Laharum has to now pick itself up for another tough encounter, this time against Jeparit-rainbow.
The Demons, with Shannon Argall, Brett Ervin and Hayden De Graaf leading a best-player list last week, meets a Storm team fresh from a narrow and satisfying victory over Edenhope-apsley.
Jeparit-rainbow, trailing at every change at Edenhope, had to come from behind to clinch an 11-point victory.
Clancy Breen, Kieren Parnell and Shane Maslin shone for the winners, while Jay Kirwood kicked five goals.
Edenhope-apsley needs to rebound against a Noradjuha-quantong team that smashed Natimuk United on the back of a 13-goal Brock Orval haul.
Noradjuha-quantong, humbled in the opening round against Harrow-balmoral, hit back hard on Saturday, beating the Rams by 122 points.
James Hallett, Dawson Cross and Damian Cameron were other key conspirators in the onslaught that started with a 12-goal second term.
Natimuk United watched their eastern neighbour pull away to a big result but had Zachary Smith, Dylan Bates and Jarred Combe standing up as good players in the loss.
The Edenhope-apsley and Bombers game at Quantong should be a ripper. This week: Harrow-balmoral v Pimpinio at Harrow, Kaniva-leeor United v Taylors Lake, Laharum v Jeparit-rainbow, Natimuk United v Swifts, Kalkee v Rupanyup, Noradjuha-quantong v Edenhope-apsley. Last week: Pimpinio 17.15 (117) d Taylors Lake 5.10 (40), Noradjuha-quantong 25-20 (170) d Natimuk United 5.13 (43), Harrow-balmoral 20.5 (125) d Kalkee 9.15 (69), Swifts 16.25 (121) d Kaniva-leeor United 6.8 (44), Rupanyup 18.13 (121) d Laharum 7.3 (45), Jeparit-rainbow 12.9 (81) d Edenhope-apsley 11.4 (70).