“IT is an endless procession of surprises. The expected rarely occurs and never in the expected manner.” – Vernon A. Walters.
It’s doubtful the late U.S diplomat Vernon A. Walters was a sports fan. And he most certainly wasn’t talking football when he muttered the aforementioned quote.
However, his words couldn’t be more poignant when reflecting upon the opening third of the 2014 Division 1 season. The first six weeks have seen many thrills, spills and, above all, surprises as the pre-season contenders fall by the wayside.
At Round 6 it is Heidelberg, Greensborough and West Preston-Lakeside who top the ladder. Yes, that’s right – Heidelberg, Greensborough and West Preston-Lakeside. Find me a person who tipped the trio to be leading the way at this stage of the year and you’ve found me, at best, the eternal optimist.
Amazingly, pre-season premiership fancies and Montmorency and Northcote Park sit two wins outside the top five. In the Cougars’ case, the opening six rounds have yielded just one victory and a fortunate draw. Reigning premier Bundoora sits fourth with a 4-2 record, having surprisingly (that word again!) lost its past two at its fortress, Yulong Reserve.
Round 7 kicks off the second-third of the season with a bang as Heidelberg hosts West Preston-Lakeside at Warringal Park in a battle between the league’s first and third-placed teams.
The Tigers produced their mightiest win of the season last Saturday when they kicked the final six goals of the afternoon to run away with a 42-point win at Bundoora.
In his best game of the season, and perhaps his short career at Tigerland, Jordan Treloar was the star of the show with four goals. As has been a common theme this year, the Tigers’ best was filled by a number of unheralded names, including Aaron Crispe, Michael Looby and Callum Lewis.
West Preston-Lakeside’s run of heart-stopping finishes continued when it held on for a two-point home win over Montmorency. The Roosters have now been involved in four games decided by less than a goal, while scores were level with five minutes remaining in their 12-point win over Bundoora in Round 4.
Amazingly, the winning aggregate for the past three games at J.E. Moore Park is six points – with the result of two of those matches decided with the final kick.
Normally a battle between top-four teams, Bundoora travels to Bill Lawry Oval to take on eighth-placed Northcote Park in a must-win game for both teams. Victory could well push the Bulls back into the top three and they are likely to be bolstered by the return of ruckman Matthew Dennis.
The Cougars desperately need a win to get their season back on track, having faded badly in their past two outings. An eight-goal to zero third quarter gave them a 20-point three-quarter time lead over Lower Plenty last week, before conceding nine goals, including four in five minutes, during a final quarter capitulation to lose by 10 points.
Eltham and Whittlesea will both be desperately searching for their first win when they meet at Eltham Central Park. The Panthers have unquestionably played the better football of late, finishing within 13 points of Macleod last week. James Kroussoratis continued his hot form with six goals.
Meanwhile, the Eagles have recorded an average losing margin of 97 points over the past three weeks. Over the past fortnight they have been outscored by 31 goals to five in the second halves of their matches.
Local rivals Lower Plenty and Greensborough meet in an intriguing battle at Montmorency Park, with the sixth-placed Bears undefeated in three home matches in 2014. Last weekend they overran Northcote Park – even despite Clint Monger and Darcy and Bill Barden watching the second half from the bench.
The Boro continue to go about business with a minimum of fuss and last week recorded a healthy percentage-booster at Whittlesea. Tim Bongetti and Josh Grubb combined for a dozen goals, while Collingwood VFL defender Nick Riddle was a welcome addition in his first game for the Boro since 2012.
And in another huge match, Macleod will look to further entrench itself in the top five when it hosts Montmorency at De Winton Park. The undermanned Roos notched their fourth win last week, even without key players Justin White, Jack Langford and Chris Long.
The Magpies’ last visit to De Winton Park culminated in the end of a 13-game winning streak to start the 2013 season. Last Saturday, not even the return of Mark McKenzie, Ben Walton and Harley Ryan could prevent the Magpies from succumbing to their second close loss in three matches.
