Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 Preview – Round 14


Published on Thursday, July 27, 2017

Author : Samuel Zito

The race for a finals place looks down to six, while the threat of relegation is looming large for a long-standing Meadows Greyhounds Division 1 outfit.

Macleod’s big win at Bill Lawry Oval sent it one game clear atop the ladder, while fewer than six percentage points separate the second and fourth-placed sides as the battle for a double chance in the finals intensifies.

Losses last weekend look to have all but ended Montmorency’s and Hurstbridge’s finals chances ahead of a clash against each other this week, while Eltham now sits anchored to the bottom of the table.

Consecutive wins to Whittlesea have left the Panthers in last place by a game and percentage, putting the men in red and black at serious threat of relegation just two years after playing off in a preliminary final.

Great focus this weekend turns to De Winton Park where Macleod hosts Bundoora.

The Roos are currently in the box seat to take out the minor premiership, although the red-hot Bulls will be looking to continue their great run of form and make a statement.

The Roos were outstanding in taking apart an undermanned Northcote Park last week, compiling 38 scoring shots to 15 in the 75-point rout. Inaccuracy was again the only negative for Garry Ramsay’s side, who kicked 17.23 which included 3.10 in the final term.

Matthew Clark produced a dominant display inside attacking 50, finishing with five goals and handing off a number of others. Brad Leggett became the first defender to keep Jackson Starcevich goalless this year, Shane Doherty continue his strong form and Reece Geary played his best game of the year.

The result means Macleod now has a 3-0 record against its fellow top-four sides, with those wins coming by an average margin of 62 points. That stat alone must place the Roos as premiership favourites, with their ability to lift for big matches unparalleled.

Bundoora led all day against Eltham at Yulong Reserve as it scored its fourth win on the trot. After a tight first half, the home side powered away after the main break, finishing with 10 of the game’s final 12 goals.

Brenton Keating, Josh Grabowski (four goals) and Nathan Thomas all played leading roles in the 68-point triumph, while Gary Moorcroft’s five majors moved him into second place on the goal kicking table.

The Bulls have been the best performed side throughout July, winning all four matches by an average margin of eight goals. A fifth-straight win this weekend would provide a monumental leap forward in their quest for the finals double chance and would also keep them in minor premiership contention.

Macleod was far too slick when the sides met at Yulong Reserve in Round 8, winning all four quarters en route to a 62-point triumph, with Justin White and Anthony Doherty doing a ton of damage.

A fortnight after sitting a game clear in first, Northcote Park is in desperate need of a win when it faces an equally hungry Heidelberg at Bill Lawry Oval.

The Cougars were no match for Macleod in the top-of-the-table clash, with Jordan Perry and Ash Close late omissions from an already undermanned side. The cause was not aided when restricted to just two interchange rotations by the midway of point of the second term.

Despite the outs, the Cougars were well below their best and were outhunted by a Macleod side that had the upper hand all day. Bronik Davies, Brock McLennan and Matt Perry dug in, but ultimately there were few winners for their side on a forgettable afternoon.

The loss suddenly leaves Northcote Park vulnerable in the chase for a top-three spot, with a victory this week to hold off Bundoora and West Preston-Lakeside in the desperate hunt for the finals double chance.

Heidelberg was able to outlast Hurstbridge last weekend, kicking clear in the fourth term to bolster its finals chances. The 34-point result gave the Tigers their fourth-straight win on home soil.

Tom Sullivan and Lewis Beers each slotted five majors in the triumph, with the Tigers booting 16 goals from 20 scoring shots. Accuracy in front of goal has been a strength during the season, with the Tigers kicking more behinds than goals in only two games all year.

With the race for fifth spot looking down to Heidelberg and old foe Greensborough, this weekend’s match looms as vital for the reigning premier ahead of a bye next weekend. The Tigers then play three of the current bottom-four teams between rounds 15-18.

Whittlesea has strung together two wins in succession for the first time this season and now hosts a Greensborough side coming off its first loss since the middle of May.

The Eagles looked in strife when Montmorency kicked four of the opening five goals last week, but then rallied with 11 of the last 14 majors to record their first ever win at Montmorency Park North Oval.

Nathan Stefanile, Janan Daniel and Jai Robinson were listed among the best players in the win, with Daniel and Brenton Briffa combining for six goals on an afternoon where majors were hard to come by.

The win pushed the Eagles a game and percentage off the bottom of the ladder and helped them in their quest to remain in the top-flight for a third-consecutive year – something they have not been able achieve previously.

After failing to capitalise with the wind in the first quarter, Greensborough’s seven-game winning streak came to an end against West Preston-Lakeside. The Boro led by just seven points at quarter time after kicking with a stiff breeze and then managed only two more goals for the day.

Jack Johnston and Nick Riddle tried hard in defence, however their side struggled to build any real attacking pressure on the home side throughout the 47-point defeat, as they slumped to their second heavy loss to the Roosters for the year.

Ten wins still looks the pass mark to play finals and the 7-6 Boro still have their fate in their own hands over the next five weeks as they look to secure a finals place for the fourth-consecutive year.

West Preston-Lakeside will start a heavy favourite when it welcomes Eltham to J.E. Moore Park for its second-last home game of the year.

The Roosters last week proved they aren’t solely reliant on their former AFL contingent, comfortably accounting for in-form Greensborough without both Andrew Walker and Patrick Karnezis.

Albeit, Ahmed Saad played a starring role with seven majors and is now 17 goals clear of his nearest rival at the top of the goal kicking table. With 58 goals to his name with four matches to go, Saad looks set to record the highest Division 1 home and away goal tally since Cameron Cloke’s 83 in 2013.

Luke Lirosi, Jackson Clarke and Shaun Gannon also had a big impact during last week’s win, while the unheralded Steven Hiho featured in the best players for the sixth time in his past seven matches.

To avoid relegation back to Division 2 for the first time since 2002, Eltham will likely need to win a minimum of two matches from here, while also minimising the damage in the games it plays against sides at the pointy end of the ladder.

For the second-consecutive week the Panthers pushed a premiership contender for a half before falling away. Twelve points down at half-time, the Panthers could only muster 2.1 after half time at Bundoora last week and were kept scoreless in the final term.

Bradyn Taglieri led an undermanned side admirably and booted three goals, while Josh Merkel and Paul Currie never stopped trying throughout the afternoon.

With finals out of the equation, Hurstbridge and Montmorency still have plenty to play for when they meet at Ben Frilay Oval.

The Bridges remain just one win off the bottom of the ladder following last week’s fadeout loss at Heidelberg, while Montmorency is searching for a morale-boosting result after losing eight of its past ten games.

Despite falling to its third-straight defeat, Hurstbridge showed better signs at Warringal Park against Heidelberg and matched the Tigers in the contested side of the game for much of the afternoon.

Just two points down at the last change, the Bridges couldn’t go with their host in the last quarter, as the reigning premiers kicked six unanswered goals to reverse the result from pair’s Round 4 encounter.

Lachlan East, Sean Jellie and Cooper Perrin were among their side’s best players, while Mitch Burton’s three goals was his best return since kicking four against Whittlesea in Round 6.

With its season on the line, Montmorency produced a disappointing performance at home to Whittlesea. With five games remaining and now two wins and percentage outside the top-five, the club’s hopes of a finals appearance look dashed.

Billy Jenkin and Xavier Cahill both fought valiantly in the back half of the ground and Ben Walton kicked three goals, but ultimately their side lacked the desperation of their visitors after quarter time.

The Magpies were winners when these sides met in Round 8, coming from behind to score a six-point win in Daniel Keenan’s 300th club game.

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