Round 3 could prove to be a make-or-break weekend in Meadows Greyhounds Division 1, with all five matches pitting a top-five side against a team in the bottom half of the ladder.
The season is still very much in its infancy, however the Anzac Round does loom as must-win for several teams towards the bottom end of the table, who must find winning form quickly or risk facing an uphill battle later in the season.
After a fairly one-sided opening weekend, Round 2 thankfully brought much closer results with two games decided by a kick or less and the average margin for the round down to 27 points – four goals less than the 51-point average from Round 1.
That may provide a nugget of confidence for the sides at the lower end of the ladder, who are looking to score an upset this weekend.
Matches will be played across three timeslots in Round 3, with three matches at the traditional 2:10pm Saturday time, another at 5:40pm Saturday and a match on Sunday, which also marks Anzac Day.
Hurstbridge will be looking for a repeat of last week’s performance, while North Heidelberg is out to maintain its unbeaten start when the two sides meet at Ben Frilay Oval.
The Bridges were on the receiving end of an 87-point thrashing in Round 1 but got their campaign back on track with a thrilling six-point win over Macleod last week.
After managing just five goals in the opening round, the Bridges booted three early goals last week which inspired confidence. On a day when the lead was never more than a goal at the conclusion of each quarter, the Bridges had their noses in front when it mattered most.
Tom Grimes has made a brilliant start to his return to the club and looms as a key figure for Hurstbridge as it looks to cause a boilover this week. He currently sits third in the Coaches MVP voting and last week kicked a goal in each quarter – including what proved the match winner approaching time-on of the fourth term.
Tyson Old’s club debut would also have brought a smile to the club’s coaches and fans. His pace can expose even the best opposition sides and he looms as a player who can break games open in a short space of time at Ben Frilay Oval.
Whether Hurstbridge possess the ability to stop North Heidelberg’s heavy scoring remains a query. The Bridges are one of only two teams to have conceded more than 200 points across the opening two rounds.
Meanwhile, North Heidelberg has been the second-most prolific team across the opening fortnight and is the only team in the top-flight to have kicked more than 100 points in each of the first two rounds.
The Bulldogs managed to break the 100-point barrier last week despite Shane Harvey managing just one goal, although not through a lack of shots on goal, with Curtis Howden-Crhak and Billy Hogan stepping up to boot three apiece in the 47-point win away to Northcote Park.
North Heidelberg travels to Ben Frilay Oval with the competition’s most in-form player, that being Jesse Tardio. The star midfielder has polled the maximum 10 votes in the Coaches MVP Award in each of the opening two games.
His ability to win the ball at the coal face and in open space makes him almost impossible to negate.
Even more troubling for opposition coaches is the fact that putting too much time into one North midfielder opens up the opportunity for players like Brent Harvey, Billy Hogan and Liam Nunan to get off the chain.
Reigning premier West Preston-Lakeside returns home to J.E. Moore Park to take on bottom-placed Northcote Park.
The Roosters will be looking to bounce back after last week suffering their first defeat since Round 15, 2019 – with their eight-match winning streak ended by a solitary point in the grand final rematch against Greensborough.
The match lived up to its billing – perhaps even surpassing the lofty expectations – with the 2019 grand finalists producing a classic that will be hard to top for match of the year status.
The Roosters were gallant in defeat after rallying from 19 points down at three-quarter time but may very well see the match as an opportunity missed after spraying many regulation shots at goal throughout the day.
Matthew Harman continues to impress in 2021 and looks to have elevated his game to a new level. The ruckman was best afield in Round 1 and was influential again last week. He could well be leading the Roosters best and fairest count at this early stage of the season.
Last week’s side featured ten players who didn’t play in the 2019 grand final win, with several putting in eye-catching displays. Ethan Penrith’s dash out of defence looks set to be a major asset, while Sanipepa Egan has the tricks to be a major handful for opposition defenders.
Perhaps the most promising aspect of the early rounds for Roosters’ supporters would be the return of 2018 premiership hero Liam McVeigh, who is moving well and looking sharp in his return from a significant knee injury.
Northcote Park threatened to pull off a major upset in Round 2 when it led North Heidelberg at the main break of the twilight clash at Bill Lawry Oval, following a five-goal to one second term.
The half time interval seemed to break the Cougars momentum and they were no match for the Bulldogs in the second half, outscored 8.12 to 1.5 in the final two quarters to succumb to a round-high 47-point defeat.
Reed Jepson has been a shining light for the Cougars over the opening two weeks, with the Epping recruit showing his versatility in defence to contain Patrick Fitzgerald and Shane Harvey to a combined tally of three goals.
The task does not get any easier for the in-form defender this week, with a potential match-up against Ahmed Saad on the horizon.
At the other end of the ground, Matthew Grocott impressed in his club debut and booted three majors. With 157 majors in 95 appearances for Queanbeyan, Grocott knows where the goals are and looms as a handy addition for the Cougars following the departure of Ash Close and Jackson Starcevich.
Yulong Reserve will host its first game of the season when Bundoora welcomes Whittlesea to the Bull Ring.
Bundoora opened its account in style last week with a 41-point win away to Montmorency, highlighted by a dominant third term when the Bulls piled on 5.8 to 1.2 – stretching a 10-point lead at half time out to 40 points at the last change.
It was a result to savour for the Bulls – with the triumph ending a 10-game losing streak. The club’s last win was recorded way back in Round 9, 2019 when it defeated Lower Plenty by a single point.
New coach Michael Ryan would be thrilled with the form of the club’s new recruits over the opening two rounds, particularly their showing in the win over Montmorency – where Hamish Shepheard, Kain Proctor, Kyle Green, Jai Burns and Jackson Davies were all among the best players.
After losing club legend and three-time Frank Rosbrook Medal winner Matty Dennis, the Bulls faithful had every reason to be concerned about the club’s tall stocks for the 2021 season. However, Shepheard’s aerial presence over the opening fortnight will be alleviating those fears.
Whittlesea was within reaching distance of its first win since returning to the top-flight when it led Heidelberg late in the third term. However, the Tigers finished with the last five goals to run away with a 32-point win.
Both sides were down to one rotation on the bench early in the day and it was the Eagles who looked to feel the impact more greatly – registering just a single behind in the final term.
The competition newcomers have booted only 17 majors over the opening two matches and will be working hard to become more prolific in coming weeks. Clancy Bland is providing a strong target up forward but will need greater support from those around him to kick a winning score.
Whittlesea may go into this week’s match without several key players, however the club will take some confidence from recent clashes against Bundoora during its previous stint in Meadows Greyhounds Division 1.
The Eagles were victorious in both encounters in 2017, in what was a premiership campaign for the Bulls, and will hope to emulate those efforts this weekend to kickstart their 2021 campaign.
Old rivals Greensborough and Montmorency meet in a twilight clash at Greensborough War Memorial Park, with the first bounce scheduled for 5:40pm.
Greensborough will be wary of an emotional letdown following last week’s heart and soul win over West Preston-Lakeside, while Montmorency will be determined to put in an improved showing following last week’s disappointing home defeat to Bundoora.
The Boro were outplayed early in last week’s grand final rematch but hung in desperately. They broke the game open in the third term, booting five goals to two, before holding on for dear life in a highly dramatic final quarter.
The high-quality match confirmed most pundits’ pre-season prediction that the Boro and Roosters were again the sides to catch in 2021, with Greensborough missing the likes of Chris Clark, Zak McCubbin, John Desmond, Marcus Toussaint and VFL duo Tynan Smith and Billy Murphy.
Importantly, some of the Boro’s next generation are beginning to show they are ready to take the club one step further in 2021. Thomas Brindley was best afield last week, while Rayden Garrard is looking comfortable at senior level.
Former Western Bulldogs and North Melbourne midfielder Nathan Hrovat fitted in seamlessly in his first game for the club and will only have more impact the more he becomes accustomed to his teammates and his role with the new club – which will fill the large void left by 2019 club champion Charlie Molyneux.
A clash against one of the competition’s leading contenders may be the tonic Montmorency requires to kick back into the gear following last week’s disappointing showing in front of a huge crowd for its first home game of the season.
Since kicking the opening nine majors in the Round 1 win over Northcote Park, the Magpies have kicked just eight goals over the past six quarters, while conceding 18.
With Ben Walton absent, the Magpies need to find a replacement to assist Patrick Fitzgerald in the forward half. Only skipper Jesse Donaldson and Nicholas Paton have kicked goals in both games this year.
Round 3 concludes on Sunday, with Heidelberg to host Macleod on Anzac Day in a match that has become a regular fixture on the NFNL calendar in recent years.
The Tigers confirmed themselves as a genuine premiership contender with a huge win over the Roos in the 2019 encounter between the sides on the same day and both enter with identical win-loss records this year – with the 2-0 Tigers atop the ladder and Macleod languishing in eighth without a win to its name.
Heidelberg was outright brilliant in Round 1 and backed up the triumph by showing plenty of grit in last week’s runaway 32-point triumph over Whittlesea.
Matthew Smith’s determination and experience was vital, leading the young side from the front in a best on ground performance. In a campaign when the Tigers look to be blooding a host of outstanding young talent, Smith’s inclusion could not have been more perfectly timed.
The Tigers look to have found several young stars over the opening two rounds, including teenage pair Matthew McInerney and Ben Nikolovski. The former Northern Knights duo have looked right at home in their first two matches at senior level.
Josh Minogue will enter this week’s game with great confidence after a career-best six-goal haul last week. In a season when most sides have struggled with goal kicking accuracy, Minogue’s set shot kicking was a highlight last week – nailing several shots from tight angles.
It has been a tough start to the 2021 campaign for Macleod, with the Roos winless over the opening two rounds and still yet to see star trio Lucas Hobbs, Brad Leggett and Anthony Doherty on the park.
Adding to the club’s difficult start is upgrade works on home ground De Winton Park, meaning the club is fixtured to play only one home game in the opening five weeks – with that clash a tough one against leading contender Greensborough in Round 4.
However, there is upside and if the Roos can manage an away win or two over the next few weeks, they will be confident of turning things around with stars returning and a host of home matches to come.
Macleod has found a few emerging types in the opening round with Rhys Rigoni the best player in last week’s loss to Hurstbridge. Hayden Gill had an impressive debut with three goals, while recruit Jose Miliado also showed good ability and added three majors.
