For the second time this season Diamond Creek and Whittlesea meet in a Division 2 top of the table clash.
Unlike their earlier meeting in Round 5, it is the Eagles who head into this encounter as the ladder-leader, having won their past five matches.
A win this week would extend their buffer in first place to eight points, however victory to the Creekers would enable them to take back top spot for the first time since Round 4.
Whittlesea heads into the encounter with great momentum after producing their second great escape of the season. Trailing North Heidelberg by 68 points at half time and down to two players on the bench, the Eagles booted 14 goals to three in the second half to produce a stunning one-point win over the Bulldogs at Shelley Street Reserve.
Luke Deards’ behind with the last kick of the game gave his side victory despite leading for just three seconds all afternoon. The result came just three weeks after fighting back from 54 points behind Fitzroy Stars at three quarter time to win by eight points.
As heroic as the two wins have been, Peter Bugden and his coaching staff would be concerned about the club’s exceptionally poor starts in recent weeks and will have to rectify the issue as September draws closer.
Victory aside, the successful return of defender Chris Horman was a major positive to come out of the match. Horman – who received top votes from opposition coach Leigh Gray – is sure to have his hands full today against either of Diamond Creek forward duo Luke Simpson and Brent Gutterson.
Riley Dyson is another player in great form. He booted three goals in last week’s win and was superb in the 34-point win over the Demons earlier this year.
Diamond Creek is undefeated in its past four matches and looks to be hitting its straps under new coach David Calthorpe.
Its game has been built on ruthless defensive pressure, with the Demons conceding only a measly 66 points a game in 2013. They have conceded just 592 points for the season, 153 points less than the league’s second-best defensive side, Whittlesea.
Last week they kept South Morang to just three goals and 10 scoring shots in a 51-point win, while a week earlier they conceded just 67 points to North Heidelberg – the league’s third highest scoring side.
It’s been an imposing effort by the men in red and blue who have also had to contend with injuries to key players such as Jedd McQueen, Luke Simpson, Matt Walter and Graeme Brown throughout the opening half of the season.
The usual suspects have all had great seasons, with Tyron Loader, Josh Whitehouse-Summers and Brent Gutterson all having superb starts to the year.
Jai Norman missed last week’s win over the Lions but if he can hit the form that saw him finish fourth in last season’s competition best and fairest award, the Demons will become an even greater force in the lead into finals.
Whittlesea was a comfortable winner when the sides met at the Whittlesea Showgrounds in Round 5, winning by 34 points. It booted six of the opening seven goals and should have gone on to win by more but for wasteful kicking at goal.
Past Three Meetings
Round 4, 2013: Whittlesea 13.23 (101) def Diamond Creek 10.7 (67)
Round 15, 2010: Diamond Creek 15.13 (103) def Whittlesea 13.10 (88)
Round 11, 2010: Diamond Creek 10.9 (69) def by Whittlesea 13.6 (84)
