Division 3 is currently witnessing the closest run battle for second place in its short history and Round 17 shapes as decisive as three sides fight for a double chance in the finals.
Only percentage separates Thomastown, Watsonia and Reservoir after 16 rounds of football, although the Bears do have an extra game to play having already sat out their three byes for the year.
Just .04 percent divides Thomastown and Watsonia in second and third place respectively. Incredibly, the Saints have scored just one more point than the Bears to this stage of the season – as well as having conceded just one more point. Given how deep we are into the 2013 season, it is a statistic which demonstrates just how even the two sides have been all year.
Reservoir kept itself in the hunt for second place – something that appeared highly unlikely just three weeks ago – when it defeated Watsonia by two points at A.K. Lines Reserve last Saturday.
The Mustangs have won three games on the trot and will be fancied to make it four in a row when they take on Heidelberg West this week. A bye follows before a Round 19 clash with top side Panton Hill.
They’ll need to cause an upset to beat the Redbacks and will also have to rely on other results going their way to finish in second place, but at the very least, the Mustangs’ late-season revival has again put them in a position to challenge in this year’s finals series.
Only two games will take place this weekend with three teams – Panton Hill, St Mary’s and Parkside – to enjoy their final bye, although the two games to take place have massive ramifications in this year’s race to September glory.
The biggest game without doubt takes place at Main Street Reserve where Thomastown takes on Watsonia for the third time this season. The winner takes a giant leap towards earning the double chance in the finals – with a Bears win to all but confirm they will finish second in their first season in Division 3.
Thomastown emphatically returned to the winners’ list last weekend when it smashed Parkside by 103 points, their third demolition of the Devils this year. After conceding two of the first three goals, the Bears went on to kick 15 of the last 16 goals of the day, winning 19.18 (132) to 3.11 (29). Michael Khoury booted six in a welcome return to form, while Tristan Harrower was best afield.
Watsonia will rue a missed opportunity against Reservoir, a result that may well cost it second place. Leading by 19 points at half time, the Saints managed just three goals in the second half to fall to their first loss since mid-June.
However, they accounted for Thomastown in both of their two meetings this year, having won seven of eight quarters against this week’s opponent.
As mentioned previously, Reservoir hosts Heidelberg West in the second game of the round with the Mustangs needing to boost their percentage significantly against their bottom-placed opponent.
Last week’s win was arguably the club’s best of the season, with Adam Meroli playing a starring role despite an injury-interrupted year. Importantly, Jarrod Skinner also made his long awaited return from injury, while the Beaumont boys – Kael and Kent – combined for six of the Mustang’s 11 goals.
Heidelberg West returns from a bye last weekend and will need to cause a boilover somewhere over the final three weeks of the season to add to its solitary win for the season. The Hawks end the year with matches against Reservoir, Thomastown and Panton Hill – a tough ask for a developing side.
However, they have some hope of causing an upset this week, having pushed within 16 and 25 points of the Mustangs in two earlier meetings this year.
