We are in for a terrific finish to the 2023 MC Labour Division 2 home and away campaign with Round 15 delivering some incredibly intriguing contests.
Separated by just percentage, the top sides of the competition in Diamond Creek and Eltham will battle it out in a potential Grand Final preview at Coventry Oval.
Having knocked off the Panthers away from home in their first meeting of the season, the Creekers will be looking to defeat their rivals again, this time in front of their home faithful.
Diamond Creek have looked near unstoppable after their only loss of the season in Round 5, having won by an average of 64 points in their nine matches since.
Their midfield has dominated this season, with the efforts of Nicholas Barro in ruck having a big say in the side’s success. He continually gives his side first use of the middle while also being impactful all around the ground.
It’s allowed the likes of Mitch Tobin, Jacob Booth and Tyler Barnes to all be crucial players for Andrew Tranquilli’s side. Tobin has been named in his side’s best for eight of his 13 matches while Booth and Barnes have combined for 41 goals in 2023.
For the Panthers, they too have put an impressive streak of wins their own right, claiming the four points in their last eight matches.
Jesse Donaldson and Lane Sinclair have been brilliant for the Panthers this season and will be two that will need to have an influence if they’re are to get up on Saturday. Donaldson’s last fortnight especially has been excellent and now moves into third in the Coaches MVP Award leaderboard.
Eltham leading goalkicker Jason McCormick will look to equal his three-goal effort against the Creekers earlier this season and add to a streak that has seen him kick goals in 12 straight matches and in 18 of his last 19 games.
The two most powerful sides in the competition to date, a massive crowd will no doubt make their way to Coventry Oval to see who can claim an early scalp before September.
A massive top five battle looms as South Morang lock heads with Watsonia at Binnak Park with both sides out to hold on a top-five spot.
The Saints come into the clash having won four of their last five games, winning their last two by an average of 53-points, and after a rocky first half to the season, George Lattouf’s men have hit form at the right time.
Having kicked 50 goals in 14 games, James Lucente will be one the Lions will need to keep quiet. But South Morang are the opponent he has scored the least goals number of goals against in 2023, having kicked just two against them earlier this season, meaning a similar effort could go a long way towards the result of this clash.
In saying that, they found six and five goal hauls from Adrian Alfonsi and Blake Charles against Epping last week, while the recent form of Daniel Annetta and Julian Janev have also been catalysts in Watsonia’s recent wins.
South Morang have been unable to capture their brilliant form from the first half of the season and have lost four of their last five games, and even though three of those opponents have been the current top three sides in the competition, their spot in the top five has become vulnerable.
They have also missed players due to unavailability throughout that patch of the season, but as they slowly come back, the Lions will look to attack the back half of the campaign in the same vigour that got them at one point, to 7-2
Veteran Gary Moorcroft has proven he’s still got plenty left in the tank with 34 goals and has kicked a major in every game this season. Meanwhile the return of Tye Hall and Nathan Stefanile, as expected, has had an instant impact on the side over the last few weeks.
Both sides could drop out of the top five with a defeat, meaning plenty will be on the line between these two teams come Saturday.
It’s almost all or nothing for Panton Hill this weekend, as they’ll need to defeat St Mary’s at A.E. Cracknell to regain touch with the top five.
Like South Morang, the Redbacks have been disappointing of late and have dropped five of their last six games, four of those losses being by three goals or less.
They have since been pushed down to eighth spot and are the only side in finals contention that have a percentage of less than 100.
Bright spots have again been the Parks boys in Nicholas, Sam and Oliver as well as Tom Keys and Riley Livingstone, but with games against sides above them until Round 18, everything needs to go right for Simon Amore’s men if they are to feature in September.
St Mary’s come into the clash as the favourites and have been in scintillating form of late.
They’ve won three straight games and six of their last seven matches. They sit in third spot and with only Diamond Creek to play in terms of teams currently in the top five, the Burra look poised for a finals berth having missed out in agonising fashion in the final day of the season in 2022.
Jeremiah Antypas has been one of the most consistent performers for his side, having kicked 15 goals in his last three games. He has booted 35 goals for the season and is coming off a seven-goal haul against Lower Plenty.
Jack Bianchin is also firming to be one of the recruits of the year in the competition and has been named in his side’s best for three straight games.
Having gone down by 23-points in their meeting with the Redbacks earlier in the season, the Burra will be fancying their chances to even things up when they meet again this Saturday, however they will be just as weary against a Panton Hill outfit who are determined to get back to winning ways.
Six-points adrift from the top-five, Thomastown will be out to secure a win and keep their season alive when they face Lower Plenty at Montmorency Park South Oval.
Without captain Anthony Capeci and Coaches MVP Award leader Tyrone Leonardis, the Bears couldn’t match it with Northcote Park at home last week, going down by 35 points.
It makes it a big mountain to climb if they’re to feature in another finals series, making this week’s clash with Lower Plenty and next week’s battle with Panton Hill must-wins if they’re to remain in contention.
A positive on the weekend however was the brilliant form of players such as Daniel Caruso and Lawrence Lopiccolo being on show again despite the defeat, and with or without some other key players, their efforts can have a big say in getting Thomastown back on track.
Their Saturday opponents in Lower Plenty still remain off the bottom of the ladder but were disappointing in a 104-point loss to St Mary’s last week.
They have had moments of brilliance from their first-year senior players throughout the season, but it has also been names such as Patrick Flynn, Joel Leslie and Jordan Sacco, who have been consistent for Phil Plunkett’s team.
The trio will no doubt be looked upon to lead the charge again for the rest of the season in the hopes of surviving in Division 2.
The Bears face Epping next week in what looms to be the match that decides who will be relegated from Division 2, as they face top five sides to round out the home and away campaign, so a more competitive performance against Thomastown this weekend will give them plenty of confidence in the lead up to that contest.
Currently sitting outside on the top-five on percentage, Northcote Park will be looking to keep up with those above them on the ladder when they host Epping at Bill Lawry Oval.
The Cougars were crystal clear in their intentions of returning to Division 1 as soon as possible at the start of the season, and while they remain outside the top five for now, a win against Thomastown last week has boosted their chances of playing finals football in 2023.
In their first win since Round 11, the likes of Daniel Tallariti, Jordan Perry and Matthew D’Angelo led the way in the 35-point triumph over Thomastown. That along with another appearance in the best from star Christopher Clark, puts the Cougars in good stead to produce similar performances for the rest of the campaign.
Epping has still shown signs of improvement despite just having one win to their name so far in 2023.
As has been the story of the season, the Blues have started well in games, keeping up with their stronger opponents, and on most occasions, leading at quarter time, but have been unable to run away with the four points, fading out in the latter stages of matches.
The same occurred against Watsonia last week, where despite trailing by 21 points at half time, they ultimately went down by 77 points to the Saints.
Like Lower Plenty, they will be building to that enormous clash at Epping Recreation Reserve next week and will be eying off a strong performance on Saturday to keep building confidence.
Having cruised past Epping by 10 goals back in Round 6, Northcote Park will be eager to do the same in order to apply more pressure on the Saints and Lions in the top five, but the Blues will do everything to make it as difficult as possible for their opponents to run away with the four points.
