This looks to arguably be the most important round in the 2023 MC Labour Division 2 season to date, with five mouthwatering matches to take place this weekend.
Ladder leaders Diamond Creek travel to Whatmough Park to face St Mary’s in what should be an entertaining battle between two sides in incredible form.
The Creekers passed a big test on the weekend and made it nine consecutive wins in the competition after a 21-point victory over Eltham, putting them one game clear on top of the table.
Having been one of the notable contributors in their win over the Panthers, ruckman Nicholas Barro will be one to watch again on Saturday, having been in hot form all season as one of the most dominant big men of the division.
It has also again been the Creekers’ disciplined defence that has seen them stay well on top against sides this year. Last week, they kept Eltham to just 39 points and nine scoring shots, and while the inclusion of Ewan MacPherson was critical in that result, it was also the exceptional defensive efforts of players like Billy Bedford, Joel Randall and Nathan Searl, just to name a few.
But they now have another task ahead, as they look to stop a side that have tasted defeat just once since their last meeting with them in Round 7.
The Burra’s most recent clash highlighted their incredible scoring ability, as they put together 140 points in a strong 42-point triumph over Panton Hill.
That strong forward line has been led by Jeremiah Antypas who has been one of the recruits of the year in the competition.
His five-goal haul against the Redbacks takes him to 40 majors for the season, however Diamond Creek is the only side he is yet to kick a major against this year and will be something he looks to change by week’s end.
In their past three outings, the Creekers have bested by the Burra by average of 21 points, but St Mary’s have never been in a better position to knock off Andrew Tranquilli’s side, in what looks to be a huge clash between best attacking and the best defensive teams in the competition.
In what looks to be another match that will help decide the final five, South Morang host Northcote Park at Mill Park Lakes Reserve.
In what started out as a promising 2023 campaign, the Lions have hit a bad patch of form, suffering losses in four of their last five games and have now fallen out of the top half of the ladder for the first time this season after dropping points to Watsonia last weekend.
It puts them well and truly back in the pack, and they will need to find their feet quickly, to avoid missing out on finals football in their return to Division 2.
Highlights during what’s been a difficult month have come from Deacon Kalpakis, who has been named as his side’s best for two consecutive weeks, and Nathan Stefanile, who has been named in the Lions best for five of the last six games he has played.
But they will need to find contributions from multiple players if they’re to jump over fifth placed Northcote Park this weekend.
The Cougars rallied hard in the second half to prevail at home over Epping, with the match this weekend being the start of an enormous three weeks for the side, as they have Watsonia and Eltham to round out the campaign.
Despite being ranked eighth in the competition for points for, Stephen Saddington’s men have averaged 95 points in the last fortnight, with those scores being led by Matthew D’Angelo, who has kicked 11 majors in that time period.
Reigning club best and fairest Daniel Tallariti has also been a pivotal player of late and will be looked upon to lead the charge again this weekend.
South Morang dominated their Round 7 match with Northcote Park at Bill Lawry Oval, winning by 41 points, but with both sides on different form lines coming into this game, we could see a closer affair.
With the two teams in real danger of facing relegation, Epping and Lower Plenty battle it out at Epping Recreational Reserve in what is a season defining contest.
The Blues are coming off yet another honourable loss, having been in the hunt for most of the day in their clash against Northcote Park.
They started well last Saturday, leading by 15 points at half time before failing to score another goal throughout the second half to go down by 42 points.
It’s been the story of the 2023 campaign for the Blues, who have been a far more competitive side than last year though with little reward to show.
Without the Hollow boys in last weekend’s loss, we saw Leigh Judd shine once again, also managing to kick two majors, while strong efforts from Lucas Aquillina and Daniel O’Kearney suggests others can stand up when their key players are unavailable.
Lower Plenty have a slight advantage over Epping for now, as they sit off the bottom of the ladder on percentage and came incredibly close to an upset win over Thomastown in Round 15, having trailed by just four points at three quarter time before going down by 13 points.
Tyler Wallace was excellent up forward, kicking a season high of three goals, while Patrick Flynn’s form has been excellent, with his ruck work likely to have a big say in this weekend’s match.
Joel Leslie has also flown under the radar, with his tireless work in a busy backline being rewarded with being named in his side’s best in six of his last eight games.
Their Round 7 clash was highly intriguing, with Epping claiming the four points in a spirited performance, but with the loser of this match likely to face relegation, expect both teams to be at their best on Saturday.
Coming off just their second loss of the season, Eltham will be wanting to get themselves back on the track ahead of finals, when they host Watsonia at Eltham Central Park.
The Panthers enjoyed a lengthy winning run before it was ended at the hands of Diamond Creek in their top of the table clash last weekend.
In the absence of some key players, Jesse Donaldson again stood out in midfield and was named as his side’s best while Joshua Merkel’s great form continued into another week.
While they were soundly beaten in their attacking half last week, it continued a trend of low scores for Tim Bongetti’s side in recent weeks, as they have averaged just 58 points in their last three matches.
They’ll be looking to their leading goalkicker in Jason McCormick to help change the trend as he has only registered four goals in his last four games.
Watsonia meanwhile are in brilliant spirits after a massive victory over South Morang last week that has seen them rise to fourth on the ladder.
Daniel Annetta has hit form and had a big say in the Saints grabbing the four points while another six majors from James Lucente just reaffirmed his place as the most dominant forward in the competition.
Despite suffering just one loss since their Round 9 defeat to Northcote Park, this week starts a massive slate of games to finish the home and away campaign for George Lattouf’s men, as they face the Panthers, Cougars and Creekers to round out the season.
Their recent wins have come in handy, however, they will need to end a nine-game losing streak against Eltham if they’re to keep ahead of the pack and secure a finals berth.
It will all need to go right for Thomastown and Panton Hill if they’re to feature in September in 2023, making their clash at Main Street Recreation Reserve this weekend a massive one.
The Bears ended a three-game losing streak last week in a much needed 13-point victory over Lower Plenty, but still sit six points behind fifth place with three games remaining.
The return of Anthony Capeci and Tyrone Leonardis was a big boost for Thomastown, and their efforts will need to be at their best again if they’re to make another charge towards finals.
James Rizzolio, Joshua Mazzarella and Shannon Ball have all found form in recent weeks and could again play crucial roles in their battle with Panton Hill on Saturday.
The quest for finals is a lot more difficult for the Redbacks however, who now sit 10 points behind the top five after a disappointing 42-point loss to St Mary’s in Round 15.
It means they will have to win their final three games of the season against the Bears, South Morang and Epping, and hope that the sides currently sitting from fourth to sixth drop points in the process.
One player that has stood out for his excellent performances in the last month is Josh Callaway, who was Panton Hill’s best player in the loss last week and has been named in his side’s best for four consecutive matches.
Meanwhile having 11 individual goalkickers for their 14 majors last week will give Simon Amore confidence that his side can find multiple avenues to goal.
Having shared the points in a thrilling high scoring draw earlier in the season, and with so much at stake on Saturday, we could see an incredibly close contest again.
