The halfway mark of the MC Labour Division 2 season has arrived, with plenty of intrigue surrounding this weekend’s return to action for the division.
Montmorency Park South Oval is set to host a crucial fourth vs fifth clash between local rivals Lower Plenty and St Mary’s.
Only one game (and percentage) separates these two sides on the table, with the Bears on four wins and the Burra on five.
Three of Lower Plenty’s wins have come in their last four games. However their one loss in that period came the round to last weekend’s break.
Against a determined Watsonia outfit the Bears fell one point short of claiming at least a draw at Binnak Park.
Riley Alexander continued his excellent season in attack, kicking four goals alongside Seth Hill. Both claimed Coaches MVP votes that day alongside experienced defender Joshua Turner.
Travis Stephens and Chris Daw’s men now face their first top five opponent since their heartbreaking three-point loss to Macleod in Round 6.
Jack Bianchin’s side has started to find some form too, winning their last three games after three consecutive losses between rounds three and five.
In their most recent victory against Old Paradians, Huon MacGibbon stood out in ruck yet again, claiming the perfect 10 coaches votes and kicking an equal team-high two goals.
Rory Hanlon also stood out in midfield alongside young guns Rory Hanlon and Ty Kitchell in the 24-point win.
The most recent contest between the Burra and Bears went down to the wire, with the latter claiming a one-point victory at Whatmough Park in Round 13 last year.
Prior to that meeting though St Mary’s claimed a 45-point victory in a high scoring affair at Saturday’s venue.
Whittlesea will be eager to make it consecutive wins when they welcome Northcote Park to the Whittlesea Showgrounds.
Garry Ramsay’s men returned to the winners list prior to the Kings Birthday break, defeating Panton Hill by six goals after leading by 12 points at half time.
Mitchell Andrews was one of the better players for the Eagles alongside new face Clayton McCartney, the latter kicking four goals alongside senior debutant Angus Smith.
The Eagles are yet to lose to a side sitting below them on the table and still have only one loss to their name at the Showgrounds since returning to Division 2 last year.
Northcote Park on the other hand have yet to defeat a top five opponent and have now lost their last three games against Macleod, Diamond Creek and St Mary’s.
Whilst their depth continues to be tested, Lorne Waldron continues to stand tall and was the only Cougars player to claim MVP votes in their 89-point loss to Macleod last round.
Anthony Palmer’s men lost on both occasions in season 2024 to the Eagles and are yet to defeat them since Round 12 of the 2018 season.
Old Paradians and Thomastown are set to battle it out at the Garvey Oval this Saturday as both sides look to boost their chances of surviving relegation.
The Raiders are a game clear of the Bears, who now sit equal on wins with bottom-placed Watsonia.
This is due to the improved form of Ben Turner’s men in the three weeks prior to the Kings Birthday break who have found their feet at the Division 2 level.
In their four-goal loss to St Mary’s the previous round Marcus Nolan, Darcy Vallance and Kyle O’Sullivan yet again stood out.
The reigning Division 3 premiers return to their home deck to face a Thomastown outfit who have also shown some improvements the past few weeks.
Whilst they went down by 86 points to Diamond Creek in Round 8, they still managed to kick seven goals from 11 scoring shots, with four of those goals coming off the boot of Angelos Sidhom.
David Folino and Sash Spiroski’s squad now faces their second bottom three opponent in the last month, with this meeting set to be their first one against the Raiders.
An inform Macleod outfit is set to return to De Winton Park to face a buoyed Watsonia outfit.
The Roos are still yet to lose a game since their opening round defeat at the hands of Diamond Creek.
In their most recent win against Northcote Park, Darcy Hogg returned with a bang, kicking five goals and claiming nine coaches votes alongside Kobe Brandt.
This Saturday will be the first time Nick Lynch’s side face a bottom five opponent since their round six win over Panton Hill.
Anthony McGregor’s men do come into this game off their first win though, defeating Lower Plenty by a solitary point at home.
Daniel Annetta and Ethan Lowe were exceptional in the win, with the latter kicking seven of the Saints 10 goals. Jake McSwain had yet another great game in defence alongside Joshua Boulton.
It’s been 16 years since the Roos and Saints last met. That year the Roos would go on to win the Division 2 premiership whilst the Saints were relegated to Division 3 despite winning seven games.
Panton Hill faces an uphill task this weekend when they welcome Diamond Creek to A.E. Cracknell Reserve.
Simon Amore’s side are now on a five-game losing streak and are still not safe from relegation having only won two games this year.
Against Whittlesea Riley Livingstone and Oliver Parks stood out yet again while Brent Ryan and Ethan Gorski kicked three goals each.
The Redbacks will be up against it this weekend though, with the Creekers looking impervious so far this season.
In their round eight victory over Thomastown Dale Marshall and Jett McLaughlan were sublime, with Marshall claiming the perfect 10 coaches votes and McLaughlan kicking three goals and claiming eight votes.
Andrew Tranquilli’s side won their two meetings last year against the Redbacks by 68 points and 23 points respectively.
Panton Hill though are one of three sides to defeat the Creekers in the regular season since 2023 having claimed a nine-point victory against them in Round 5 of the 2023 season.
