As the competition approaches the mid-point of the season, the race for securing a position in the top five is starting to heat up in MC Labour Division 2 football.
Coming off an impressive five-point victory over Whittlesea prior to the bye, St Mary’s will host Fitzroy Stars in what is set to be a fascinating clash.
The Burras have a chance to jump the Stars on the ladder if they’re to prevail, and could jump as high as third pending other results. The Stars also have the same opportunity, and they’ll be keen to get themselves back on the winners list after two heartbreaking defeats.
Jack Bianchin’s troops have been dominant on their home deck this season, winning all three games there by an average of 45 points. The Stars have been equally as impressive in away games this season, claiming three out of their four away games, with that one defeat being at the hands of ladder leaders Northcote Park.
Macleod need to start generating some wins to get their season back on track, and their next assignment comes in the form of a visit to Garvey Oval to take on Old Paradians.
It’s a huge game with massive ramifications for both sides. The Kangaroos currently sit on just three wins, but they boast an impressive percentage of 123.68%, the second best in the competition. A win for them keeps them well and truly within the hunt for finals contention, but a loss would see them two games outside of the top five.
Macleod will be hoping for Darcy Barden to continue his dominant season, with the spearhead leading goals with an impressive total of 34 majors, remarkably being held to under five goals on just three occasions.
The Raiders are fourth at the moment, but they’re relying on their win tally to keep them towards the top of the ladder, with their percentage of 95.87% being the only one below 100% inside of the top six.
Leading the way for them is their big man Connor McDonald. The ruck has put up ridiculous numbers this season, averaging 27.5 disposals alongside 34.2 hit outs per game.
The Raiders defence will need to be switched on, as the Kangaroos arguably have the best attack in the competition, with their average of just under 100 points a game being the highest.
A win for them could see them jump into the top three if Thomastown cause an upset over Lower Plenty, but a loss could see them drop to sixth on the ladder.
Panton Hill and South Morang will clash at A.E Cracknell Reserve, and the Redbacks will be giving themselves every chance of getting their second win on the board after a promising fortnight.
Prior to the bye, Michael Farrelly’s team took on one of the inform teams of the competition in Lower Plenty, and after a tough battle fell short by 15 points.
Despite currently sitting last on the ladder, the Redbacks have shown improvement throughout the season and are finding themselves as no walkover in recent times. In their last five games, they’ve fallen short to within 15 points on three occasions as well as getting their memorable win over Fitzroy.
The assignment is far from simple though, as they face a true contender in South Morang. The Lions are second on the ladder and are showing no signs of slowing down, losing just one game since the season opener.
They’ve proven they haven’t lost any scoring power with the departure of Noah Cumberland, as they put up 135 points against Macleod from 35 scoring shots.
Ethan Lowe will be one to watch this game as the Lions forward continues his strong form. He’s snagged nine majors in the past two games, propelling him into fourth for goals scored in Division 2.
It’s the battle of the Bears this week with Lower Plenty hosting Thomastown.
Lower Plenty are on a three-game win streak, and they’ll be looking to extend that as well as consolidating a spot in the top three, which is vital come the end of the season due to it granting a double chance.
They’ll be missing one of their stars in Jack Madgen to the VFL commitments. That’s a major blow for the hosts as he’s played in four of their five wins, and in the three games he missed, they suffered two defeats.
Like Panton Hill, Thomastown currently have just one win this season and they’ll be desperate to clench another soon to boost their hopes of remaining in Division 2. They too have proven to be a dangerous side, and that showed in their last match against Northcote Park when they led at every break, but ultimately fell short.
These two are no strangers to thrilling contests against each other, with two of the last four match-ups decided by two points.
Ladder leaders Northcote Park have a chance to retain top spot when they host Whittlesea.
The Cougars have been the team to beat this season, and their only defeat came at the hands of South Morang. A key reason for their dominance is their defensive power, conceding the least amount of points this season at an average of 60.5 points per game.
Bill Lawry Oval has been a happy hunting ground for Anthony Palmer’s side this season, claiming a win in all four appearances there this season.
Like Macleod, the Eagles have been well below their best this campaign but still pose as a dangerous match-up. Despite not replicating last seasons numbers, their defensive game is in strong order, conceding an average of 73.5 points per game which is the third best in the competition. However, that’s a 13 point increase on last seasons tally.
Their offensive game has been the biggest difference between last seasons and this years form. The Eagles averaged 93.77 points per game, the third highest in the Division. This year, they’ve dropped to 72.5 points per game, the fourth lowest of any side.
