The Fitzroy Stars will this weekend play at their spiritual home ground, Sir Douglas Nicholls Oval, for the first time since joining the Northern Football League in 2008.
The Stars last played at the venue in 1994 in the final season of the former Melbourne North Football League, with this occasion close to two decades in the making.
Their first opponent back on their home track is fifth-placed Mernda, with the Demons coming into the clash on the back of two fine wins prior to the Queen’s Birthday weekend break.
With the Stars currently sitting in third place on the ladder, one game behind Diamond Creek, this game is a massive one in the context of both team’s seasons. A win would further boost the Stars’ hopes of a top-two finish and would firmly entrench them in the top four. Victory for the Demons could push them inside the top four at the halfway mark of the year – a wondrous achievement in their first season back in Division 2.
The Stars are arguably the form side of the competition. Only one poor quarter against Whittlesea three weeks ago has prevented them from heading into this weekend’s game with five-straight wins. They famously led the first-placed Eagles by 54 points at three quarter time before succumbing to an eight-point loss.
Fitzroy bounced back from the horrific Round 7 fadeout when it overcame its bogey team Hurstbridge by 16 points last up. The Bridges had been victorious in four of the pair’s last six meetings however, the Stars booted six goals to three in the final term to run out 16-point winners.
After kicking 72 goals in 2012, big forward Patrick Davis has continued on his merry way this season with 32 goals – including eight in the win over Hurstbridge. Meanwhile, veteran Lionel Proctor is showing no sign of slowing down – despite lining up alongside son Kain throughout the year – and has featured in the Stars’ best in six of eight matches.
Just nine months since claiming the Division 3 premiership, Mernda has proven to be a ready-made contender in Division 2.
The Demons took a 4-4 record and healthy percentage into the Queen’s Birthday weekend, having beaten last year’s runner-up North Heidelberg by 32 points and pushed premiership favourite Whittlesea right to the line.
The Round 7 win over the Bulldogs at Shelley Street Reserve proved the Demons are capable of matching it with anyone in Division 2. They trailed by 26 points at quarter time before outscoring the Dogs by 15 goals to seven thereafter.
That win was backed up with a 95-point annihilation of South Morang and a win over the Stars on Saturday would push the side inside the top four if Whittlesea was to beat North Heidelberg.
Skipper Rohan Davies is having another season to savour and would have to be a leading contender for this year’s best and fairest award after taking out the honour in Division 3 last season.
Veteran Matthew Rees has been superb up forward and has 26 goals in seven games, while Oak Park recruit Andrew Smith booted five in last week’s win over the Lions and has been a superb addition to the Demons with his hard-nosed attack on the ball.
Past Three Meetings
Round 4, 2013: Fitzroy Stars 13.24 (102) def Mernda 10.11 (71)
Round 13, 2011: Fitzroy Stars 18.18 (126) def Mernda 10.12 (72)
Round 6, 2011: Mernda 2.7 (19) def by Fitzroy Stars 16.19 (115)
