Hurstbridge, Thomastown and South Morang have just five wins combined in 2012 and Saturday’s clash between the Bridges and Bears will play a large part in deciding this season’s wooden spoon.
After claiming five wins in its return to Division 2 last season, Hurstbridge currently occupies eighth place on the ladder having claimed victory only once this season.
That victory came in Round 9 when the side comfortably accounted for South Morang by 45 points, but a spate of close losses in recent weeks indicates the side is moving in the right direction.
A fortnight ago the side fell to a three-point loss to premiership aspirant Fitzroy Stars at Coburg City Oval, before slumping to a six-point defeat at Lalor last week.
The team will feel that last week’s loss was the one that got away after leading by 21 points at three-quarter time. The Bridges could manage just two goals to their opponents’ six in the final term, as Lalor recorded its second come-from-behind win over Hurstbridge for the season.
After losing Michael Richards and rising star Aaron Grimes prior to the season, coach Darren Blyth revealed early in the season that the side would turn to its youth to keep it afloat this season, and despite its lowly position on the table it has been the young brigade which has lead from the front.
19-year-old Ben Fennell and Sean Jellie (23) have been sensational this season and as of last week both led the Coaches Player of the Year award with 14 votes apiece.
Fennell has booted 15 goals for the season – second only to Jack Donnelly who has 16 – and booted four goals in the win over South Morang, a week after also kicking four against Diamond Creek.
20-year-old Adam Gambling has continued to impress after a standout season in 2011 and all signs indicate Hurstbridge has a lot to be excited about if it can remain in Division 2 next season.
In fact, so inexperienced is this Hurstbridge team that only four players have over 50 games of experience and the average games played for the side is just 35.
Thomastown sits just a game above the Bridges in seventh place but a loss on Saturday will consign it to the bottom of the ladder given its inferior percentage.
The Bears have two wins for the year having beaten Hurstbridge by 27 points in their earlier meeting this season, before accounting for South Morang by 26 points in Round 10.
The side was competitive against Epping in the opening round of the season and all signs indicated to a better season than last year.
But by Round 4 its season looked in tatters when it fell to a 0-4 record following big losses to Diamond Creek and North Heidelberg, with skipper Michael Manley going down with what looks a season-ending shoulder injury against the Doggies.
Better form in the past two months has enabled the side to lift off the bottom of the table and much of that is due to the red-hot form of recruit Raafat Rachrache.
The former Pascoe Vale player also sits atop the Coaches Player of the Year award with 14 votes and is also his club’s leading goal kicker with 23 goals.
Matthew Cupo has also been in great form in recent weeks and has been named in Thomastown’s best for three consecutive weeks.
The two sides have developed a competitive rivalry over the past two seasons and precious little has stood between them over the past 18 months.
Both finished last season with five wins with Hurstbridge eventually claiming sixth place thanks to a better percentage, and again this year very little separates the two teams.
When the sides met at Main Street Oval in Round 6 it was Hurstbridge who raced out to a 15-point lead at quarter time, before Thomastown kicked into gear with 14 of the next 21 goals to claim its first win of the year.
Michael Khoury booted seven goals, while Ramez Dagher and Jason Abela were also instrumental for the Bears.
Hurstbridge 1, Thomastown 2
Round 6, 2012: Thomastown 15.10 (100) def Hurstbridge 11.7 (73)
Round 10, 2011: Thomastown 11.14 (80) def Hurstbridge 11.5 (71)
Round 3, 2011: Hurstbridge 22.19 (151) def Thomastown 11.12 (78)
