FOOTBALL
MID GIPPSLAND
The Bombers are back winning games of football and ready to rumble against an unbeaten Yinnar side this week.
Yallourn-Yallourn North were outmuscled in their disappointing round one loss to Thorpdale but it seems to have also been the early season wake-up call the club needed.
Strong team performances in the last fortnight have coach Barrie Burnett up and about and have given him confidence that he has the right ingredients to match it with the best.
Yinnar appear to be one of the best and have won all three matches to date over reigning premiers Mirboo North, Morwell East and Newborough.
A multitude of goal-kickers led by Brad McBride, a solid midfield and well organised defence have the Magpies ready for all-comers.
The Bombers will be hoping to claim a top of the table scalp at home this weekend but it is going to be a tough ask, even with all players firing.
Newborough v Morwell East
It seems there isn’t room for both Newborough and Morwell East in finals’ calculations but there may well be room for one of them.
To that end, the winner of this contest will stay in touch with the top end of the Mid Gippsland ladder while the other will be left with some work to do.
Morwell East have a good spread of talent but may need more depth, and although there is some real class within the side, they still appear clunky in their ball movement.
If the Hawks can get some rhythm going, however, the season ahead looks bright.
Newborough are still managing several new additions to their line up and coach Tom Hallinan probably wishes he had a couple more Jared Risols.
The Bulldogs would be hoping to put up a better fight than they did last weekend when they were thumped by Yinnar.
Mirboo North v Thorpdale
Season 2018 is turning into a nightmare for the Tigers and playing coach Josh Taylor.
You can’t find a hole in the coach’s message to his players or indeed the efforts of the youngsters, but winning is what its all about and the reigning premiers are yet to win a game.
Thorpdale suffered their first defeat last week to Trafalgar and the Blues will have their sights set on bouncing back to winning form.
There were some glimpses of what Mirboo North were capable of in the dying minutes of last week’s loss to Morwell East.
Jake Nash and Kris Berchtold proved to be good go-to targets and coach Taylor was lifting his side with voice and effort.
Boolarra v Hill End
Hill End will this weekend show just how last week’s 20-plus goal thrashing at the hands of Yallourn-Yallourn North has affected them when they face Boolarra.
Boolarra continue to front up week in, week out but winning for the Demons is a distant memory.
In the past fortnight, they may have not looked like winning, but they also haven’t looked like being thrashed.
One of the preseason goals was to stay with teams longer and steal a game here and there when in reach.
This week could be the week.
Trafalgar v Yarragon
Trafalgar, one of only two unbeaten sides, would be hot favourites to beat the Panthers this week at home, and rightfully so.
But there are plenty of examples of teams who have built themselves up to perform on particular day, only to fall flat in the following contest.
The Bloods have been impressive in the opening rounds, none more so than in last weekend’s Anzac-themed clash against rivals.
Coach Clint Eisendel had always planned a fast start, culminating in a much needed win over the Blues.
With that win in the bank, the test is now whether his side can back it up with another strong performance in a game they are expected to win.
Yarragon enjoyed last week’s success over Boolarra but it’s matches like this one against a league leader that will earn them the respect they are searching for.
The task is not impossible for the Panthers.
