TOM HAYES
FOOTBALL
NORTH GIPPSLAND By TOM HAYES DESPITE a turn in results as of late, it would be hard to tip against most favourites this weekend when the North Gippsland Football-Netball League returns from the King’s Birthday bye for Round 10. One game has great potential to be a thriller and really shape the top five, while the others could be quite lopsided, as we enter the second half of the home-and-away season. YARRAM welcomes Heyfield in a game that will give more shape to the finals picture. The two sides sit in fifth and sixth respectively, both with a 4-4 record, separated by 12 per cent Both sides are coming off tough losses from a fortnight ago. The Kangaroos took it to Woodside but fell 41 points short, and Yarram were stunned by Rosedale by a point in one of the upsets of the year. Yarram would have most certainly hit the reset button, while Heyfield would want to keep momentum positive despite the loss. It will all be on the line as the winner will be rewarded with a cushion in the top five. Yarram have sat inside the top five for most of the season, but don’t write off the visiting Kangaroos, who have been impressive all year and could cause another stir. WOODSIDE will host Glengarry in what could appear to be route one football for the Wildcats. Stated as one of the more devastating teams in the league, when Woodside win, they make sure to bury their opponents. Perhaps going under the radar because of an early loss to Traralgon Tyers United, but sitting second with a 7-1 record, Woodside are the real deal. Glengarry will have to be at their very best, which they have displayed as of late, but they will need to shift up a gear to have a red hot crack at Woodside away from home. The Magpies won two on the trot before an agonisingly close loss to Sale City before the bye, so their form isn’t in the mud. But their opponents for this Saturday might just be a class above, and it will be tricky for them to get into this contest. CHURCHILL are on the road to Sale this week. The Cougars were blessed with two monster wins following their first loss of the year to TTU, and don’t look like slowing down just yet. Sale City are coming off the back of a two-point win a fortnight ago, but like Glengarry, their opponents this week are a class above. Usually one’s home ground would give them an edge, but that hasn’t been the case for the Bulldogs, who have won just one game at home all year, meanwhile Churchill has won every game on the road in 2023. If Sale City can cause some sort of upset here and beat the Cougars, that will just add more flavour to the finals picture, as a top seven will break away from the bottom four. But, that looks unlikely, as Churchill has gained some serious momentum and will look to exert it at Stephenson Park on the weekend. It could be the beginning of a tricky run for Sale City, who then face Yallourn Yallourn North, then TTU, while Churchill may well use this game as a warm-up for Woodside in Round 11. YYN will look to regain some traction after a seesawing period in the NGFNL. The reigning premier hasn’t had it easy all season, struggling with form and consistency, but they will be hoping to go back-to-back in Round 10. The Jets will travel to Cowwarr to face a side that hasn’t had the best of luck recently. The Saints haven’t picked up four points since Round 1. Yes, they did get a draw out of Rosedale, but comparing the Blues to who they’re up against this week is no match. The unpredictability of the Jets will have some worried, but surely we aren’t due for another upset of this magnitude just yet. Cowwarr will have to provide a gargantuan effort to knock off the Jets – a complete reversal from what their recent form would suggest. The Jets should get the points here, and solidify their spot in the top five for now. THERE is the battle of first versus last. Gormandale will host the undefeated TTU on the weekend, in what can only be predicted to be a rout. Despite their efforts, the Tigers haven’t been able to get close all year, and against the undefeated top side, there is little to no chance. Their goal simply has to be to make the scoreboard look as positive as possible, and make sure to be felt at the contest, which they are known not to shy away from. Gormandale has seen some big scores posted against them this season, but looking simply at the ladder and how similar games have gone, this could be the biggest. As for TTU, they will want to pile on as many goals as possible, and really set the tone for the second half of the season. ROSEDALE has the bye.
