by BZB27 » Tue Mar 28, 2017 9:03 am
The Balfours Div 6 footy preview.
Elizabeth v Trinity OS
The battle of the north kicks off at Elizabeth with the Eagles looking to get off to a good start after dropping down to 6. The only real quality they have lost is Daniel Hodges to Modbury and the talk has been youth is the go at the club to rise back up but with add of Markis and the return of Cotter from fitzroy to add some more firepower to help Sheppard up forward and with Greenshields still floating in the mids they will still be looking to bounced straight back up.
Trinity on the otherhand have lost star full forward Alex Cotter, and good players in Lemmon, Maher, Rossack and the rumors of Spurr while not adding a whole lot on the other end. New coach Stephen Couzner is known to play a press so will be interesting to see if he has brought that to the tossers.
This will be a great game but if Trinity are to win they will need the likes Zorichs, O'Hara, Sammy Peters, Winning, Macphail to have big days and Perry to take over at full forward. Elizabeth will need all the youth they have to show the speed and zip to past the big blokes of trinity to get it down to Cotter and Sheppard.
Elizabeth 13pts
Brahma Lodge v Ingle Farm
Possibly game of the round with last seasons prelim finalist taking on the side which suprising got knocked out in the Elimination final.
The talk of a mass exodus of top players at the Tigers proved to be just that. talk, with only really superstar full forward Tim Aloisi off to the YPFL and decent players in Sobels and Spriggs out of the club. In return they have picked up Hall, McIntyre(SW), Richter from Portland, Fuller and Dean Steele. Who will add to the quality that is there in Dene Steele, Brooks, Savage, Huitema, Mckee and Cosenza.
Ingle Farm have had a mixed pre season with players leaving like Cree and Pryor back to Para Hills and Verigan staying in the NT and losing Wade Matthews to the SANFL but have offset them by adding into a ruckman they needed in Garnell, a superstar in Grae Grant and Dion Coomblas from Greenies.
I reckon the midfield match up is going to be a major key and with Steele, Brooks, Savage, McIntyre, Richter for BL v Sumner, Bryant, Lynch, Grant plus others its going to be a great battle.
Also another key note is seeing who is going to fill Aloisis void weather it be Hall or if they get an even spread.
And will big Brad Sanderson start to fire up forward and kick more straight this season.
I think Ingle Farm will have too much depth around the ground except in the centre square where BL will have a dominance but womt be able to finish up forward.
Ingle Farm 23pts
West Croydon v Salisbury West
The Runners up of last season kick of there campaign with a new coach in Luke Nicholls and without some quality players that took them to the GF in Sumner, O'Toole, Birch, Stancl and the big man in Phillips, take on the premiers of Div 7 who themselves have lost some of there top players in Wellington, Mcintyre, Koler and Schroeter.
West Croydon still have alot of quality at the club with Nicholls, Woodcock, Symons, Cooper, Halls and have added Carr from Mawsons to the midfield. Also will Cam McKinnon be back and at full forward. While Salisbury West seem to have picked up alot and brought up a few juniors it will be interesting to see how they go with what they have in ruckman Ryles, mid Bow and forward Davies.
I think West Croydon still have too much quality with Woodcock to kick a bag and will be too good at home against a side who has lost a fair bit of top end and wont be able to match what the Hawks bring
West Croydon 35pts
Fitzroy v Pulteney
The with the most clearances in the league bar Para Hills v the club who seem to have picked up some top end talent after struggling in d5 last season.
The main question will be how many of the 50 plus clearances actually will play a grade and how many will play in there super c grade side. Bourke will be a massive in for the foward line to help out Dixon plus the other 10 from Glenunga will help out elsewhere.They havnt had it all one way though and have lost some talent with club legend Matt Nelson out of there aswell as young ruckman Sam Bugeja, forwards Cotter and Wheadon and backman Cronin.
Pulteney have alway had a very even squad between the a's and b's but look to have picked up some top talent in Giddings and Tucker from the SANFL and
Jack Hoppo-Luckett from Uraidla. I dont know too much about Pulteney but i know Aish is a big loss in the midfield and they will need others to stand up.
I think with all the in's for Fitzroy and that they are playing on there mountain that they will pull away with a decent victory.
Fitzroy 45pts
Mawson Lakes v Houghton Districts
The rivalery builds on from last season where the Raiders knocked off the Lakes by 1 pt and then 2pts during the regular season. Both side finished out of the 5 but did enough on the last day of the season to aviod relegation.
Mawsons have lost mid Andy Carr to West Croydon while adding a few blokes from all over the place.
Houghton lost star mid Wade Vandermoer back to Pooraka aswell as Dolan and Kamenic. But have been boasted with new coach Brenton Klaebe and what he has brought to the club in his own son Dan Klaebe aswell well as a few young blokes looking for better oppitunites to play a grade footy.
The ruck and midfield battle is the key to this one with Cam Schutz and Mccammon going head to head and McMurtrie, Davis and Keetch against King, Kennett plus some of the new recruits.
Novosel will be dangerous as always up forward and will need a good match up.
Being a bit bias in this one i think we can get the points and get off to a great start to the season.
Houghton 15pts