By DAVID NAGEL
Casey Cardinia Football League preview – round 3
BERWICK v NARRE WARREN
ARE we about to have a major shake-up at the pointy end of the Casey Cardinia Football League ladder or will the status quo of the last four seasons remain?
Berwick, with its emerging presence, will provide the answers in the coming fortnight. A visit from reigning-champs Narre Warren this Saturday, followed by a trip to Cranbourne on May 3, will give a very clear indication of the Wickers’ potential for the rest of the season.
Up until now, Rhys Nisbet’s team could hardly have been more impressive, thrashing Beaconsfield and Pakenham, but now face the ultimate test against the Magpies at Edwin Flack Reserve.
“Quite obviously they’re the testing material at the moment and it’s going to be a great indicator as to where we sit as a side,” Nisbet said after the win over the Lions.
“There’s a history there and it’s no secret that they don’t like us and we don’t like them. It’s going to be a big game for the club.”
The Wickers were the last team to really towel-up the Magpies, by 51-points, all the way back in the qualifying final of 2011. A lot of water has passed under the bridge since then, but Narre coach Chris Toner still holds the blues in high regard.
“They’re a good team at their best and its exciting and exactly what this group needs right now, we know we’re going to be challenged,” Toner said.
Berwick has taken on a Narre Warren type look in its first two games, with a wide spread in front of goals. The Wickers have had nine and 11 goal-kickers respectively in their first two games with 14 of their 39 goals coming from players who have spent significant time in the midfield. On the flipside, Narre gets a tremendous amount of drive from half back. Nick Scanlon, Lee Boyle and Kain Baskaya are all penetrating kicks who set a high-standard in all facets of the game. Stopping that rebound must be a focus if the Wickers are to kick a winning score.
It will take a monumental team effort because one weak link will be exposed.
The Magpies are ruthless and love a challenge. Aaron Purvis, Paul Vanschilt, Jordy and Madi Andrews and Nathan Waite can expect to be hit hard while no youngster will be spared at the coal-face. The Magpies are the masters of identifying just that one half step and then going in for the kill.
They’ll do so again, shaking off a plucky Berwick outfit by 29 points.
TOORADIN v CRANBOURNE
THE most unique and emotional atmosphere that an Australian sporting field has to offer will inspire Tooradin and Cranbourne when the two teams run out for their ANZAC Day clash at Westernport Oval on Friday.
Forty four lucky players will stand shoulder-to-shoulder with their football and netball contemporaries, in honouring the spirit of the ANZAC’s, then lock horns in what’s sure to be a spine-tingling environment.
This will be a massive test for the Seagulls because Cranbourne has some players who have a natural affinity for the big stage. Skipper Marc Holt will be keen to set the big crowd alight with a huge-haul of goals while Michael Theodoridis, Ryan Jones and Max Gearon are all regulars on the highlight reel.
In just two games, Tooradin has given clear evidence that the gap between its best and worst is still wide. Their midfield leaders like Matt Wade, Phil Burns and Brett Scarcella have the talent to trouble the Eagles but it won’t be enough and the visitors will take home the points.
KEYSBOROUGH v PAKENHAM
PAKENHAM will look to kick-start its season when it takes on the tricky-challenge of defeating Keysborough at Rowley Allen Reserve.
Despite a horror-start to the season, the Lions still appear to be the side that will hold the key to fifth position. They had the measure of teams like the Burra, Doveton, ROC and Tooradin last year, but if they start losing games like this… that fifth position will become wide open to all.
The Burra’s depth is the most fragile in the competition, the loss of Tyson King and Reece Spadaccini for the game against Cranbourne made a huge difference to their competiveness.
Tim Werner, Cory Hargreaves, Geoff Humphreys and Glen Hawthorn have provided the consistency so far while Chris Bryan and Bryce Sutton have been competitive in the ruck. Their battle with Pakenham leviathan Kym Jones will be pivotal to the end result.
This one’s real tough to pick but the end result does lie in Pakenham’s hands. If they don’t up, they get beaten… but if they do they’ll earn a hard-fought victory by 16 points.
In other games, Beaconsfield will be too good for Hampton Park while ROC will triumph in a thriller over Doveton.
