Casey Cardinia League preview – round 9

By Brad Kingsbury
ROC capitulated meekly when it was physically challenged by Hampton Park two matches back and will face an even harder task in this week’s clash with Narre Warren.
One of the Magpies greatest assets is its physicality, but until this season that trait has been misused and resulted in a combination of injury, suspension and sendoffs.
Not so under Aussie Jones in 2006 and the Kangaroos can expect four quarters of determined attack on the ball and body from the Magpies.
ROC’s biggest asset in this game is the fact that it is at Starling Road, but the downside is that key big men Ben Waite, Darren DeJong and Sean Sierakowski are all unavailable due to holidays.
That should be enough to give Magpie strong men Brett Evans, Glenn Hamilton, Ricky Clark and Shane Brewster the edge in the midfield and thereby set up another Magpie win.
Hampton Park travels to Doveton with a good chance of upsetting the secondplaced Doves, who have been severely belted with the injury stick.
The Doves will likely be without Ryan Hendy, Ryan Brown, Justin Hill and Aaron McIver, but that means little to Redbacks’ coach Jason Chapple who recognised the task his troops face.
“We’re under no illusions. Whether they’ve got injuries or not, we have to be realistic,” he said.
“We’re playing a side that’s lost one game in about 30 and we have to be at our very best just to be competitive with them. If we are then the scoreboard will look after itself.”
The Redbacks will give a good account of themselves, but Doveton at home tips itself.
Keysborough will fancy its chances against Pakenham for two reasons.
Firstly the Lions have never played at the Burra. Their only clash last year was at the Toomuc Reserve, so the ground will be completely unknown.
The second advantage Keysborough has is the game it plays involves harassment of opposition ball carriers and that could upset the Lions’ slick youngsters who like space to run.
That said, Pakenham has the edge in ability across the ground and also has players like coach Michael Holland, Lincoln Withers, Cory Lenders and Stuart Burridge (if he plays) that can mix it in the clinches with the best of them. That should be enough to win.
Beaconsfield is at home to Tooradin in a danger game for the Seagulls.
On current form, the boys from Westernport should have little trouble downing the young, but enthusiastic Eagles. However a bit of history and pride might come into this game and the result could be closer than many expect.
Cranbourne plays Berwick at Casey Fields and who knows what the Wickers are going to do?
If they get their running game going against the young home side, then the one certainty is that the ball will ping from one end to the other with plenty of gusto.
The difference will be that Berwick has the DonaldsonGorozidis factor and Cranbourne does not.
Dingley has the chance to back up its best effort of the year to date last week with an even better one against 11thplaced Devon Meadows at the den on Saturday.
The Dingoes are trying hard and doing their best to avoid embarrassment, but the Panthers will have too many avenues to goal and will not be extended to record their second win of 2006.