Casey Cardinia League preview – round 17

By Brad Kingsbury
KEYSBOROUGH coach Paul Jeffries was open and direct when asked how he would approach this Saturday’s vital clash with Hampton Park.
“We’ll attack,” he said.
“I know that Hampton Park will run tags on Michael Davis and Clinton King, but I’m not a believer in tagging and I don’t think it’s the way for us to go at this stage. We have to get the ball and kick goals it’s as simple as that. Getting my guys switched on is the key.”
Jeffries was thrilled with his side’s effort to snatch fifth place last weekend, but said the job was far from done and this weekend’s game was a great challenge.
He added that the dangerous tactic of playing only 19 men in the seniors (due to player points limits) was now over and opponents could expect 21 Burra players to take the field from this weekend on.
Hampton Park will be at full strength if star halfback Brett Armitage plays and stopping the rampant Redbacks will be a daunting task, particularly if supertalented forwards Kerem Baskaya and Matt Shorey maintain their form.
This will be a noholdsbarred contest for most of the day, but the Redbacks are now a real threat to the top three premiership contenders and will add a little more confidence to their stocks.
ROC has a similarly vital clash against Cranbourne at Starling Road.
The Kangaroos have made a mess of their finalfive hopes in recent weeks and now must rely on others losing to sneak back into the finals’ race.
That assumes that they can regroup after last week’s disappointment and down the young and enthusiastic Cranbourne Eagles.
At their tight home ground the odds are stacked in ROC’s favour given Cranbourne’s preference to run the ball forward, but nothing is ever certain when trying to predict the Kangaroos’ fortunes.
Cranbourne effectively ended Beaconsfield’s finals hopes a fortnight ago and would no doubt love to do the same with ROC, however that is unlikely with the home side having an advantage in both experience and ability.
Tooradin invite Doveton to the Western Port Oval and will have its work cut out on form.
The Doves are looming and are now eyeing bigger prizes than the scalp of the Seagulls who are seeing out a disappointing season after a promising start.
Pride will drive Tooradin in the first half, but the result is likely to be another bitter lesson from a genuine premiership contender.
Speaking of flag hopefuls, it is Narre Warren’s turn to bid farewell to Dingley and the Souter Oval this weekend.
It is to be hoped that the Dingoes are able to give the rampaging Magpies a decent contest before the inevitable happens and the home side piles on the pressure.
The most interest this week will centre on how many goals Lee Clark can boot in his quest for his second consecutive ton. I’m tipping a lazy 16.
Devon Meadows is at home for the final time this season and takes on league leaders Pakenham.
The Panthers are a better side at Glover Reserve, but they would need to be about 20 goals better than their most recent efforts to even challenge the superconfident Lions, even on their home deck.
The tip is Pakenham by lots and lots.