By Ken Moore
UNBEATEN and sitting in third place, Longwarry faces its biggest test of the season when it hosts Cora Lynn in the EDFL round five match of the day on Saturday.
The Crows have been the big bolter in the first month of 2011.
They drew with Neerim Neerim South in the opening round, which was followed by emphatic victories over Nilma Darnum, Nyora and Buln Buln last week.
There is no doubt that Longwarry, the 2010 wooden spooner, has improved substantially, but how much should be answered come late Saturday afternoon.
Cora Lynn returned to its best form last week, thrashing a strangely listless Warragul Industrials, and will provide stern resistance.
Longwarry sharpshooters Luke Serong and Adam Pavlovic have been a potent force this season, but a few more Crow forwards will need to kick multiple goals if the home side is to produce an upset win.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Lang Lang v Catani
AFTER a morale-boosting victory over Nar Nar Goon, the Tigers will bare their teeth at home against the Blues. Catani has mixed its form this season and it would be a brave punter to select the visitors.
Its best chance of a boilover sits with the fact that it will enter the game fresh from a bye last week while Lang Lang will likely enter the game a bit jaded after a tough physical game in which they had to stretch every muscle and sinew for all four quarters against Nar Nar Goon.
Hard-running ruck-rover Antonio Benevenuto is likely to return and bolster the Blues on-ball brigade but it still looks short of talent on most lines to compete with the in-form Lang Lang for any more than two quarters.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Kooweerup v Nyora
THE Demons will go shoulder to shoulder with the Saints. Both teams opened their winning account last week and will fancy their chances. Nyora struggled to stave off a fast finishing Ellinbank last week and conversely Kooweerup overpowered Nilma Darnum. The Demons’ superior fitness in tandem with home-ground advantage should see them secure their second victory in a real struggle by less than 10 points.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Warragul Industrials v Nar Nar Goon
THE Dusties will be determined to show home supporters they are made of far more substance than displayed last week when they folded meekly after quarter-time against Cora Lynn.
Nar Nar Goon will also be out to prove a point after suffering its third loss of the season to Lang Lang. As a result the first quarter is guaranteed to be a torrid affair.
The Goon will be tempted to pick new recruit and tough utility Paul Youle, who joined the club over summer from Nyora and played his first game for the Goon in the reserves last week.
Nar Nar Goon appears to have more scope to raise its game to another level and should return home with the four match points and keep its double chance aspirations alive.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Bunyip v Neerim Neerim South
THE Bulldogs will sweat it out against the Cats in one of the more intriguing games of the round. This game is likely to go down to the wire and looks a toss-of-a-coin job.
Bunyip captain Jack Fitzpatrick and rising star Jake Buckingham are likely to return from injury to strengthen the team and whoever is overlooked to cater for this pair can consider themselves desperately unlucky because last week Callum Pattie’s charges produced a terrific all-round team effort when they pummelled Poowong.
Confidence and enthusiasm are among the best assets a team can possess and the home side has it in spades at the moment. Bulldog supporters should be rejoicing on Saturday afternoon.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Garfield v Nilma Darnum
AFTER a number of potential danger games in the first month of the season, the Stars have a far easier assignment this Saturday against the winless Bombers.
It is hard to make a case against the undefeated Garfield and on form Nilma will do well if it can keep the end margin to under 10 goals.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Ellinbank v Buln Buln
THE Bankers have not lived up to pre-season expectations over the first month but it would have to put in an abject display to lose to the Lyrebirds, who sit at the foot of the table and have struggled to be competitive, which is illustrated by their poor percentage.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:Round five tips:
GARFIELD v Nilma Darnum
KOOWEERUP v Nyora
ELLINBANK v Buln Buln
Longwarry v CORA LYNN
Warragul Industrials v NAR NAR GOON
LANG LANG v Catani
Bunyip v NEERIM NEERIM SOUTH
