Casey Cardinia preview – round 9 (split round)
BEACONSFIELD starts Casey Cardinia’s one-two sucker punch on Saturday when it travels to Casey Fields to take on the might of the undefeated Cranbourne.
That in itself is a daunting task for any side, but backing up a week later with a trip to Narre Warren makes this a time of year when Beacy needs to be at its best.
“It’s a massive challenge -and this might sound a bit silly to some but we’ll go to Cranbourne with a game plan that will give us the best possible chance of victory,” Beaconsfield coach Austinn Jones said after his team’s latest win against Hampton Park.
It better be a good plan because the reigning premiers, if anything, have improved from last season. Their evenness is staggering.
Apart from Marc Holt, a first time observer of the Eagles would leave none the wiser as to whom their star players are, they’re everywhere! But having said that, shutting down Holt is the key to success and must be at the top of the Jones’ plan.
Full-back Daniel Battiglan will probably get first crack at the goal kicking-juggernaut but Shaun Pollard looms as an important back-up.
Do Beacy double team Holt and leave a loose man elsewhere or does it rely on limiting his supply as its main source of defence?
Even if Holt is held, which is unlikely, the champs have a never ending list of quality forwards who can step up to the plate.
White, Theodoridis, Davey and a bloke called Berry are all extremely dangerous in front of the big sticks.
Beaconsfield is an exciting unit when it gets its running game in action and the word “instinctive” is always prominent when it plays its best football.
Veteran Robbie Taylor might be having his best season yet while Daniel Mislicki, Jesse Linkins and Pollard will play well as usual.
Beaconsfield’s competitiveness will be tested in the second half of its list. Cranbourne has no weakness and crush teams in the depth department.
That’ll once again be the difference on Saturday. Cranbourne comfortably.
