What a fantastic round of fixtures to start off our second round this Saturday the 9th of January 2021, yes a New Year, hope you have a good one.
There are a number of games that have caught my eye, but the highlight for me it the clash down at windy Fremantle, where the Mariners will do battle with the visiting Hawks. Manning and Leeming both play away, perhaps season defining games.
FREMANTLE v HILTON PARK
FREMANTLE
T Krajancic, D Golem, B Ciccotosto, J Trigwell
B Coote, M Lindsay, J Chessell, M Ngui
S McCormack, J Stewart, B Wright, B Sumich
P Wachmer, M Gill, K Bowden, N Gaspar INS: N Gaspar OUTS: A Hocken
HILTON PARK
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Only minimal points seperate these two teams on the ladder, with the Mariners currently third and the Hawks not far behind in fifth spot.
The big question for me is this. Have the home side found the right answers at the selection table to help the Krackerjack rink? For their sake they need to have come up with the right combinations, or they could end up on a slippery slide down the ladder. The Hawks are without Kev McKay and Daniel Newton, two good players out.
The Hawks proved they can win on good grass, as they did last game at Manning, they will win again.
Hilton 6-2
KALAMUNDA v MANNING
KALAMUNDA
P Townsend, W Olive, H Clifford, M Thomas
B Brandsma, R Cooper, T Price, T Mountford
D Wooltorton, I Quayle, G McDonald, M Clancy
A Bartlett, R Pringle, B Farrant, V Hughes INS: R Pringle OUTS: A Burt
MANNING
M Piggott, B Griffiths, L Herbert, P Barrow
D Mcllheney, A Pryce, S Salamon, B Connell
M Carey, G Hogg, A Lill, S Lambert
G O'Brien, W Heldt, N Rees, M Hoskin INS: L Herbert, A Pryce OUTS: S Adams, P Bowden
Seventh versus second in this game, but only a few points seperate them on the congested ladder.
The Cougars play very well at home, but they do have another new skip in Townsend. The Eagles welcome back Alan Pryce a big inclusion.
Brandsma versus O’Brien would be a cracker of a game, but I think Billy can lead them to victory.
Kalamunda 6-2
COCKBURN v LEEMING
COCKBURN
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LEEMING
N Bennetts, G Freeman, N Shannon, D Anderson
K Vandersluys, P Boys, D Johnson, W Birrell
G Ford, J Bowden, B Eather, R Bellis
J Newton, G Burgess, A Andersson, P Hickey INS: N Bennetts, G Freeman OUTS: A Anderson, B Flynn
Top of the table Cockburn start off round 10 against the visiting Lion pride.
Once again it could be a selection issue that determines this game, but that aside, I believe the home side will be far too strong on their home turf. The Roosters have very settled sides and are extremely hard to beat anywhere, let alone at home. The Cougars with yet another new skip, as have the Lions.
Cockburn 7-1
ROCKINGHAM v THORNLIE
ROCKINGHAM
K Tremlett, S Hutchinson, V Arriagada, D Poole
B Edwards, M Peters, G Roberts, I Wright
M Devenny, P Villa, S Wales, J Laukkanen
R Costello, J Lethlean, M Wilson, T Rubery INS: No changes OUTS:
THORNLIE
M Separovich, P Pohe, J Thorn, P Riggio
G Vaughan, G Collier, C Penaluna, A Williams
M Yates, G Beckwith, D Slade, J Walker Jnr
M White, D Innes, J Stean, J Mitchell INS: No changes OUTS:
The Rams start the second round down at their windy fortress in Rockingham. Both of these teams are down near the bottom of the table, but the 7th placed Rams still well in the hunt to finish in the top three, to challenge for promotion. What a fairytale result that could be for the newcomers to First Division. Less than four points seperate the home side from the 3rd placed Fremantle sixteen, with their percentage pretty healthy as well. The Rams side is very settled I note, as is the visiting Ravens sixteen.
Rockingham 6-2
SOUTH PERTH v SPEARWOOD
SOUTH PERTH
D Calvo, G Reagan, J Percival, C Alberti
M McRae, M Petrich, T Percival, M Hughes
S Kelly, B Roelefs, F Anderson, L Moretti
V Santostefano, I Rennie, J Cook, B Owen INS: T Percival, C Alberti OUTS: D Bandy, A Durrant
SPEARWOOD
D Tomasich, B Yakas, M Krajancic, N Sokol
K Nadilo, B Vidovich, B Dropulic, T Fiamengo
I Unkovich, T Mathein, I Dragicevich, B Bavcevic
I Perica, J Stojan, J Galipo, A Stojan INS: M Krajancic OUTS: T Gimblett
A near impossible task facing the visitors in their efforts to avoid defeat in this game and ultimately automatic demotion unfortunately. The South Perth Millers normally play pretty well at home where their front end set up the heads nicely for the Skips.
Denis Bandy after a big win last week, is not playing I notice, so the changes may weaken the Millers a little. Good to see young Callum Alberti gets a game as a lead.
