By Tash Gunawardana
Premier Division:
Vermont vs South Croydon Blue: What a clash we have to look forward to with a third and fourth blockbuster between Vermont and South Croydon Blue at Vermont Recreation Reserve. The key to South Croydon Blue winning the match will be to stop Premier goal kicker leader Evie Allman, she has 17 goals from the opening five rounds. If Vermont wins, they can go equal second with Chirnside Park Black (bye). Tip: Vermont
Blackburn Black vs Donvale Black: The second Premier Women’s Division match will see the top team Blackburn Black tackle the last placed Donvale Black at Morton Park. Could Donvale Black cause a massive upset and become the first side to topple Blackburn Black this season or will Blackburn Black continue on their merry way? Tip: Blackburn Black
Chirnside Park Black – bye
Division One: East Ringwood vs Berwick: What a match we have to open round six in Division One, with East Ringwood, who have been white-hot the last two rounds, taking on impressive competition newcomers Berwick.
East Ringwood will be full of confidence in front of their home fans at East Ringwood Reserve, but standing in their way is Berwick hoping to not slump to their second consecutive loss.
Although Berwick lost last week, coach Matt De Poilly said, “We were pretty happy with the way we performed on Saturday only finding out we were playing on Tuesday and a quick turnaround, we had a lot of positives that we can take out of it and looking forward to playing against East Ringwood this week, getting back on the winners list and gaining a few ins to our team as well this week.”
Berwick will be boosted by the return of two-gun midfielders Cassie Martin and Georgia Pabst as well as leading goal scorer Courtney De Kroon.
De Poilly said, “Our team should have a really strong line up this weekend and we are pretty excited to have those ins because it really strengthens our game across the whole field.”
East Ringwood will have their hands full in defence with De Kroon and Sheridan Holland having good seasons up forward for the Wickers.
Berwick are sitting 3-2 and De Poilly said “Before the bye on Queen’s birthday we want to make sure we get ourselves into a really good position leading into the backend of the year, so the next three weeks will be a really good chance for us to get three good wins and then reassess for the rest of the season.”
East Ringwood coach Peter Baker explained how his team have turned around their form the last two weeks, “We lost a lot of players over the covid period, so we were struggling with numbers, and we now have about eight or 10 girls who are really committed and really drive the team and we have just been able to find players who have never played football before who have come along and joined,”
“Now have a group of about 22 or 23, who attend training all the time and we have just gotten better and better.”
Baker said there is a bit of confidence amongst his team, and they are all keen to learn and to improve.
“We have found a level where we can be competitive, both games we could have lost instead of won but we were lucky to be in front when the siren went.”
Baker said his leadership group led by Bec Gallagher, Keeley Hudson and Steph McNamara have been fantastic and led by example as they are always at training and teaching the girls.
Baker has also been impressed by those who have come from the juniors including Dahlia and Ibtesam Gumma Ali.
“They’ve been really good for us and picked up Keeley Hudson’s sister in Teagan Hudson, basketballer and hasn’t played much footy, she is a natural. That’s been very helpful, and we have a good mix of younger and older girls and the girls who have never played are just doing their job and loving it. They have all lifted and it has been a really good thing at the moment.” Tip: Berwick
Rowville Hawks vs The Basin: The winless Rowville Hawks clash with the undefeated and outright ladder leaders The Basin at Seebeck Oval. Rowville Hawks defenders will be kept on their toes if they do not stand stop The Basin pivotal forward line led by Division One goal kicking leader Julia Baker, she has 14 goals. Rowville Hawks almost pulled of their first victory over SBL Wolves, but who knows if everything goes to plan on their home deck, they could break their winless drought in 2021. Tip: The Basin
Boronia Brown vs North Ringwood: Boronia Brown will be looking to get their second win on the trot against North Ringwood at Tormore Reserve. For Boronia Brown, they will be hoping for more of the same from Stephanie Phillips who has been among the best players in the last three rounds and last round was the BOG, so North Ringwood will need to put a halt to her impact on the match. Tip: Boronia Brown
Ferntree Gully vs Whitehorse Suns: Whitehorse Suns would still be buzzing after they broke through with their first win of 2021 last round against Berwick and expect this confidence to be the driving factor to record their second victory in a row. Whitehorse will need to play four quarters of football if they have any chance of defeating the third placed Ferntree Gully holds a record of 4-1. But they will need be wary of Ferntree Gully, as they try to get back on the winners list after they were brought back down to earth by The Basin.
Tip: Whitehorse Suns
SBL Wolves vs Park Orchards: Park Orchards host SBL Wolves at Belgrave South Recreation Reserve. For Park Orchards, there is plenty on the line because if they win, they could go as high as fourth on the ladder but if they lose, they could fall to seventh. SBL Wolves will hope for more of the same form that helped them secure their first victory of the season and if they can replicate this form then all that can be said is lookout Park Orchards.
Tip: Park Orchards
Division Two:
Heathmont vs Knox: A hopeful Heathmont will look to stay in third spot with a victory over Knox at HE Parker Reserve, as they have Surrey Park, Montrose and Knox breathing down their necks with one win apiece. Tip: Heathmont
Kilsyth vs Montrose: Montrose will have their work cut out up against second placed Kilsyth at Pinks Reserve. If they are any chance of overcoming Kilsyth then they will need to stop Elise Hoole, Hayley Jackson and Lucy Milkeraitis, they have combined for 10 goals so far this season. Also, Montrose will be hoping for a big game from equal second on the goal kickers leader board Katie Cameron has a big day up forward. Tip: Montrose
Surrey Park vs Ringwood: Surrey Park will come up against Ringwood on their home deck at Surrey Park Reserve. Ringwood have shown all season that the Division Two premiership is there’s for the taking, but who knows if Surrey Park match it with Ringwood for four quarters at a high standard, then they might hand Ringwood their first loss. Tip: Surrey Park
Division Three:
Fairpark vs Chirnside Park Gold: Fairpark hosts Chirnside Park Gold at FairPark Reserve in what shapes up to be a high-quality contest between two teams that are separated by two spots on the ladder. Meghan Stephens and Jessica Jeeves have been standouts for Chirnside Park Gold all season leading a strong forward line and expect nothing less from them this weekend, so FairPark will need to be sound defensively otherwise the match will soon turn into a blowout. FairPark will be hoping Libby Mcnay has her kicking boots on.
Tip: Chirnside Park Gold
Coldstream vs Croydon North MLOC: Croydon North MLOC to travel to Coldstream Reserve to play Coldstream. On paper it looks like this match will be a walk in the park for Croydon North MLOC, as Coldstream have not had a scoring avenue to goal in the last three weeks. Coldstream will need to stop Croydon North forward duo Gabrielle Zappia and Hailee Stokes, they have combined with 16 goals. Tip: Croydon North MLOC
South Croydon Red vs Boronia Gold: To round out Division Three, the undefeated ladder leaders South Croydon Red play the winless last placed Boronia Gold at Cheong Park. South Croydon Red have had a strong start to the season thanks to the scoring being shared between Jordyn Dehnert (seven), Katie Shanahan (six), Alana Predergast (five), Holly Oldfield (five) and Laura Hammen (five). Can South Croydon Red extend its undefeated record, or will Boronia Gold break their winless drought? Tip: South Croydon Red
Blackburn Red – bye