EFL Media’s Matt Fotia previews all the action in Division 3. Make sure you get involved this weekend by using the #EFLDIV3 hashtag and tweeting us @footyefl.
Park Orchards (1st, 11-4, WLW) v East Burwood (12th, 0-14-1, LLL)
A steadying 86 point win for the Sharks last week against Warrandyte has seen them claim black first spot on the Third Division ladder.
Far and away the best offensive unit in the Division, Park Orchards’ 1493 points scored is over 150 better than the next best Ringwood (1331) . They have multiple goal scoring options in the forward half with five players having slotted 20 plus for the year, Handley 32, Philp 29, Prosenak 27, Nicholson 25 and Fowkes 24.
The Sharks defence is not quite as strong as it’s attack, as is usually the way with young sides. It does seem that Park Orchards have decided to play to this strength and have a clear mantra for the next couple of months. Attack.
It has been hard to find positives for East Burwood in recent years and the same applies this season. With another relegation imminent, the Rams do show signs of life staying competitive with finals prospect Heathmont for three quarters, kicking five goals to eight after quarter time.
Nick Prelorenzo put in a strong performance on the weekend and his experience will be vital over the next few weeks as East Burwood look to take some momentum into season 2018.
Last Time : East Burwood 7.9.51 def by Park Orchards 19.20.134
10 Shark goalkickers. East Burwood won the last quarter four goals to three.
Ferntree Gully (7th, 9-6, LLW) v The Basin (9th, 5-10, LLL)
A big chance for the Eagles to gain ground on two of Boronia, Ringwood, Heathmont and Scoresby this week.
With the worst attack of the Top 7, Ferntree Gully will need to find more ways to kick goals. Lee Boyle has kicked 32 goals for the season but has been goalless the last fortnight and Lachlan Kennedy the next best Eagle with 22 big ones. Kennedy is also in a dry spell though with only two goals in his last three appearances.
If they are to make the finals, Ferntree Gully can be safe in the knowledge that they have a strong and stable defence. But you can’t see them making too much of an impact without more goal scoring threat.
This weekend poses a chance for the Eagles to find some more attacking form, as its opponent The Basin are well and truly looking towards the sunny beaches of the Gold Coast or Bali.
Five losses in five weeks, with a highest score of 79 against 10th placed South Belgrave and only keeping its opposition under 90 once in that time ( in loss against Chrinside), the Bears are in hibernation.
They may be safe for this season, but momentum is a bit thing in football and this form would be disastrous to start 2018.
Last Time: The Basin 6.6.42 def by Ferntree Gully 8.19.67
25 point difference, but the Eagles had 15 more scoring shots.Jake Crowe with three goals in a BOG performance.
Heathmont (5th, 10-5, LWW) v Scoresby (6th, 10-5, WWW)
Two wins in the last two weeks is strong form on paper. But the Jets are vulnerable. A tight one against a deflated Chirnside Park and an eight goal win over relegated East Burwood isn’t much to write home about.
After three weeks out Jake Sherriff returned to this Heathmont side, kicked a goal and finished in his sides best, proving his worth to the Jets.
Ben Abbruzzese snagged four to take his season tally to 20 goals. Coming into this season as a bit of an unknown quantity after crossing from Seville. The forward has been consistent for the Jets, in the best six times this year.
Scoresby to contrast its upcoming opponents are red hot. Now just percentage out of the five and playing the side in its way, this weekend has them licking their lips. If Magpies had lips. Had them licking their beaks I guess.
Benjamin Bronsgeest is the epitome of taking it up where you left off. He was best on ground with six goals in a dream return to the side after a month out. Incredibly he had an eerily similar performance in that game four goals and best on ground. The Jets will hope to halt his string of BOG performances.
Defensively the Pies are flying. Only one opponent has managed to score above 60(Park Orchards-90), and The Basin only managed 27 points last week.
Last Time: Scoresby 9.9.63 def Heathmont 5.12.42
Defensively strong game from the Magpies, keeping the Jets goalless in the second and fourth quarters.
Ringwood (2nd, 11-4, WWW) v Boronia (3rd, 10-4-1, WWW)
The favourite for the flag only increased its value with a 10 point victory over Templestowe withstanding a late surge from the Dockers.
The best all round side statically, with the second best offence (1331) and second best defence (876) the Redbacks have won its past few games, without captain and focal point Trent Farmer.
Daniel Jordanov has somewhat filled those boots, with bags of four against Templestowe and Ferntree Gully in recent times. He is just another player opponents need to keep an eye on.
Boronia had another scrappy win and now see themselves sitting between the Sharks and Redbacks in first and second and the Dockers and Jets in fourth and fifth. Although its tie earlier in the year sees them in third, the fact it was against East Burwood must really hurt.
Luke Hannon has not been in scrappy form, however. Best on Ground against Ferntree Gully, second best against The Basin and another mention in the best to accompany his goal against Chirnside. It was the ninth time that the Hawks midfielder had troubled the scorers this year.
Last Time: Boronia 7.10.52 def by Ringwood 17.8.110
Hannon kicked a goal in another good game for himself, but Farmer’s half a dozen stole the show for the Redbacks.
Chirnside Park (8th, 6-9, WLL) v South Belgrave (10th, 4-11, LLL)
The Panthers have been playing for pride recently and the 3-2 record in the last five games could be showing us how much pride means to them.
It has been down back that Chirnside have excelled in this period with only the lowly East Burwood scoring more than 71 points in a shootout win for the Panthers. Despite this recent stinginess, defence has been the problem for Chirnside during 2017. Only East Burwood and this weekend’s opponents South Belgrave have leakier defences. Could these last five weeks be a sign of what the future holds for the Panthers?
South Belgrave were so close to taking the big scalp last week, going down to Ferntree Gully despite kicking more goals then the Eagles.
Ricardo Daraio is a player to watch for the rest of the season and future years at South Belgrave. In the Saints best eight of his 14 appearances, Daraio has been his sides BOG for the previous three weeks.
A versatile player with good skills and a strong body, Daraio and fellow young players such as Daniel Cormack are something for the Saints to smile about.
Last Time : South Belgrave 19.17.131 def Chirnside Park 9.11.65
Daraio in the votes, Bakens with six. Panthers want to be much more solid at the back this time.
Templestowe (4th, 10-5, WWL) v Warrandyte (11th, 3-12, LWL)
The Dockers show just how tight Division Three is this season. On top of the table going into last weekend’s clash with Ringwood, the Dockers suffered a 10 point loss which saw them plummet down to fourth. Maybe not plummeted but you get it.
Statistically the Dockers are the Redbacks biggest challenger. Number one side in defence and third in attack, the Dockers have begun to play to its strength heading into the business end of the season.
In the last month only Park Orchards (number one in attack) have broken the 70 point barrier. Ringwood were kept to 64, Heathmont to just 29. The Dockers look like they have dropped anchor.
The Bloods will be in Division Three next season. That is a good achievement for a club who have a tendency to yo-yo between Division Three and Four.
Next on the agenda is identifying a way of consistently hitting the scoreboard. Scoring just 794 points so far this year is pretty poor, especially if your defence isn’t solid as a rock. To consider its defence rock solid it would have to improve tenfold. So it seems the easiest way to improve is find a way to hit the scoreboard, a lot more.
Last Time: Warrandyte 7.10.52 def by Templestowe 14.10.94
Bloods didn’t score in the first term. Dockers managed five.
