BY NATHAN DOLE
Tigers tackle Blues at Woorinen
THE Woorinen Tigers take on Kerang in a crucial round 15 match in the Radio 3SH-backed Central Murray senior footy season on Saturday.
It’s third against second as the Tigers and Blues meet at Woorinen Recreation Reserve from 2.30pm.
When these teams met in round four it was the Troy Coates-coached Kerang which won 64-44 on its turf at Riverside Park.
The Tigers and Blues take winning form into this contest.
Woorinen won last Saturday’s match at Lake Boga by 41 points as Kerang beat Tooleybuc Manangatang by 73 points.
On-ball duels will be vital to the fortunes of the Tigers and Blues.
The Marcus Demaria-coached Woorinen has Lachlan Gardner, Josh Stone and Lachlan Warburton to take on Kerang’s experienced duo of Nick Lang and Martin Kelly, and captain Josh Nitschke.
In midfield it will be Taylor Cameron, Regan Vesty and Josh Domaille against the Blues trio of Liam Jardine, Adam Baird and Bohden McKnight.
Players to watch for Woorinen include Arnold Kirby, Will Collicoat, Jye Barry and Doug Beames.
Kerang’s charge for a premiership hat-trick is being led by the likes of Brett Kennedy, Josh Hunter, Tyson Clingan and Lachlan Ross.
Mallee Eagles face a huge challenge against the ladder-leading Nyah Nyah West United at Lalbert.
A great run by the Brent Macleod-coached Eagles was ended in a 73-point loss at Cohuna last round.
Mallee starts this round in fourth place, just two clear of Balranald, and six in front of the charging mob of Kangas from Cohuna.
In round four the NNWU Demons beat the Eagles by nine goals at Nyah.
Huge test for the Eagles in limiting the impact Demons’ gun forward Brandyn Grenfell has on this match.
Key players for Mallee include captain Beau Bennett, Nathan Bisset, Paul Davis, Darcy Hourigan, Andrew Mead-Harding and Jayden Post.
The Jason Murphy and Nick O’Neill-coached Demons have played superb football to achieve a win-loss tally of 11-2.
NNWU’s team for this round includes Brayden Bigham, Riley Daniels, Lucas Iudica, Nic and Zack Threadgold, and Joel Walsh.
Tooleybuc Manangang takes on a resurgent Cohuna Kangas at Manangatang.
The Brad Morris-coached Saints must win to stay in touch with the top five.
In round four, Tooleybuc Manangatang won at Cohuna by 19 points.
Saints’ midfielders Jack Templeton, Elliot Chalmers and Rylee Taylor will need to play well against Jayden Cordy, captain Joel Helman and Marcus Rogers.
The Saints have Johnathan Marsden, Connor Nutting and Josh Williams as key targets in attack.
In defence it will be Jaicob Kenny, Ryan Domaille and Rydar Morris playing key roles against Jacob Mitchell, Jarrod Findlay and Izaac Johnson.
A first-year coach at Cohuna , Jack Geary just keeps on running to contest after contest and inspires a team that includes Will Lee at full-back, Jack Donat, Sam McGlone, Chris Anderson and Rhys Thrum.
Tyntynder takes on Balranald at Swan Hill’s Alan Garden Reserve.
The Jack O’Rourke-coached Tyntynder had the bye last round and is up against an opponent which beat it by nine goals in round four.
Key players for the Tyntynder Bulldogs include Matt Gilbee, Jason Eagle, Jayden Magro, Isaiah Bull, Marcus Wattie, Elliot Broad and Isaiah Bull.
Balranald is under pressure from Cohuna to hold its place in the top five.
The Jydon Neagle-coached Kangaroos have plenty of goalscoring power through Drew Lloyd, Seth Connell, Lachlan Lellman and Rory Fitzgerald.
Players to watch for the Roos include Jaxon and Matt Neagle, Kobe Lloyd, Ian Fuller, Harrison Soraggi and Billy Parry.
Koondrook Barham will be on home turf at Barham to face Lake Boga.
The Will Callow-coached River Raiders will aim to capitalise on a great chance to end their winless run.
In round four it was Lake Boga which beat the KB team by 41 points.
Key players for Koondrook Barham include Mitch Christensen, Jack Thrum, Kye Attwell, Jack Shannon, Scott Wood and Patrick Goble.
The Dean Helmers-coached Lake Boga will be chasing its third win of the season.
Ruckman Kai Everett, David Gourdis, Jayden Lonergan, Zac Warne, Nelson Ibbs and Xavier Sherlock will be determined to lead the Magpies to victory.
Swan Hill has the bye.
Central Murray senior footy ladder:
Nyah Nyah West United 144 per cent, 44 points; Kerang 183, 42; Woorinen 125, 36; Mallee Eagles 113, 34; Balranald 132, 32; Cohuna Kangas 127, 28; Tooleybuc Manangatang 83, 24; Tyntynder 92, 20; Swan Hill 74, 8; Lake Boga 51, 8; Koondrook Barham 48, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
61 Brandyn Grenfell, Nyah Nyah West United.
43 Darcy Hourigan, Mallee Eagles.
32 Drew Lloyd, Balranald.
32 Josh Williams, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
29 Jason Eagle, Tyntynder.
26 Jayden Magro, Tyntynder.
25 Joel Helman, Cohuna Kangas.
22 Colin Andrews, Balranald.
21 Lachlan Gardner, Woorinen.
21 Ned McKeown, Swan Hill.
21 Andrew Mead-Harding, Mallee Eagles.
21 Matt Neagle, Balranald.
20 Arnold Kirby, Woorinen.
18 Will Collicoat, Woorinen.
18 Michael Herlihy, Swan Hill.
17 Jordan McNeil, Kerang.
17 Jydon Neagle, Balranald.
17 Nic O’Neill, Nyah Nyah West United.
16 Charlie Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
16 Roy George, Tyntynder.
16 Connor Nutting, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
15 Izaac Johnson, Cohuna Kangas.
15 Kai Kearns, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
15 Jacob Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
15 Liam White, Nyah Nyah West United.
14 David Gourdis, Lake Boga.
14 Sean Hunter, Kerang.
14 Brett Kennedy, Kerang.
14 Johnathan Marsden, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
13 Seth Connell, Balranald.
13 Dylan Johnstone, Cohuna Kangas.
13 Lachlan Lellman, Balranald.
13 Xavier Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
13 Luke Phelan, Swan Hill.
13 Toby Thoolen, Swan Hill.
12 Kye Attwell, Koondrook Barham.
12 Archer Dibsdale, Kerang.
12 Tom Langford, Woorinen.
12 Brent Macleod, Mallee Eagles.
12 Josh Stone, Woorinen.
11 Jye Barry, Woorinen.
11 Clayton McCartney, Woorinen.
11 Jude Palmer, Cohuna Kangas.
11 Koben Ryan, Lake Boga.
10 Mitch Christensen, Koondrook Barham.
10 Daniel Coates, Cohuna Kangas.
10 Max Thompson, Nyah Nyah West United.