THE clash of the Woorinen Tigers and Hay Lions highlights this Saturday’s 10th round in Radio 3SH Central Murray senior footy.
Teams are back in action after a general bye and powering toward the completion of a 15-round home-and-away series.
The Tim Free-coached Woorinen has home-ground advantage as fifth tackles fourth at Woorinen Recreation Reserve from 2.30pm.
The Tigers and Lions both scored big wins the previous round.
Woorinen won at Murrabit by 114 points as the Mick Cattanach and James Moran-coached Hay scored a 145-point win at home against Balranald.
There will be plenty of great match-ups in the battle of the Tigers and Lions.
In the on-ball duels Woorinen has Lachlan Gardner, Jye Barry and Rhys Cason to take on Will Wolbers, Fergus Cattanach and Daniel Stewart.
A Tigers’ attack led by Doug Beames, Sam Hilton-Joyce and Jose Miliado faces Jim Houston, Dan Jamieson and Tom Sheldrick.
Woorinen defenders Ben Booth, Kane Reid and Blake Reid will try to curb a Hay attack which includes Declan Watson, Archie Houston and Will Collis.
The ladder-leading Nyah Nyah West United will be back in Nyah to take on Ultima.
Both take winning form into this contest.
The Corey Daniels-coached Nyah Nyah West United won the round nine match at Swan Hill by 85 points.
Ultima took the points in a hard-fought 85-61 win at home against Tooleybuc Manangatang.
Key players for the NNWU Demons include Brayden Bigham, Charlie Boulton, Riley Daniels, Alex Erlandson, Lachlan Ritchie and Joel Walsh.
The Joel Donnan-coached Ultima will look to Lucas Caccaviello, Andrew Dean, Jack Delmenico, Ryan Featherby, Sol Kelly, Jye Purtill and Matt Taverna to lead the way to an upset win against the Demons.
Lake Boga hosts Moulamein in the clash of the Magpies and Swans.
Both teams are locked on 16 points and hold 10th and 11th places on the ladder.
The Dean Helmers-coached Lake Boga will have gained a lot of confidence from a three-goal win on Koondrook-Barham’s ground in Barham last round.
Moulamein was held to just two goals by Mallee Eagles.
Players to watch for Lake Boga include Patrick Bryan, Rory Colville, Rex Hickman, Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, Xavier Sherlock and Lachlan Tarczon.
Moulamein will look for big games from Adam Curry, Mark Drotsky, Will Gibson, Xander Hartland, Brett Kennedy and Tobie Richardson to claim its first win away from home this season.
The Swans are jointly coached by Brodie Tonkin and Hayden Dalitz.
Kerang is back at Riverside Park to take on Koondrook Barham.
The Brad Pay-coached Kerang marked a 16-goal win at home against Tyntynder last round.
In-form players for the Blues include Hugh Bremner, Ian Fisher, Rylee Gitsham, Martin Kelly, Jonah McKnight and Jack Sullivan.
Kerang also has Zak Bozanich and Archer Dibsdale in attack.
Koondrook Barham will be desperate to end a five-match losing streak.
Key players for the River Raiders include Cameron Arnold at full-forward, Kye Attwell, Patrick Goble, Martin Kelly, Nathan O’Toole and Jack Poulton.
Ryan Bassett and Reagan Hamilton face a huge test in Koondrook Barham’s defence.
The Koondrook Barham team is coached by Marcus Demaria.
It’s the Eagles against the Swans as Mallee Eagles meets Swan Hill in Lalbert.
An eight-one run has the Eagles perched on the ladder’s second rung.
After a four-nil start the Jason Murphy-coached Swan Hill is now seventh on a five-five record.
A strong Mallee line-up coached by Harry Allen includes Isaiah Bull, Shaun Harrison, Hamish Hosking, Darcy Hourigan, Billy and Zac O’Meara, and Jayden Post.
Swan Hill will need big games from Noah Angus, Harry Gadsden, Matt Gilbee, Kaylem Hartley, Tom Holdstock, Buol Majur, Xavier Moloney and Tom Smith to break Mallee’s run.
It’s the Bulldogs up against the Kangas as Tyntynder and Cohuna meet at Alan Garden Reserve in Swan Hill.
A three-seven record has Tyntynder in 13th place.
Massive test for the Darcy Bibby-coached Bulldogs against Cohuna which is third and won its latest match at Wandella by 175 points.
Key players for Tyntynder include Hugh Broad, Sam Bull, Patrick Crowe, Zac Denham, Josh Potter and Elia Ware.
A formidable Cohuna team coached by Jack Geary includes Chris Anderson, Charlie and Travis Ford, Joel Helman, Riley Hird, Ricky Monti, Kain Robins, Tom Toma and Mitch Treacy.
Footy returns to Manangatang when Tooleybuc Manangatang meets Murrabit.
Tooleybuc Manangatang is ninth on a four-five record and will start favourite.
Best for the Saints in a four-goal loss at Ultima in round nine were Nick Ryan, Josh Chatfield, and co-coach Nayef Hamad.
The Tooleybuc Manangatang line-up includes Ben Arentz, co-coach Robbie McComb, Jedd and Rydar Morris, and Lochlan and Zach Prentice.
Murrabit had a tough run at home against Woorinen last round.
Key players for the Blues include Sam Copland, Ben Gillingham, Matt Moon, Bryden Morison and Adam Thomson.
Rick Ladson, non-playing, and Jack Shannahan, playing, have teamed up to coach Murrabit.
Balranald will be eyeing its second win of the season when it hosts the winless Wandella at Greenham Park.
After a five-goal win at home against Murrabit in round eight, Balranald was brought back to earth in a 145-point drubbing in Hay a week later.
Players to watch for the Brent Macleod-coached Balranald include ruckman Kane Agius, Liam Farnsworth, Ben and Ian Fuller, Jack and Tom Salau, and Jacob Zanker.
The Justin Robinson-coached Wandella has battled against the league’s big guns, but will have gained confidence from margins of 18 and 22 points against Murrabit and Tyntynder.
The Bombers’ line-up bound for Balranald includes Nathan Boysen, Tynan Dove, Seth Hall, Harvey Macri, Kaine O’Connell, Tim Robinson and Laing Waddingham.
Central Murray senior footy ladder:
Nyah Nyah West United 304 per cent, 36 points; Mallee Eagles 231, 32; Cohuna Kangas 231, 28; Hay 208, 28; Woorinen 166, 28; Ultima 135, 20; Swan Hill 120, 20; Kerang 109, 20; Tooleybuc Manangatang 112, 16; Lake Boga 86, 16; Moulamein 60, 16; Koondrook Barham 116, 12; Tyntynder 41, 12; Murrabit 42, 4; Balranald 34, 4; Wandella 27, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
36 Darcy Hourigan, ME; Declan Watson, H.
35 Cameron Arnold, KB.
33 Zak Bozanich, K.
32 Sam Hilton-Joyce, W’neen.
31 Dustin Burns, U.
29 Beau Schwarze, NNWU.
24 Corbin Anderson, CK; Jonathon Ross, NNWU.
23 Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, LB; Jacob O’Meara, ME.
21 Jack Headon, H.
20 Will Collicoat, W’neen.
19 Tom Smith, SH.
18 Adam Curry, M’mein; Rex Hickman, LB; Austin Hodge, TM.
17 Daniel Coates, CK.
16 Kye Attwell, KB; Harry Bremner, KB; Josh Chatfield, TM; Jordan Johnston, NNWU; Tom Toma, CK.