BY NATHAN DOLE
In-form teams clash on Kangas’ ground
THE in-form Cohuna Kangas will aim to build on their winning streak and break a great run by Mallee Eagles in this Saturday’s 14th round of the Central Murray senior footy season.
Cohuna has home-ground advantage when it tackles the Eagles in the Radio 3SH-backed competition match from 2.30pm.
A four-game winning streak has put the Jack Geary-coached Cohuna in sixth place on a win-loss tally of six-six.
The Kangas start this round a win and almost seven per cent behind the league’s other mob of Kangaroos in Balranald.
Cohuna goes into Saturday’s clash following a 10-goal win against Tyntynder.
Since a round four loss at Nyah by nine goals, Mallee Eagles have racked up seven wins and also marked a draw with reigning premier Kerang on the Blues’ ground at Riverside Park.
The streak by the Brent Macleod-coached Eagles includes a 22-point victory against Cohuna at Lalbert in round five.
Mallee’s latest hit-out ended in a 108-7 win against Tyntynder at Lalbert.
Among the key match-ups in the Cohuna and Mallee match will be in the ruck where the Kangas have Chris Anderson to take on Kieren Bourke.
At ground level Cohuna has Joel Helman, Jack Donat, Jarrod Findlay and Jackson Williams capable of setting up many attacks.
Main targets in the Kangas’ forward line are Jacob and Xavier Mitchell, and Dylan Johnstone.
Will Lee, Sam McGlone and Sam Leitch lead a tight-knit defence.
Mallee’s Darcy Hourigan and Andrew Mead-Harding have had an impact in attack in most matches.
Other players to watch for the Eagles include former Richmond player Jayden Post, Darcy and Harry McGregor, and Billy, Jacob and Zac O’Meara.
It’s another danger game for Balranald as it hosts Koondrook Barham at Greenham Park.
In round five the Will Callow-coached Kooondrook Barham almost broke its winless run.
A closely-fought contest between the Roos and River Raiders went the way of Balranald by just three points.
The Jydon Neagle-coached Balranald will be determined to rebuild confidence after a 62-point loss at Kerang last round.
The Kangaroos are likely to have too many attacking options for Koondrook Barham to hold across four quarters.
Key players for Balranald include Jaxon Neagle at centre half-back, Drew Lloyd at centre half-forward, Harrison Soraggi in the centre, Ian Fuller on a wing, rover Lachlan Lellman, and Rory Fitzgerald across half-forward.
It’s been a tough run for the River Raiders who played at Nyah last Saturday and took on Cohuna the previous round.
In-form players in the KB line-up include centreman Jack Shannon, Scott Wood and Jack Thrum in defence, Reagan Hamilton and Tom Amor in attack, and ruck-rover Billy Driscoll.
Lake Boga and Woorinen meet in the clash of the Magpies and Tigers at Lake Boga.
The Marcus Demaria-coached Woorinen won the round five clash in the Magpies’ nest by 12 goals.
It was a bye for the Dean Helmers-coached Lake Boga in round 13.
Key players for the Magpies include David Gourdis, Zac Warne, Aaron and Jayden Lonergan, Ryan Fox, Nelson Ibbs and Josh Wills.
Woorinen dominated the final term of last Saturday’s match at Swan Hill to win by 31 points.
Players to watch in the Tigers’ line-up include ruckman Arnold Kirby, Jye Barry, Doug Beames, Taylor Cameron, Will Collicoat, Matt Gardner and Henry Thompson.
Nyah Nyah West United will be on its turf at Nyah to play Swan Hill.
The margin was just 13 points in favour of the NNWU Demons at Swan Hill in the fifth round.
The Jason Murphy and Nick O’Neill-coached Demons won their latest hit-out with Koondrook Barham by 81 points.
Gun forward Brandyn Grenfell looms as a major threat to the Swans’ hopes.
A talented line-up representing NNWU includes Brayden Bigham, Riley Daniels, Lucas Iudica, Blake Larkings, Ethan Saville, Nic and Zach Threadgold, and Joel Walsh.
The Swans will look to coach Michael Herlihy, Tom Holdstock, Thomas Isma, Jarvis Keogh, Ned McKeown, Luke Phelan and Toby Thoolen to lead the way to an upset victory.
Swan Hill also has talented youngster Sonny Beasy who represented the Bendigo Pioneers in the Coates Talent League clash with Calder Cannons at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval last Sunday.
Tooleybuc Manangatang takes on Kerang at Tooleybuc.
It’s the first time the Saints and Blues have clashed this season.
Massive challenge for the Brad Morris-coached Saints to bounce back from a 100-plus points loss to Mallee at Lalbert.
Key players for the Saints include Johnathan Marsden in the centre, ruckman Ryan Domaille, rover Blake Grant, Connor and Kallum Hazlett, Connor Nutting, Rylee Taylor and Jesse Wilson.
Big roles will be played by Jaicob Kenny, Conor Wilson and Rydar Morris in defence.
The Troy Coates-coached Kerang holds second place in its pursuit of a premiership hat-trick.
In-form players for the Blues include the hard-running and skilful Sam Heavyside, ruck-rover Martin Kelly, ruckman Nick Lang, and Josh Nitschke.
Other players to watch for Kerang include Adam Baird, rover Tyson Clingan, Josh Hunter, Brad Pay and Lachlan Ross.
Tyntynder has the bye.
Central Murray senior footy ladder:
Nyah Nyah West United 140 per cent, 40 points; Kerang 174, 38; Mallee Eagles 126, 34; Woorinen 122, 32; Balranald 124, 28; Cohuna Kangas 117, 24; Tooleybuc Manangatang 90, 24; Tyntynder 92, 20; Swan Hill 77, 8; Lake Boga 50, 8; Koondrook Barham 51, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
53 Brandyn Grenfell, Nyah Nyah West United.
43 Darcy Hourigan, Mallee Eagles.
32 Josh Williams, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
30 Drew Lloyd, Balranald.
29 Jason Eagle, Tyntynder.
26 Jayden Magro, Tyntynder.
22 Colin Andrews, Balranald.
22 Joel Helman, Cohuna Kangas.
21 Matt Neagle, Balranald.
20 Lachlan Gardner, Woorinen.
20 Andrew Mead-Harding, Mallee Eagles.
19 Ned McKeown, Swan Hill.
17 Jydon Neagle, Balranald.
16 Charlie Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
16 Will Collicoat, Woorinen.
16 Roy George, Tyntynder.
16 Michael Herlihy, Swan Hill.
16 Arnold Kirby, Woorinen.
16 Jordan McNeil, Kerang.
16 Nic O’Neill, Nyah Nyah West United.
15 Kai Kearns, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
15 Izaac Johnson, Cohuna Kangas.
14 Sean Hunter, Kerang.
14 Johnathan Marsden, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
14 Liam White, Nyah Nyah West United.
13 Dylan Johnstone, Cohuna Kangas.
13 Lachlan Lellmann, Balranald.
13 Xavier Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
13 Connor Nutting, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
13 Toby Thoolen, Swan Hill.
12 Kye Attwell, Koondrook Barham.
12 Archer Dibsdale, Kerang.
12 David Gourdis, Lake Boga.
12 Brent Macleod, Mallee Eagles.
12 Luke Phelan, Swan Hill.
11 Seth Connell, Balranald.
11 Brett Kennedy, Kerang.
11 Clayton McCartney, Woorinen.
10 Mitch Christensen, Koondrook Barham.
10 Jude Palmer, Cohuna Kangas.
10 Koben Ryan, Lake Boga.
10 Josh Stone, Woorinen.