-By Nathan Dole
IT’S a crucial match for Wedderburn and Boort in Saturday’s seventh round of Goldacres North Central senior footy action.
Wedderburn has home-ground advantage at Donaldson Park as fifth takes on fourth from 2.30pm.
The Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn goes into this contest a win behind Boort.
Last Saturday it was Wedderburn which won at Donald by 125 points as Boort was beaten at home by the ladder-leading Birchip-Watchem by 39 points.
Best for the Redbacks in the win against the Royals were Mitchell and Jackson McEwen, Hamish Lockhart and Ben Bacon.
Wedderburn’s squad includes Danny Benamin, Darcy Jackson, Joe Lockhart, Corey Lowry and Zach Pallpratt.
The Dale Cameron-coached Boort has Jhye Baddeley-Kelly starring in attack.
Players to watch for the Magpies include Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Keiren Wilson, Peter Barbopoulos, Will Perryman and Ethan Coleman.
Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers are back in the den at Sea Lake to take on Donald.
Massive test for the Dale Pearce-coached Donald against an opponent which has won the past two premierships.
The Billy McInnes and Bryce Delmenico-coached Tigers ripped through Charlton’s defence last Saturday to win by 187 points.
A formidable attack for Sea Lake Nandaly includes Jarvis Keogh, Lachy McClellan and Max Cahoon.
Tigers’ on-balllers Ryan O’Sullivan, Trent Donnan and Thomas Cox and centreman Wade Donnan set up many attacks.
Key players for the Daniel Pearce-coached Donald include Brady Griffiths in the ruck, Josh Taity in the centre, Seth Pearse, Ryan Leeder and Kalon Green in defence.
Donald has Ben and Brent Arho as the main targets in the forward 50m arc.
The Lions face the Navies as Calder United Lions will be opposed by Charlton at Nullawil.
It was 29 goals for the Lions at St Arnaud’s Lord Nelson Park last Saturday as Jack Exell capped an excellent performance with 10 goals and Mitch Farmer added five.
Calder United is likely to have too much attacking power for Charlton to hold all match.
A Lions’ line-up coached by Jordan Humphreys, playing, and Darryl Wilson, non-playing, includes Oscar Madden at centre half-back, Kobe Lloyd in the centre, captain Rylee Smith as rover, and Zane Keighran off half-back.
Big roles will be played by Charlton’s Ben Lanyon in the ruck, Ben Xiriha as ruck-rover, Thomas Finlay in the centre, Mason Heenan as rover, Bailey Hooper-Dixon, Jed Thompson and Patrick Soulsby in defence.
Navies’ coach Mitch Collins was not named to play.
The unbeaten Birchip-Watchem will play St Arnaud at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
It’s been a superb run by the Ash Connick-coached Bulls who won at Boort Park last round.
Best in the sixth win of the season were Dale Hinkley, Nicholas Rippon, Will Lee and Ben Lakin.
The Bulls’ squad includes Ben Edwards at full-forward, ruckman Hamish Hosking, Lachlan Ryan and Joseph Reid.
A St Arnaud line-up coached by Scott Driscoll has had a tough run following last Saturday’s match against Calder United.
Key players for the Saints include captain Mitch Egan, Owen Lowe, Matthew Goode, Bailey and Harley Durward, and Sam Male.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Birchip-Watchem 254 per cent, 24 points; Calder United Lions 230, 16; Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 223, 16; Boort 163, 16; Wedderburn 162, 12; Charlton 28, 8; St Arnaud 47, 4;. Donald 16, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
44 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
32 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Boort.
25 Jack Exell, Calder United Lions.
18 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
17 Kayne Rutley, Boort.
16 Nicholas Rippon, Birchip-Watchem.
14 Mitch Farmer, Calder United Lions.
14 Jordan Humprheys, Calder United Lions.
13 Peter Barbapolos, Boort.
13 Mitch Jensen, Wedderburn.
13 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
12 Adam Pattison, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
11 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
11 Carlos Egan, Boort.
10 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
10 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
9 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
9 Max Hungerford, St Arnaud.
9 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
8 Daniel Bell, Birchip-Watchem.
8 Rhona Conboy, Birchip-Watchem.
8 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
7 Brent Arho, Donald.
7 Jarvis Keogh, Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
7 Kobe Lloyd, Calder United Lions.
7 Mitch McEwen, Wedderburn.