BY NATHAN DOLE
League’s top two meet at Sea Lake
SEPARATED by two premiership points, Sea Lake Nandaly and Birchip-Watchem meet in this Saturday’s 13th round of the Goldacres North Central senior footy season.
It’s second against first on Sea Lake’s turf from 2.30pm.
The premiers of the past two years, Birchip-Watchem in 2022, and SLN last September, are the front-runners in this season’s premiership race.
Sole defeat for Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers was against Birchip-Watchem by 13 points in the fourth round at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval.
The Bulls have won 10 matches and drawn another.
In last Saturday’s play Sea Lake Nandaly scored an 81-point win at Wycheproof.
The Tigers’ line-up to tackle the Bulls this time includes Kane and Wade Donnan, Ryan O’Sullivan, Max Cahoon and Will Simpson.
SLN also has co-coaches Bryce Delmenico and Billy McInnes.
Gun forward Josh Jenkins who played at AFL level with Adelaide and Geelong is back for the yellow and black this round.
Although he has played just six matches, Jenkins has kicked 33 goals for Sea Lake Nandaly.
At the other end of the ground, Ben Edwards has booted 61 goals for Birchip-Watchem and looms as a huge threat to the Tigers chances.
Other players to watch for the Trevor Ryan-coached Bulls include Joseph Reid, Marshall and Nicholas Rippon, Sam Simmons, Lachlan Ryan, Ty Colbert, and ruckman Hamish Hosking.
Boort tackles Wedderburn at Boort Park.
Pressure will be high as Wedderburn fights to hold fourth place against an opponent which is seventh, but just four premiership points behind the Redbacks.
In round four it was the Tom Metherell-coached Wedderburn which beat the Magpies by 48 points.
As Boort had the bye last round Wedderburn outplayed Charlton on the Redbacks’ ground at Donaldson Park.
Key players for Wedderburn include Tom Campbell, Hamish Lockhart, Darcy Jackson, Jordan Hargreaves, Jackson and Mitch McEwen, and Danny Benaim.
Boort’s best in the round 11 win at Charlton were Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Tom Potter, Matt Austin and Alex Chamberlain.
The Dale Cameron-coached Magpies squad includes Malachi and Jacob Coleman, Jarrod Starr, Will Perryman and Ryan McGhie.
Charlton is on home turf at Charlton Park to take on Wycheproof-Narraport.
When these teams met in round five the Demons won by 38 points.
Both are on the rebound from big defeats.
Charlton was held to a tally of 13 points at Wedderburn last Saturday as the Demons went down to Sea Lake Nandaly by 81 points.
Key match-ups for the Navies and Demons showdown include Patrick Soulsby at full-back against Demons’ coach Wayne Mitrovic, and Navies’ captain Jed Thompson at centre half-back against Charles Van Der Byl.
Ben Lanyon will be in the ruck opposed to Lachlan Van Schaik.
Charlton coach Mitch Collins will play a crucial on-ball role as will Rhyen Woods.
The Navies will also need big games from the likes of Chris Gavaghan, Bailey Kemp, Kade Blow, Thomas Finlay and Harrison Taylor.
Players to watch for Wycheproof-Narraport include Koby Hommelhoff, Maysen Murgov, Josh Walsh, Trevor Rumbold, Cody Green, Josh and Nicholas Grabowski.
St Arnaud faces Nullawil on the Saints’ ground at Lord Nelson Park.
Massive test for the Scott Driscoll-coached Saints against an opponent which struck form in last Saturday’s win against Donald.
It’s been a tough run for the Saints who played Birchip-Watchem at Birchip last Saturday.
Best for St Arnaud in that match were Zac Phillips, Scott Driscoll, Thomas Bertalli and Daniel Gifford.
A five-five record has Nullawil in fifth place.
The Daryl Wilson-coached Maroons start the round two points and almost 30 per cent behind Wedderburn.
A 22-point win against Donald last round was Nullawil’s best performance this season.
The Maroons’ charge to victory against the Royals was led by Matthew Wade, Dean Putt, David Isbister and Adam Thomson.
Nullawil’s squad includes Mitch Farmer, Hunter Lawrence, Dude and Sol Kelly, and Rylee Smith.
Donald has the bye.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Birchip-Watchem 227 per cent, 42 points; Sea Lake Nandaly 229, 40; Donald 108, 26; Wedderburn 121, 22; Nullawil 92, 20; Wycheproof-Narraport 86, 20; Boort 85, 18; St Arnaud 39, 4; Charlton 37, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
71 Ben Edwards, Birchip-Watchem.
33 Tom Campbell, Wedderburn.
33 Josh Jenkins, Sea Lake Nandaly.
30 Mitch Farmer, Nullawil.
28 Nicholas Rippon, Birchip-Watchem.
25 Trent Grant, Donald.
24 Joseph Reid, Birchip-Watchem.
21 Jack Exell, Nullawil.
21 Billy McInnes, Sea Lake Nandaly.
19 Nicholas Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
19 James Keeble, Boort.
19 Anthony Zelencich, Wedderburn.
17 Oscar Holt, Wedderburn.
16 Blake Grant, Donald.
15 Ethan Coleman, Boort.
14 Adam Thomson, Nullawil.
13 Daniel Bell, Birchip-Watchem.
13 Noah Berry, Donald.
13 Thomas Cox, Sea Lake Nandaly.
13 Lachy McClelland, Sea Lake Nandaly.
13 Tyson McKenzie, Sea Lake Nandaly.
13 Will Simpson, Sea Lake Nandaly.
12 Max Cahoon, Sea Lake Nandaly.
12 Ty Colbert, Birchip-Watchem.
12 Will Perryman, Boort.
12 Rylee Smith, Nullawil.
11 Josh Grabowski, Wycheproof-Narraport.
11 Maysen Murgov, Wycheproof-Narraport.
11 Torin Petrie, St Arnaud.
11 Brody Weir, Sea Lake Nandaly.
10 Darcy Jackson, Wedderburn.
10 Wayne Mitrovic, Wycheproof-Narraport.
10 Josh Potter, Donald.