FIFTH on the ladder, Tooleybuc Manangatang faces a big test at Woorinen in Saturday’s 18th and final round of home-and-away matches in Radio 3SH-backed Central Murray senior footy.
The Brad Morris-coached Tooleybuc Manangatang starts the round in fifth place, a win and more than 11 per cent clear of sixth-placed Koondrook Barham.
Playing on Woorinen’s ground will be a massive test for the Saints.
The clash of the Tigers and Saints will start at 2.30pm.
When they met in round seven the Tim Free-coached Woorinen won at Tooleybuc by 14 goals.
A 14-1 record has the yellow and black on top of the league ladder.
Players to watch for Woorinen include rover Jye Barry; Doug Beames and Will Collicoat in attack; Henry Thompson in the centre; Matt Gardner and Taylor Cameron in defence.
A key match-up for the Tigers will be at full-back where Ben Booth takes on the in-form Connor Nutting.
Best for the Saints in last Saturday’s one-goal win against Koondrook Barham at Manangatang were Josh Domaille, Elliot Chalmers, Rydar Morris and Connor Mcdonald.
The Saints have Josh Williams, Jesse Wilson and Josh Grant to lead the defence.
Koondrook Barham will be back at Barham to face Swan Hill.
The Marcus Demaria-coached River Raiders have worked hard to achieve a win-loss record of eight-seven.
A highlight of this match will be in the centre where Benji Neal takes on Swans’ playmaker Lachlan Vrolijks.
River Raiders on-ballers Jacob Barrington, Nathan O’Toole and Matt Bilton are capable of setting up plenty of chances for an attack that includes Kye Attwell, Lee Dale and Patrick Goble.
In defence, KB has Jack Thomas, Ryan Bassett and Jack Shannon.
Huge plus for Swan Hill is the on-field return of coach Michael Herlihy to play his first match since the fourth round clash with Lake Boga.
Herlihy was named in a forward pocket alongside the dangerous Kallen Heslop and Sunny Handy.
Key players for the Swans’ bid to mark an upset include Will Simpson, Cooper Angus, Tom Holdstock, Xavier Moloney and Luke Phelan.
Tyntynder will take on Mallee Eagles at Swan Hill’s Alan Garden Reserve.
Massive challenge for Tyntynder as the Eagles soared to a 111-point win at Lalbert in the seventh round.
Tyntynder defenders Elliot Broad, Harry Simpson and Sam Bull will rely a lot on pressure from up the ground.
The Bulldogs’ trio take on Eagles’ gun forwards Darcy Hourigan, Andrew Mead-Harding and Brady Fordham.
In midfield, Tyntynder has Jack Kirby, Bailey Reeves and Eddy Schifferle to team up against Brett Thomas, Toby Sheahan and Jonah Devlin.
Other key players for the Bulldogs include ruckman Josh Potter, co-coach Charlie Ford, and Kyle Doran.
Tyntynder also has Darcy Bibby and Justin Ellis as co-coaches.
The Eagles line-up includes co-coach Harry Allen as ruck-rover, Matthew Rankine, Dominic Makur and Jayden Post.
Brent Macleod is Mallee’s co-coach.
Balranald and Kerang will clash on the Kangaroos’ ground at Balranald’s Greenham Park.
When these clubs met in round seven the Paul Grayling-coached Kerang dominated on its turf at Riverside Park to win by 53 points.
The Balranald line-up has Roarke Smith, co-coach Ben Fuller, Seb Papa and Colin Andrews as targets in attack.
A Kangaroos team which has Ben Mahon and Jack Salau as co-coaches will look to Ryan Middlebrook, ruck-rover Cody Henness, Ian Fuller and Cruz Jolliffe to end the season on a winning note.
Kerang will be keen to hit back after being held to a tally of two goals by Cohuna Kangas last round.
Players to watch for Kerang include Thomas Hetherington, Mason Dibsdale and Martin Kelly in defence, Scott Pay in the centre, rover Cody Makeham, and Rylee Gitsham.
Targets in the Blues’ attack include Zak Bozanich, and Bohden, Flynn and Jonah McKnight.
The in-form Cohuna Kangas will be on their ground to play Lake Boga.
It’s a daunting run for the Dean Helmers-coached Lake Boga which scored a solitary goal against Woorinen last Saturday.
A formidable Cohuna team coached by Jack Geary includes Tom Toma, Ricky Monti, Will Lee, Brenton Conforti, Jarrod Findlay, Jayden Cordy, Sam McGlone and Corbin Anderson.
Lake Boga has Marty Parsons in the centre, and Jayden Lonergan, Xavier Sherlock and Braden Padmore in attack.
A lot of play is likely to be in Lake Boga’s defence where Dylan McCosh, Andrew McDonald, Koben Ryan and Jayden Trebilcock will play crucial roles.
Nyah Nyah West United has the bye.
Radio 3SH-backed Central Murray FNL senior footy ladder:
Woorinen 272 per cent, 56 points; Cohuna Kangas 261, 52; Mallee Eagles 284, 48; Nyah Nyah West United 143, 44; Tooleybuc Manangatang 113, 36; Koondrook Barham 102, 32; Lake Boga 69, 24; Kerang 63, 16; Balranald 40, 12; Tyntynder 48, 8; Swan Hill 33, 4.
Leading goalkickers:
60 Darcy Hourigan, Mallee Eagles.
47 Connor Nutting, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
46 Andrew Mead-Harding, Mallee Eagles.
40 Tom Toma, Cohuna Kangas.
39 Jacob Mitchell, Cohuna Kangas.
37 Matt Perry, Woorinen.
33 Kye Attwell, Koondrook Barham.
33 Ben Fuller, Balranald.
32 Brent Macleod, Mallee Eagles.
30 Zac Bozanich, Kerang.
29 Doug Beames, Woorinen.
29 Will Collicoat, Woorinen.
28 Corey Daniels, Nyah Nyah West United.
28 Ethan Johnstone, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
27 Jose Miliado, Woorinen.
26 Corbin Anderson, Cohuna Kangas.
26 Joel Helman, Cohuna Kangas.
25 Nathaniel Holmes-Brown, Lake Boga.
24 Kallen Heslop, Swan Hill.
24 Braden Padmore, Lake Boga.
24 Elia Ware, Tyntynder.
23 Patrick Goble, Koondrook Barham.
23 Kyle Skene, Woorinen.
22 Jude Palmer, Cohuna Kangas.
20 Jayden Lonergan, Lake Boga.
20 Nick O’Neill, Nyah Nyah West United.
19 Isaac Franks, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
18 Alex Birch, Nyah Nyah West United.
18 Ethan Pinchen, Mallee Eagles.
18 Matthew Rankine, Mallee Eagles.
18 Hugh Thompson, Woorinen.
17 Rex Hickman, Lake Boga.
17 Josh Koster, Tooleybuc Manangatang.
17 Jacob O’Meara, Mallee Eagles.
17 Lachlan Warburton, Woorinen.
16 Ricky Monti, Cohuna Kangas.
15 Matt Bilton, Koondrook Barham.
15 Charlie Boulton, Nyah Nyah West United.
15 Daniel Coates, Cohuna Kangas.
15 Warren Lolicato, Koondrook Barham.
15 Bohden McKnight, Kerang.
15 Jackson Williams, Cohuna Kangas.