Warwick
Andrew Dixon, Troy McNeill, Raymond Loran, Glenn Yabuka
Heath Berryman, Stephen Hurley, Allan Hornby, Ivan Sparrowhawk
Gary Chappell, Dean Herbert, Bernie McNamara, Sean Wright
Colin Shier, Declan Wilson, Clive Boyle, Geoffrey Hinge INS: McNeill OUTS: Wyatt
Wanneroo
Glen Jack, Robert Burns, Wayne Clegg, Kingsley Toster
Gregory Sarich, Harold Whitman, Eckhard Widermanski, Pieter Geus
Leslie Bryson, Noel Davey, Martin Nievelstein, David Triffitt
Gary McKenner, Gareth Hughes, Derek Griffin, David Anderson INS: Clegg, McKenner OUTS: Rayner, Williams
Top-of-the-table blockbuster at The Nest, and the Maggies will be circling like they’ve just spotted a half-eaten sausage roll blowing across the green. Both sides come in off 7–1 wins and both know the winner walks out perched neatly on top of the ladder. No big team sheet shocks either — it’s two heavyweights tossing haymakers.
Warwick at home is always a tough proposition and the Roos, despite their form, have been known to wobble when they hear the squawk of a confident Maggie. It’s a genuine 50/50, but I’ll stick with the home side to peck out a tight one.
Yanchep
Wayne Evans, Stephen Hyde, John O'Brien, Daniel Hartzer
Leon Smith, Chris Roe, Tamara Arnold, Callum Arnold
Neil Cank, Mark Jones, David Hitchman, Brody Dix
Russell Drury, Michael Tomasso, Fernando Fuentes, Chris Street INS: Hyde, Smith, Fuentes OUTS: Passaretto, Deegan, Daley
Ellenbrook are in danger of becoming the “we beat Mount Lawley once” club — a story they’ll be telling at BBQs until March unless they find another scalp soon. Meanwhile Yanchep are dishing out cricket scores at home but haven’t yet figured out how to pack that form into the team bus.
But with the Rose Brigade firing and a new skipper in Dix steering the ship, this feels like their moment. Ellenbrook need points like I need a weekend, but Yanchep look too dangerous right now.
I’ll back the away side for their first away kill — and they’ll be eyeing off 2nd spot.
Yanchep 7-1
Bassendean v Quinns Rocks
Bassendean
Robert Sheppard, Alan Britton, Geoffrey Malaspina, Neil Strachan
Saffronne Alden, Phillip Hutchinson, Wayne Davidson, John Holman
Nick Pleasance, Brooke Chaney, Jovan Krstic, Grant Stokes
Norman Kirkup, Shane Colegate, Joel Hitchcock, Butch Dinnison INS: Sheppard, Stokes, Chaney OUTS: Sadler, H Holman, Hall
Another belter on paper. Basso at home have been strutting around like the kings of the jungle, but Quinns… well, Quinns have been a little travel-sick.
Stoker returns to the big chair with Buckets Krstic dropping in behind him at 3 — a tidy little reshuffle. Quinns stick with the same lineup, and man-for-man they’re probably a tad stronger.
This could easily go Basso’s way if they start hot, but I’ll lean Quinns in a tough, scrappy away win.
Quinns 7-1
Mount Lawley v Sorrento
Mount Lawley
Janice Miles, Stephen Connell, John Cottier, Michael Erceg
Denham Delmore, Mark Glasson, Keith Scott, Enda Munnelly
Nathan Walker, Michael Chappell, Carmelo Lenzo, Laurence Kelly
Mick Palumbo, David Smith, Ian Watt, Andrew Jones INS: Chappell, Smith OUTS: Morris, Fielding
Sorrento
Brad Marshall, Lily Leach, Barry Stewart, Ronald Rogers
Steve Mortimer, Gary Bayne, Ricky Hutchinson, Richard Bone
Steve Jenkins, Paul Ramsey, Pauline Bourne, Ian Linford
Robert Jeffs, Stanley Lindsay Baker, Timothy Murray, Lance Martin INS: Marshall, Mortimer, Bayne, Linford OUTS: Dunstan, Leach, Flack, Hanna
Teams aren’t in yet, so we enter the projection zone…
The Mounters gifted Cambridge a win last week like it was Secret Santa gone wrong. Sorrento, meanwhile, pinched a tight one over Quinns and ride in with a tweaked line up as a few players get the call up due to a couple of PL players in need of a sea change. For Mount Lawley, you’d think they stay unchanged — and after last week’s “what was that?” performance, they owe the home crowd.
With Sides Series coming to Perth, The Prospect will be ready to play like he’s auditioning on reality TV. The Irish Smurf is in sparkling touch. And with Dunstan missing for Sorrento, that’s a big old hole.
Mounters to bounce back at home.
Mount Lawley 7-1
Morley v Cambridge
Morley
Ross Dunstan, Sean Daffin, Ian Eichfuss, Les Spinks
Gordon Slee, Nigel Liddington, Warren Hinchliffe, Andrew Elmer
Neil Minchin, Ian Goldsmith, Glenn Pinto, Christopher Bell
Robert Geikie, Jason Deans, Gavin Grieve, Victor Orchard INS: Daffin, Slee, Pinto OUTS: Thomas, Dawson, Leyland
Cambridge
Andrew Ness, Phillip McShane, David Phillips, Peter Easom
Keith Granger, Geoffrey Jones, David Foulsham, Garry Hawkes
Mark James, Bruce Ride, Clifford Wooldridge, Stephen Buckley
David Sladen, Edward Leahy, Nicholas Parker, Neil Bolton INS: Sladen OUTS: Manning
The spoon-off. A true basement blockbuster.
Morley’s only win came against Ellenbrook in Round 4; Cambridge finally cracked the code last week thanks to Mount Lawley’s malfunctioning.
Both sit on a single win… and it will be a race to 8th to see who can avoid automatic relegation. But Cambridge beating the Mounters is genuinely more impressive than Morley’s earlier scalp. Form — however flimsy — is form.
Knights to take an away win and keep the faintest flicker of survival alive.
