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Penultimate round here for 1 White for another very exciting season that has seen it all again, including the weather impact but that's not unusual anymore, remembering the 2020 season with COVID where we also only played out 16 games in the end. It's a high pressure round this weekend & surely they'll be plenty of upsets but we think the pressure might get to some so we're going with all home side wins for a clean sweep. You would think that the home sides understand the importance of locking Aggs away with so much on the line.
KARDINYA v BASSENDEAN
KARDINYA
S Novak, B McGrechan, D Comrie, C Booth
B Henley, D Flintoff, P Larard, T Leahy
M Allen, M Ngui, H Vriezen, M Holt
D Radford, C Stokes, A Cocodis, M Monteiro IN: No changes OUT:
BASSENDEAN
J Krstic, T Lynch, S Colegate, S Bermingham
B Roper, D Killisch Von Horn, A Britton, N Kirkup
E O'Sullivan, N Hall, G Malaspina, J Hitchcock
B Dinnison, N Strachan, T Alden, J Holman IN: B Roper, T Alden OUT: R D'Souza, A Parravicini
Toughest trip of the season for the Lions to grab some points so they'll need a minor miracle or hope the Kats are still in party mode. The Kats won the corresponding fixture by 23 shots with a 7-1 Agg so fair to assume this could be 8-0. However, Basso know that if Leeming get their Agg then Basso are back into a playoff spot with 1 Blue as they are only 2.5pts into safety. Also, the others Lions, Leeming have 20+ on the score differential which is marginal considering only 20 shots separate these sides after 1,000 shots so far this season. If Basso get rolled big time at Kardinya it will give Leeming the edge coming into the last week if they all finish level next weekend.
The focus for the Kats will be Matt Allen side as a win gets them the rink of the year on top of the skippers table as Chris Curruthers is 1 back but lower score percentage. It's also a moment to celebrate Brad Henley's side, the highest scoring rink in 1 White, who could also finish 2nd on skippers ladder, those 2 Kat sides have been tremendous all season, well done.
Kardinya 8 - 0
SAFETY BAY v DOUBLEVIEW
SAFETY BAY
G Smith, S Foran, J Brannan, T Bochat
C Owen, G Taylor, M Ovens, D Smith
C Carruthers, J Thorington, G Ogg, J Hanafee
M Mortensen, S Hide, T Southern, A Ballard IN: Z Boddy OUT: M Ovens
DOUBLEVIEW
B Heta, M Leed, D Leed, N Feletti
C McKenna, B Conway, C Curham, T Mainstone
G Papadopoulos, M Fredericks, R Leed, F Williamson
D Cosgrove, M Young, T Pervan, A Bloxham IN: L Martin, J Steele OUT: T Pervan, T Mainstone
The Bay are looking to secure that 2nd spot so they'll be gunning for the big 8 here & it would be surprising if they don't get very close to achieving that. They know Cockburn have a slightly tougher game but they are also at home so every point matters here as The Bay are only 0.5pt ahead of the Titans. The Bay have a tricky away game next week so they'll need all points here to maintain that 2nd chance in Finals. Carruthers need another big win here to see if he can nab that top skippers gong for the season. Their rink is very close but they'll need a good 20 shot win to balance the books on Allen's rink heading into the last game next week.
You would think the Bay will finish on a high here as they embark on a journey to PL whereas the View are adjusting for 1 Blue to rebuild & go again next season.
Safety Bay 8 - 0
MANNING v ROSSMOYNE
MANNING
S Adams, L Herbert, R Ker, S Lambert
A Taylor, Graham O'Brien, B Adams, A Macpherson
W Heldt, P Herbert, M Potente, Glen O'Brien
P Smith, M Carey, S Perica, J Titheradge IN: S Perica, J Titheradge OUT: K Jolly, G Hogg
ROSSMOYNE
J Carter, W Harvey, G Maesepp, J Fitzgerald
C Edson, R Halse, N Edson, I Armstrong
R Lang, T Churcher, P Lees, A Regan
M Barrett, A Petchell, S Maddy, D Horniman IN: P Lees OUT: R Vind
GAME OF THE ROUND: Huge game for both sides with Manning chasing hard after losing their coveted Finals spot recently to a charging Mossies. Only 2.5pts separate them from a Finals position & won't that be a huge achievement after only coming up from 1 Blue last season. Any Agg here secures their future for 1 White next season so even if they don't get Finals they will be safe which they might have taken. Overall the Eagles have had a great season even if they relied heavily on a few rinks, they still got over in those closer games.
The River Rats are in a world of trouble & it doesn't get easier here. Yes next week they are back home for the last chance to save their 1 White story but that's against the Kats so it negates any home ground advantage & the 1 team you do not want to be playing with the club's survival on the line on the last day is the rampant Kats. I think this adds more pressure to this game so Rossmoyne will be right up for this from the start & that's why I think it deserves game of the round.
Manning 6 - 2
MOSMAN PARK v GOSNELLS
MOSMAN PARK
C Hoffman, D Adams, J Pallett, M Whiting
M Cranswick, L Onley jnr, J Adams, A O'Sullivan
M Robertson, K Stower, R Kershaw, N Parker
S Swanson, T Cranswick, J Kop, M Van Bemmel IN: No changes OUT:
GOSNELLS
R Foy, Daniel Newton, David Newton, D Bradbury
G Lynch, S Harris, J Jobey, K Ashman
F Carbone, C Hickinbotham, B Holland, M Byrne
E Gahan, B Keighley, P Gale, L Paterson IN: Daniel Newton, C Hickinbotham, J Jober, K Ashman OUT: T Auckland, A Hodge, M Rickard, N Vanderplank
Another game close to game of the round here. Huge game for both sides & even though there's only 14pts separating them, they are world's apart in their journeyies. Mossies get the Agg here & by miracle they have a huge chance of playing Finals & have the momentum to get back into PL. Gosnells also need an Agg knowing that if Rossmoyne wins the Kookaburra's drop into 9th & those dreaded 1 Blue conversations envelope the last week of bowls making everyone extra nervous.
It's difficult not to go with the home side as they are humming at the moment & Gosnells away haven't shown the same spirit away as last season. I don't think Gosnells can get them into true safety with the strong likelihood of playoffs pending, however, they do not want to go straight down either. Mossies will be right up for this & looking to finish strong. Even looking back to the start of R9 they had only won 3 games & were rock bottom after R6, jez they have come so far, well done.
Mosman Park 7 - 1
COCKBURN v LEEMING
COCKBURN
M Simunovic, D Gibson, D Bandy, D Gurr
M Abonnel, J Ricci, B Blagaich, J Reale
T Krajancic, J Marevic, I Mateljak, M Musulin
W Tepania, P Brotherston, K Wylie, D Ravlich IN: J Reale OUT: K Elborough
LEEMING
P Boys, P Dobie, B Eather, K Swift
K Vandersluys, P Hickey, D Johnson, W Birrell
G Ford, T Higham, G Burgess, N Bennetts
J Newton, J Bowden, L Mundri, M Bowden IN: K Swift OUT: K Boyes
The Titans want that 2nd spot big time. It's only 0.5pt away so there's nothing less than 8pts here on their mind. It won't be that easy though as yes Cockburn won the corresponding fixture but it went down to the last bowl on the last end to get over Leeming by 6 shots so we're not expecting anything less than a close one here for much of the day.
That R8 loss for the Lions kinda spoke to their season as they had some really close games but just failed to close them out over the final few ends & that leave them here staring at a playoff spot but only marginally. That horrendous run from R5 to R10 losing 6 in a row with many of them only by single digits I think still haunts them. If 2 of them swung their way they would be looking at Finals. R11 came in good timing as the 1st weather event occured & after that they closed off another very close game to boost the confidence. They were close but they need to pull out some magic here against a side who are home track bullies.
