Well here we go the final round before we head into the finals and we still don’t know who will host the finals and who will be heading back to white. The top 2 teams are both on the road with Doubleview just with their nose in front of Sth Perth by a point. Manning have strung together 4 wins out of their last 5 matches to get themselves back into the 4 and just need to win the aggregate to secure a spot in next weeks finals. Mt Lawley the only other team that can make finals, but they will need to win with a miracle go their way. The bottom 3 sides have been pretty much battling it out for survival all season. Joondalup hosting Sorrento with the winner just about guaranteed to hang on unless Nth Beach can pull off an upset against Manning. Its all happening in the last round so let’s look at the fixtures.
MOUNT LAWLEY v BASSENDEAN
MOUNT LAWLEY
C Bessant, J Bessant, G Herriot, K Cornell
C Green, P Jones, P Park, P Sinden
D Rowland, M Masel, T Ingram, K Scott
D Trewhella, S Loftus, A Einfeld, A Graham INS: No changes OUTS:
BASSENDEAN
D Rhodes, B Tie, A Parravicini, G Stokes
R Kenyon, M Whitely, T Alden, J Hitchcock
S Alden, R Ellis, M Watson, L McKay
W Neilson, T Kinnane, L Pike, D Snelgar INS: A Parravicini, T Alden, J Hitchcock OUTS: S Jocelyn, A Southern, P Hutchinson
Mt Lawley returning home for the final round taking on the Lions. The Mounters have fallen apart losing their last 4 matches on the road and now find themselves 4 points behind Manning in 5th spot. They must win this match and need 1 of the 2 possible miracles to happen. Nth Beach to defeat Manning or win 8 nil and hope that Doubleview can once again hand Cambridge a duck egg. As for the Lions thank goodness for them they had such a good start in the first 7 weeks otherwise they would be playing to stay in the comp. They will be looking forward to the finish line but can play quite freely knowing that they are safe. Its the home side for me.
Mt Lawley 7-1
CAMBRIDGE v DOUBLEVIEW
CAMBRIDGE
C Harris, S Rushforth, A Garlick, G Allen
B Nairn, B Gillingham, J Conway, D Leeson
C Adams, M Sweeney, D Jones, R Bolton
P Harris, A Drayton, N Lewis, L Bolton INS: A Garlick, B Nairn OUTS: A Tennant, P Potts
DOUBLEVIEW
A Williams, J Slavich, A Wetzler, M Hansen
C Slavich, R Bates, B Willesee, G Nelson
R Moyle, B White, B Pearce, B Griffiths
K McIlroy, T Whitfield, S Cerff, G Faulkner INS: No changes OUTS:
Match of the round and what a ripper this one is going to be as 3rd placed Cambridge host Doubleview the leaders. The Knights just need 1 point to guarantee themselves finals but will be wanting to finish off strongly to let the other teams know they are a chance of taking out the flag. Blake Nairn returns from his Queensland stint and will certainly add a bit off spice to things. If Doubleview can manage 7 points they will host the first day off the finals otherwise it will depend on what happens in the Sth Perth fixture. This game could go either way and I think Chevy will let his presence known, im just going to tip the away side in a close one.
Doubleview 6-2
MANNING v NORTH BEACH
MANNING
S Knott, N Jones, M Wunnenberg, P Ker
T Mitchell, L Grigg, S O'Brien, M Kemp
W Hyatt, D Downey, A Heal, J Butler
C Packer, B Butler, A Lill, M Ellis INS: D Downey OUTS: J Angel
NORTH BEACH
R Aitken, J Clayton, J Bartorillo, B Palfrey
M Douthie, G Devenish, G Yabuka, B Fielding
G Crosthwaite, C Margin, T Jones, P Merritt
J McGinlay, S Richards, R Dempsey, G Booker INS: B Fielding OUTS: G Watson
Manning once again hitting finals form late in the season as they return home to take on Nth Beach. Manning have jumped into the top 4 for the first time since way back in round 4. The equation for them is simple, win the agg and it’s off to the finals. With Hyatt, Downey and Grigg all back in, should they make finals they will sure be tough to beat again. Nth Beach with a huge effort last week running down the Saints and could well survive relegation if they can find a way to win this one today. If that happens you’ll find me moving to Mars next week.
Manning 8 -0
OSBORNE PARK v SOUTH PERTH
OSBORNE PARK
J East, D Marsland, C Orchard, G Nicol
S Pasalich, K Pickering, D Kelly, C Alberti
S Mawdsley, R Brown, A Pasalich, T Massang
J Goddard, T Alberti, C Schell, K Carr INS: No changes OUTS:
SOUTH PERTH
G Pauling, J Carter, L Moretti, D Angell
R Bresland, M Biglin, R Havercroft, J Galipo
S Walker, P Davies, N Griffin, O Dawson
J Opie, M Sear, J Wardrop, J Percival INS: No changes OUTS:
Another cracking game here as Osborne Park host Sth Perth. The Saints sitting in the middle of the field and cant make finals or get relegated so will be looking to finish off their season with a win. For the Millers its their first game on the road in the second half and will be looking for a win to give themselves a chance at a home final next week. The Saints did beat Sth Perth at their place the first time they met so the home side will be confident, and I think they too might get over the line today
Osborne Park 6-2
JOONDALUP v SORRENTO
JOONDALUP
C Leggett, J Groves, B Cody, M Cheesman
W Neilson, S Rixom, S Niven, F Tyson
B Leggett, S Deering, P Kain, W Clatworthy
P Daley, M Korycin, J Hunter, C Bell INS: B Cody OUTS: J Buchanan
SORRENTO
R Cunningham, R Rogers, M Sharrett, M Douglass
R Butler, S Wattleworth, P Morgan, S Mortimer
B Eagles, S Buckley, P Flack, G Taylor
P Knight, M Hulbert, P Augustson, G Murray INS: No changes OUTS:
Im giving this one a sneaky co match of the round as it will determine who heads back to white next season. Joondalup after their 1 shot thriller win last week head back home to take on Sorrento. The loser of this this match is gone with the winner mostly likely safe unless Nth Beach can win and get enough points to jump them both. This would be a monster effort if the Dolphins can get the win and survive their first year in the comp and I think they just might.
