By David Nagel
Two battle-hardened teams with a penchant for close finishes will lock horns on Saturday when Tooradin-Dalmore hosts Cora Lynn in the WGFNC Match of the Day.
The Gulls and Cobras are neck-deep in a five-way battle for this year’s premiership; and their results against their fellow finals contenders tell a very similar story.
The Seagulls have a 1-3 record against top-five teams, with the combined margin of those four games just 21 points.
The Cobras have a 2-1 record, and one draw, with a combined margin of 22 points.
It’s almost safe to predict that this week’s contest will undoubtedly go down to the wire.
Cora Lynn began its season with a loss-win-draw sequence, but has since put together a 10-game winning streak that sees it perched at the top of the ladder.
But these next three weeks, against Tooradin-Dalmore, Inverloch-Kongwak and Nar Nar Goon, will give us the best indication yet of where they sit in the pecking order.
Just five weeks out from finals; you would like to be building momentum and be close to playing your best football.
The Cobras have had eight players play every game this season, with Lachie Peluso, Jett Edwards, Nathan Villella and Luke Black playing vital roles for their team, while Nathan Gardiner, Lachlan Coverdale, Jimmy Munro and Jaxon Briggs bring the X-Factor!
Luke Hartley, Cory Machaya, Liam Taylor and Gus Da Costa have all just missed one game, alongside Billy Thomas, who may be having the best season of his already stellar career in the ruck.
The Seagulls also aren’t short on stalwarts, with Lewis Hill, Piva Wright, Brad Butler, Xavier Shinners, Cooper Shipp and Trent Adams running out for every game this season.
It’s no secret; but when your best players are on the park you tend to play good football.
Similar to Cora Lynn, the Gulls next fortnight, which concludes at Nar Nar Goon next week; will provide a clearer view of the landscape.
We’ll go for Cora Lynn to win by three points.
All other games this week look largely predictable, with Inverloch to beat Dalyston by a similar margin that Phillip Island beats Garfield, while Bunyip will be hard-pressed to be competitive against a finals’ bound Kilcunda-Bass.
Warragul Industrials should return with the chocolates after a trip to the Korumburra showgrounds, while near-neighbours Kooweerup and Nar Nar Goon meet at Denhams Road.
The Demons were buoyed by the return of Josh Bateman last week and his battle with a classy Goon midfield will be worth the price of admission alone.
But the Goon have too much to play for; expect Harry Brain to continue his hot recent form and the visitors to take home the four premiership points.
