MILESTONES
150 Games
- Lachie Neale (Lethal Vipers)
100 Games
- Jordan Dawson (Roughnecks)
- Jayden Short (Taxmanian Devils)
50 Games
- Jai Newcombe (Love Sparkles)
- Nic Martin (Taxmanian Devils)
- Darcy Cameron (Lethal Vipers)
- Riley Bonner (MaherShalalHashBaz)
GAME OF THE ROUND
3rd takes on 5th, with both teams coming in on four game winning streaks.
Both teams are relatively unaffected by Fremantle and Port Adelaide being on the bye – with MaherShalalHashBaz losing the strongest player in Houston. Advantage Roughnecks on that front.
It’s a mixed bag on the injury front for the Roughnecks though. Richards won’t be back, nor will Pendlebury or Tim Kelly. But Taranto might finally return after a long layoff. And they’ll be hoping Brad Crouch is finally named. Oh, and that Dawson is fit enough.
Last time they met, back in round 4, MaherShalalHashBaz won by 38 points. Merrett and Daniher were the difference, both dropping 135, with Weitering not far behind with 118. Excellent scores like that down back and up forward render them very hard to beat. Looking at the possible matchups this weekend, the Roughnecks will be hoping their backline really proves the difference, as you’d probably give MSHB the edge in the middle and up forward.
The Roughnecks will be hoping the Thursday night clash between the Crows and Tigers is a high scoring affair, as they’ll 5 (or more) players taking the field, against 2 in Rioli and Soligo. At least once coach will head into the weekend happy…
SNEAKY INTERESTING MATCHUP
This feels like a stretch, again. But I promise it isn’t.
The Vipers have quietly climbed to sixth on the point scored table, and could credibly claim to be the best 2 & 10 team in league history. An undesirable award no doubt.
Last week they put on a good show against the Sparkles – their 1781 enough to make them the fourth highest score of the round. Another loss though – that’s why they’re the best 2 win 10 loss team going round. Luke Ryan is in imperious form, and tied for the lead in the DangerGawn.
Alas, that is the stumbling block. There are only two teams on the bye, but one of them is Fremantle. The Vipers will be without Ryan this weekend. And Andrew Brayshaw, Nat Fyfe and Travis Boak. It’s a real dent in their prospects of an upset.
But I maintain this remains sneaky interesting, if for no other reason than the fact the Defenestrators have now lost 3 in a row, and will be desperate for a win. A loss to 9th on the ladder would be very deflating, and that plus a MaherShalalHashBaz victory would see them end the round in 5th on percentage. A spot on the ladder the team in pink are decidedly unfamiliar with.
STRAY OBSERVATION
The Chiefs take on the Pukekos, so that’s a win. That result plus a Midnight loss against the Sparkles would give them a two game break on Midnight in the race for sixth. Still plenty of the season to make up that ground of course. But we are turning the bend and the home stretch is coming into our field of vision…
Also acknowledgment that the Devils have won the bye lottery in facing the Soldiers on the week Port Adelaide have the bye. Just another small notch in the “could it be their year” column…