Elastoplast Division 3 Finals Preview

By Andrew Paloczi
Twitter@Apaloczi


FINALS WEEK 2 PREVIEW


Preliminary Final - Hampton Park vs Endeavour Hills


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Saturday 8 September - Power Reserve

Previous meetings this season
Endeavour Hills 6.13-49 def by Hampton Park 10.5-65 (Round 4)
Hampton Park 6.8-44 def by Endeavour Hills 6.10-46 (Round 11)
Hampton Park 14.9-93 def Endeavour Hills 5.10-40 (Round 18)

Neither Hampton Park nor Endeavour Hills commenced the finals in particularly impressive fashion and both clubs will expect to improve substantially this week.

The Redbacks didn’t adapt well to the slippery conditions against Springvale Districts, being too indirect in their approach for much of the game.

Whilst Endeavour Hills dominated around the ground against an uninspiring Ashwood last week, the Falcons’ goal kicking was atrocious.

They finished with 6.18 and such poor conversion will almost certainly have a grim outcome against the might of Hampton Park.

In three head-to-head meetings this season the Redbacks hold a 2-1 advantage over the Falcons.

In the first of those clashes, Hampton Park’s accuracy around the big sticks proved decisive in a 16-point win over an off-target Endeavour Hills.

When the clubs met again in Round 11 they produced an enthralling contest in miserable weather conditions, with Endeavour Hills scraping home by a couple of points.

Their most recent encounter was in the final home and away round when little was at stake for either team.

Hampton Park won by 53 points.

A margin of that magnitude is unlikely this week with the high stakes of a sudden-death final.

Having forecast in March that we would finish the season with a Springvale Districts/Endeavour Hills grand final, this pundit is sticking to his guns.

So, it’s the Falcons to sneak into the decider with a narrow win over the Redbacks.

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