ROUND 17 PREVIEW
Sandown V Carrum Patterson Lakes (Edinburgh Reserve)
V 
Last time they met – R10, 23 June 2018, Sandown 5.7 (37) def by Carrum Patterson Lakes 17.16 (118).
Sandown face another tough task when they host the top of the table Lions at Edinburgh Reserve on Saturday afternoon. On paper this is a genuine mismatch with the game providing CPL a good opportunity to bolster their already healthy percentage.
The Lions are arguably coming off their best win of the season, knocking off Lyndhurst on their home deck to take the crucial advantage of top spot. They now travel to Edinburgh Reserve with a real appetite to make sure they enter finals in good form.
CPL average bang on 100 points a game and they would be short odds to break that score quite comfortably here against the battling Cobras.
Brenton Rafferty and Alex Wilson in particular will be licking their lips at the prospect of this week’s clash. The duo have kicked 79 goals between them this season and have a great chance to blow this figure out even more.
Meanwhile the Cobras continue to fight hard in patches of games but their inability to kick a score has crippled them severely this season. Their defence has also really struggled, leaking through an average of 100 points a game. Factor in they play the best attacking team in the competition and this makes for ugly reading.
CPL will be far too dominant here.
Carrum Patterson Lakes by 88 points.
Frankston Dolphins V Lyndhurst (Overport Park)
V 
Last time they met – R10, 23 June 2018, Frankston 4.7 (31) def by Lyndhurst 6.6 (42).
Both of these sides will be looking to rebound back onto the winner’s lists after they suffered defeats last weekend.
Lyndhurst experienced their first loss on home turf this season after they were completely outplayed by the Lions in a poor performance. To make matters worse for the Lightning the result moves CPL one game clear ahead of them on top of the ladder.
In the other camp, Frankston ran into a Cerberus side taking the competition by storm and they were no match for them once the Dogs got on top. Whilst the Dolphins have had an exceptional inaugural season in the SFNL with a spot in finals locked up, there is one glaring concern.
Their record against the other teams in the top four is poor, having only won once in seven games. That win also came against Cerberus in Round 2 before the Dogs had found their feet at senior level.
To provide some perspective, nine of their 10 victories have come against sides in the bottom four. With a record like this it’s hard to see them being a serious threat in finals.
With two rounds to go the Dolphins face both Lyndhurst and CPL, sides they have not beaten this season. Therefore, the club is in serious danger of finishing the season with three losses in a row if they don’t improve their record against the better sides.
Having said all that, the Lightning have been struggling a tad lately and travelling down to Frankston could provide the perfect chance for the Dolphins to claim a big scalp.
This should be an absolute cracker of a game and Frankston should come out firing in their last home game for the season.
Frankston Dolphins by three points.
Moorabbin Kangaroos V Cerberus (Widdop Crescent Reserve)
V 
Last time they met – R10, 23 June 2018, Moorabbin 7.10 (52) def by Cerberus 13.10 (88).
Cerberus will make the long trip down south with their eyes firmly set on winning their ninth game on the trot when they face Moorabbin. The Dogs have been the talk of the town as they continue to dismiss any side they come across. They will enter this clash as red hot favourites against the struggling Kangaroos.
Moorabbin once again found themselves on the end of a defeat to Dandenong last weekend, making it eight losses from their past nine games. It has been a miserable back half of the season for the Roos and they face enough stiff task here.
Moorabbin did knock off Cerberus in Round 3 this season but since then both clubs have been tracking in the complete opposite direction. It’s hard to see a repeat of that result happening here.
If they are to be competitive, the Roos will need key players Dylan Bone and Justin Isaac firing. But on paper the visitors look to have too many consistent contributors across the park.
The Three-Headed Dogs are destined to be a big player in September and will be wanting to hit finals in tip top shape. Expect them to punish the Kangaroos here.
Cerberus by 50 points.
@LincolnEdmunds
