Round 2 in Division 1 gets underway with an intriguing match up between Mordialloc and St Kilda City at Ben Kavanagh Reserve. Both sides are coming off losses and will be desperate to avoid the dreaded 0-2 start to the year. Whilst the Saints finished off strongly against the Colts, they battled to find consistency in the opening half and no doubt the focus on the track will be compiling a full four quarter effort.
The Bloodhounds were squeezed, like many sides in recent times, against the Dingoes and struggled to get their offensive game going at the Den. Their first game on home soil will be a big challenge but one that they are certainly capable of rising to.
Coming off the back of a spirited win, Bentleigh host East Malvern in what looks a belter of a match up. The Demons were magnificent in their 21 point win over St Paul’s and will be looking to keep their perfect start in tact against the Panthers. The Dee’s spread of goalkickers last week was impressive and we’ll see if they can continue that potency up forward.
The visitors also head into the match with a win under their belts after holding off a determined Oakleigh District. The Panthers have been up around the mark in premiership contention the past few seasons and show no signs of dropping down anytime soon. They should also take confidence in the fact they knocked the Demons off last time they met at this venue.
Cheltenham hosts St Paul’s for their first home game of the year in what looks an absolute beauty of a contest on paper. Coming off a big win, the Rosellas should head into this game as favourites but not by much. The men from Jack Barker Oval were too strong for Highett last week and flexed their muscles in a powerful display. They’ll face a much sterner test here however with a hungry St Paul’s looking to make amends for last week’s loss to Bentleigh.
The Dogs, far from terrible, just let a few key moments slip from their grasp and the coaching staff will be desperate to avoid back-to-back losses to start the season. They’ll have their work cut out trying to stop the star studded Cheltenham line up, but as we know the team with the most talent doesn’t always win. This should be a close one either way.
Port Melbourne Colts will look to continue their impressive start to the season when they host Highett at Murphy Reserve on Saturday afternoon. The Colts are the buzz side in Division 1 at the moment and will be looking for their third win in a row to start the year.
New recruit Marley Williams has grabbed the limelight for obvious reasons but the luring of Jase Perkins back to the Colts has been a massive coup for the club. The spearhead has already booted 14 goals, including a bag of 10 in the first round, and will pose a massive headache for the Dogs defenders. Don’t be surprised if he has a day out here.
For the visitors it’ll be about staying competitive for four quarters. Coming off a big loss is never easy at the best of times and they’ll have their work cut out here against a strong side away from home.
The final match of the round sees Oakleigh District take on Dingley at Princess Highway Reserve. The District were solid in their defeat to East Malvern last week, but never looked like putting any scoreboard pressure on the opposition. They’ll face another big test against the reigning champs but should back themselves in to continue their improvement.
The Dingoes on the other hand should be looking at a straight forward days' work but you just never know what will happen on the day. The group looked hungry last week and will be looking to add another four points to the back pocket anyway they can get.
Division 2 – Round Two Preview
East Brighton will be looking to notch up their third win on the trot when they host the Hampton Hammers on Saturday afternoon. The Vampires have dominated their first few assignments and head into the match with their confidence sky high. Nathan Foster will be a player to keep an eye on after he bagged 7 goals last round to dominate up forward for the home side.
Hampton battled hard in the first three quarters before being overrun by Skye and will be looking to fix their forward half issues. The Hammers managed just one goal for the game, albeit in difficult conditions, and will need to hit the scoreboard more consistently if they are any chance here.
Murrumbeena will be desperate to put in a better show this week against Keysborough, after Beena were taken to the cleaners by East Brighton in a grim loss. Following big changes on and off the field, Murrumbeena look set for a rebuild and could face some pain in the short term.
Keysborough will be hellbent on continuing their misery after the Burras went down in heartbreaking fashion last week. Despite leading at both half and three quarter time, Keysborough couldn’t close out the deal against Hampton Park and will be seeking a strong response here.
Caulfield travel down to Robert Booth Reserve to face Hampton Park in a tantalizing match up. The Bears, promising in patches against Springy, just fell short last week and will face another big challenge as they seek their first win.
The Redbacks were superb in their nail biting come from behind victory over Keysborough and will relish the chance to return to their home deck after a tough opening fortnight. The home side dominated on this ground last season but will face much sterner tests against better sides in Division 2 this year. Caulfield look to be one of the better sides and this game could go either way!
Heatherton and Skye will do battle at Ross Street Reserve in an important match for both clubs. The Tunners will be looking to avoid three losses in a row having drawn a tough fixture in the opening fortnight. They’ll back themselves to put in a better performance here against the Bombers.
As for Skye, it wasn’t pretty but they got the job done last week and will be eyeing off a 2-0 start. However, they shouldn’t get too ahead of themselves as Heatherton will not roll over easily. These two sides also featured in a draw in 2019 and the Bombers will be hoping for a far less stressful afternoon here.
The final match of the round promises to be an absolute beauty, as Springvale Districts and Chelsea Heights clash in a heavyweight battle. Springy have been impressive in the opening fortnight, dismissing Hampton Park and Caulfield to maintain their title as the number one seed. But Chelsea Heights showed why many are tipping them to surge up the ladder this season after they belted Heatherton last weekend.
Of course, there is a big step up in class this weekend against a team in contention but it will be a fantastic litmus test to see where the Demons are at early doors. Make sure you get down to this one if you’re in the area, should be a great afternoon of footy!
