Super team host super boot

Waubra v Newlyn
MATCH of the Round has the undefeated table topping Kangas host the second placed Cats in round 14 football in the Bendigo Bank & Rural Bank Central Highland Football league. Last week, Waubra kept their impeccable record in a clinker against the Tigers, while the Cats overpowered Carngham Linton with Marcus Darmody leading the way with eight majors. Remarkably, Newlyn could still not finish in the top four with Buninyong, Gordon, Hepburn, Springbank, and to a lesser extent, Beaufort, all gunning for their position on the ladder. So with more to play for and just maybe a little bit extra class around the stoppages, it could be the Cats who are the ones to finally put a blemish on the perfect Kangaroo season to date. Prediction – Newlyn by under a goal.

Ballan v Hepburn
A career high, 14 goal performance from spearhead Sam Dunstan was the major talking point in the Burra’s shellacking of the Wickers last weekend. The day out takes his season tally to 69 but still trails Newlyn’s Darmody by 14. However, another big afternoon against the struggling Blues could see him raise his tally to those heights in attempt to make his mark on a piece of footballing history. Prediction – Hepburn in another shellacking.

Clunes v Beaufort
It is the bottom placed side against last year’s premiers and pundits expect this one to get totally as ugly as the byline suggests. Only the state of Clunes oval could save the Magpies, as with many grounds in country football at the moment, its poor condition with the wet winter we are having could be a factor. Prediction – Beaufort by 60 points.

Creswick v Rokewood-Corindhap
This is the sort of match-up the terribly out of form Hoppers need to get back on the winners list with the hot or cold Wickers a vulnerable target. Creswick should go in favourites in this one but with Rokewood coming off the bye and all the pride in the world to play for, it’s the best chance they have had to get a win since they last in round 3. Prediction – Rokewood-Corindhap to snap their losing streak.

Daylesford v Gordon
The Bulldogs were frankly awful against the Bombers last week and not even being at home should favour them against the much-fancied Eagles  Gordon are also a high-power scoring team and it wouldn’t surprise pundits if their victory is excess of a hundred this weekend. Prediction – Gordon by 100+

Dunnstown v Learmonth
You would have to be a genius if you thought this game a month ago would be twelfth hosting tenth, but that are exactly the case with the Towners on a four-game winning streak. Jack Sutherland, Timothy Collins and Harry McKimmie have been instrumental in the club’s resurgence up the ladder and with the Lakies coming off the back of a 122-point thumping at the hands of Gordon, we could see the Towners hot streak continue. Prediction – Dunnstown by 30 points.

Skipton v Springbank
A mini finals preview here with the Emu’s important win over the Demons giving them four points of breathing room inside the top eight. Josh Draffin was super in defence last week and will have to be at his intercepting best as Will Driscoll is a real danger to help the Tigers to get over the line in this one. Prediction – Springbank in a tight one.

Carngham Linton v Buninyong
If recent history of these two sides is anything to go by this should be one really one-sided game with the Bomber’s holding a very imposing record over the struggling Saints. Buninyong cracked 200 against Carngham last year and if the weather is good enough, they could very much do the same this weekend on the Saints home deck. Prediction – Buninyong by a staggering margin.