MATCH OF THE DAY PREVIEW – ROUND 8
By Evan Tudor
MATCH OF THE DAY – SATURDAY 13TH JUNE
Hoppers Crossing vs Spotswood (TIV Division 1 Senior Men)
Hogans Road Reserve, Hoppers Crossing
Match start time: 2:10pm
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WFNL Match of the Day will head to Hogans Road Reserve for an exciting clash between Hoppers Crossing and Spotswood.
In what will be a rematch of last year’s elimination final, Saturday’s action is set to be a hard-fought battle, with the Warriors and Woodsman resting seventh and eighth on the ladder respectively.
A win in this match is on the top of the wish-list for both outfits as the run towards September heats up, with finals spots still on the line.
Spotswood snapped its four-game losing streak with a win over Point Cook two weeks back and will hope that the momentum can keep rolling beyond the midseason bye.
Spotty was made to work for the four points against the Bulldogs, with the sides unable to break past a one-goal margin across the first three breaks.
But it was a final-quarter four-goal blitz for the green and gold that saw the Woodsman get over the line, with big bags of goals from James Cleaver (four), Harley Walshe (four), and Chris Seymour (three) paving the way for 22-point victory.
Walshe leads the goalkicking tally at Donald McLean Reserve with 20 majors from the first eight games of the season and hasn’t missed the big sticks this year.
Cleaver also has been a consistent performer for the Woodsman with an average of 27 possessions per game.
Spotswood has struggled of recent time to put wins on the board, but is this the weekend that it finds a second-straight victory? Or will Hoppers Crossing return to the winners’ circle?
After a heavy defeat to Parkside in Round 8, Hoppers Crossing will be seeking redemption when they run out onto their home deck.
Currently holding a 4-4 record, last year’s semi-finalist will be hoping that it can spark a resurgence up the ladder.
Bailey Young and Ashlin have been major ball-getters for the club and average over 30 touches a game, closely followed by Liam McMahon with 29.
And with some goalkicking talents in Ryan Kitchen and Tarryn Thomas, who both have made consistent impacts across the season’s first half, will they be able to break past Spotswood’s last line of defence?
Harry McGuire leads the navy blue and white in-front of the big sticks with an average of four majors a game, but is often absent from the WFNL due to commitments with Werribee’s VFL side.
An exciting clash is on the table, and the result can swing either way.