Week Five Preview

This weekend, we celebrate the Pride Round in which Outer East Football Netball is fully supportive of.

Premier Division will see some terrific matchups as Officer/ROC go head-to-head for the first time, while Upwey Tecoma and Wandin will be going after one another as its football and netball teams go for victory.

The Match of the Round contest between Mount Evelyn and Pakenham/Pakenham Lions is tipped to draw a big crowd with each facing off for the first time since 2019 when they met in Division One.

It will be a case of youth versus experience when Healesville host Gembrook Cockatoo while the match between first placed Seville and third placed Emerald in Division One could go down to the wire on both the football field and the netball court.

The clash between Powelltown and Alexandra is an exciting matchup with all grades of games sure to provide great entertainment for those in attendance at the Sawmill.

Take a look ahead to all the action this weekend with the week five preview here:

Premier Data Premier Division Football

Officer and Woori Yallock will meet for the first time on Saturday, with the Kangaroos searching for its first win of the season. For the Tigers, their aim is to simply keep winning and maintain its position in second on the premier division ladder. Kody Busoli and young gun Liam O’Dea have been huge for the Tigers in its 2022 campaign to date and would love nothing more than to keep the momentum going as they move towards the middle part of the year.

With both teams going for their second win of the season, the matchup between Upwey Tecoma and Wandin is set to be a ripping contest as both sides fight to stay in contention with those in front of them on the ladder. The Tigers have performed well in its outings so far and a loss by 20 points to Woori Yallock last week will have them feeling as though they can contend against any of its competitors. For the Bulldogs, a disappointing loss to Narre Warren will now see them out for redemption this weekend.

Mount Evelyn and Pakenham will go head-to-head in the Match of the Round honours in what will be the first time the two clubs have met since 2019. Still chasing their first win of the season, the Rovers will be out to ensure they are no easybeats on their home deck amongst the onslaught of the Lions who are on a high following two wins in a row. Willing the Rovers on will be captain Daimon Kift, while Lions co-captains Liam Tyrrell and Chris Cardona will do everything they can with the help of their teammates to ensure they can come out on top.

With Monbulk starting the year 1-1 and Olinda Ferny Creek being 1-2, this match is shaping up to be crucial for both sides as they look to try and climb further up the ladder. The Hawks, fresh off a win against Mount Evelyn last week will be hoping to continue the momentum they currently have to make it two in a row. For the Bloods, now is the time to pull the trigger if they are to stay in touch with the leading pack and will again look to the likes of Kelsey Currie, Matt Scharenberg, Patrick Rosier and Tyler Belloni for inspiration.

Karcher Premier Division Netball

ROC will be hoping to bounce back against Woori Yallock this weekend, following a shock draw against Beaconsfield last weekend. Although on paper it may seem as though the Kangaroos have got the win here, the Tigers are still searching for its first win of season 2022 and under the guidance of playing coaches Alana McGurgan and Mia Sudomirski, they will go in this weekend fiercely determined to try and swing the match in their favour.

Fresh off its win against Woori Yallock last week, the Tigers of Upwey Tecoma would love nothing more than to make it two in a row with a win against Wandin, who went down to Narre Warren last week. Under the watchful eye of David O’Hare, the Tigers are in a prime position to make this the case but will need everything to go right as the netball outfit over at Wandin is still looking good for success this year.

On the netball courts of the Match of the Round festivities, the game between Mount Evelyn and Pakenham Lions could be an interesting one as the Rovers search for its second win in a row while the Lions are keen to get its season moving with its first win of the year. Karen Meredith and Matt Cooke will do everything they can to fire up its Pakenham A Grade side in the livestreamed clash, while for the Rovers under playing coach Kaitlyn Black, it’s about trying to build some momentum with a second victory potentially on the cards.

Just as it is on the footy field, Monbulk and Olinda Ferny Creek will go head-to-head for the first time on the netball court since the formation of Outer East FN with both outfits keen to get a second win on the board. Despite a valiant charge, Monbulk went down by seven goals to Mount Evelyn last week and will be hoping to make up for it this weekend. However, the might of the Bloods will be a tricky task for them, Olinda Ferny Creek undefeated up to this point despite not being at the top of their game. The Hawks will do everything they can to take full advantage of this and swing the match in their favour.

On the grounds of Kalora Park, Narre Warren will be heading for its fourth win in a row to start the season when they take on Beaconsfield on Saturday afternoon. With playing coach Erin Bell leading the way and in fine form, the Magpies are well placed to continue its dominant start to the year. However, they will need to deal with the Eagles who have proven they can compete with the best in premier division, finishing in a tie with third placed ROC last week.

Community Bank Division One Football

Now finding themselves with a home game after a bye last week, the match between Healesville and Gembrook Cockatoo will be a case of youth versus experience. The Bloods are keen to continue its unbeaten run to start the year, with the likes of Max Donegan and Tennyson Amarant proving to be a handful at times for its opposition. However, the Brookers are the leadership of captain Colin Bastow, Josh Tilly and Myles Wareham enjoying superb starts to their seasons will be hard to beat which could be an interesting matchup for the enthusiastic Healesville side.

The game between Berwick Springs and Yarra Glen is set to be a good one with the Titans now having an opportunity to show what they’re capable of against a side they have never played before. The game taking place following the official opening of the Mick Morland Reserve, the Titans under the leadership of captain Daniel Ousley will be keen to get the upper hand against the River Pigs in front of their home crowd.

With both sides undefeated so far, the match between first placed Seville and third placed Emerald shapes up to be an exciting affair as they fight for bragging rights early in the season. The Blues are looking good with dominant wins in all their games to date while for Emerald, a seven-goal win against Berwick Springs last week has instilled some belief that they can cause an upside on the hallowed turf of its rivals. With Nathan O’Keefe fit and firing with a nine-goal haul last week, the Blues look primed to take a win but with Paddy Chin the sharpshooter at the other end for the Bombers, a winner is hard to pick at this point.

Karcher Division One Netball

Having the disappointment of losing its last two matches since returning from the Easter break, Gembrook Cockatoo will have the clear aim of putting a second win on the board for its season as they try to put some momentum back into its campaign with the help of superstars Paige Ladner and Rebecca Christie. For the Bloods who are on a pathway of development, this matchup will again be all about finding ways to improve and put in a good performance against a solid netball outfit.

On the netball court, the Berwick Springs and Yarra Glen matchup is looking good with the Titans in a position to potentially snare its first win of the season against a Yarra Glen side who have only had one win and went down in a game last week that went begging. For the Titans, a win would clearly be a confidence booster while for the River Pigs, they could push themselves further up the ladder should they come out on top.

Just like their football team, the A grade netballers of Seville have enjoyed a great start to the new season with an unbeaten run against some opposition that have challenged them along the way. However, this weekend they will come up against Emerald who have found a sweet spot with its form over the last couple of weeks, which means the Bombers are sure to throw down a challenge to the Blues to stop the momentum they possess.

Berwick and Belgrave will meet for the first time with the Wickers hoping to retain its unbeaten run against the Magpies, who enjoyed a good win against Yarra Glen last week in the Pride Cup celebrations. Hoping to keep the momentum going, a competitive outing against the might of the Wickers will be a great result for Belgrave, but there is no doubt Berwick will have other ideas when they play on Saturday.

ATC Traffic Division Two Football

Powelltown and Alexandra will exchange pleasantries for the first time since 2019 in what is expected to be a hotly contested matchup for the two experienced and competitive outfits. Fresh from a week off, playing coach Jarrod Bayliss is expected to make his return to the line-up following an injury concern and there is no doubt he will be vocal towards his players in the hope of returning in fine style with a win against the Rebels. Alexandra, on the other hand through the midfield combo of Dean Galea, Jason Degabrielle and Sam Kerridge have performed well against its opposition so far and will do all they can to match the challenge thrown to them by the Demons.

Warburton Millgrove will be the first opponent of the combined Broadford Yea squad this week, where the aim is to simply take part in a competitive game of footy where all players are enjoying each other’s company and have fun. For the Burras, Nelson Aldridge, Patrick Huynh and Mitch Bonuda have enjoyed strong starts to the year on the stats sheet and will be hoping to continue that on Saturday.

Karcher Division Two Netball

On the netball courts on the road heading east towards Noojee, Powelltown and Alexandra will be locked in combat for a tight contest with the Rebels proving over the last couple of weeks they are a force to be reckoned with throughout the A grade competition of Division Two with two wins in a row since the Easter break. For the Demons, a win against Kinglake before the bye last week was exactly what they needed to settle the nerves and put themselves back on their feet before they tackle its fixtures in May. On paper, both sides look to be evenly matched which means the crowd will be in for a ripping contest.

The matchup between first placed Warburton Millgrove and second placed Broadford looks to be a great tussle between two quality sides who are expected to meet when the finals series comes around. Warburton Millgrove under the coaching of Nat Petrucev have been brilliant and would want nothing more than to get the early bragging rights against a side who are almost evenly matched with them. The motives for the Kangaroos will be much the same and Ash Chapman will be sure to have Broadford up and about for this all important clash.

Yea and Kinglake will have an opportunity to grab its first win of the season this week when they take on one another at Yea Recreation Reserve. With both sides having ordinary starts to their 2022 campaign, this matchup will provide the opportunity for each club to develop some confidence and momentum as they come into their matches scheduled for May.

Karcher Senior Women’s Football

Healesville and Yarra Junction will take on one another in a Saturday morning timeslot at Don Road Sporting Complex. On its home deck, the Bloods will look to please the local crowd with a win the clear aim in continuing its unbeaten run. For the Eagles, a competitive outing will be just what they are looking for if they are to continue its development for the rest of the season.

Also on a development pathway, Seville will be aiming to put in a competitive performance against Pakenham this Saturday when they play in a twilight slot following its senior men’s game. For the Lions who are coming off a five-goal loss to Olinda Ferny Creek last week, a win against the Blues ensures they can get back on track and move further up the ladder as they attempt to establish themselves as a contender for the remainder of the season.

Upwey Tecoma will host Thornton Eildon this weekend on its home deck off the Burwood Highway in the twilight of Saturday afternoon with the Tigers aiming to put win number four on the board as they continue its climb up the ladder. With captain Kiana Oates and forward superstar Jess Occhipinti fit and firing, the Tigers will want to continue their momentum and build match fitness into its team while for the Shinboners, a competitive outing will make for a great day when they travel to Melbourne.