RELATED: Round nine teams
IT will have taken 266 days, but Sale and Morwell will meet on Saturday for the first time since last year’s Gippsland League football grand final.
The league’s two benchmark teams will clash at Sale Oval with the Magpies looking to end the Tigers’ unbeaten start to the season.
Memories of the Tigers’ 81-point grand final thumping would still be raw in the minds of many Magpies players and supporters. Tomorrow will be a chance to partly atone for that listless performance.
Despite only having lost one match this season, the Magpies are only now beginning to find the form and include the players which helped them dominate for much of the past two seasons.
Following victory at home against Maffra, the Magpies last weekend thumped Warragul by 146 points with the manner in which the win came more impressive than the margin.
Morwell will provide a sterner test on Saturday.
On Monday, the Tigers were too strong for Traralgon.
The Tigers will have to overcome a recent hoodoo at Sale, having not won there since 2010.
KEEN to bounce back from a disappointing effort against Wonthaggi, Maffra will head to Drouin to take on the bottom-placed Hawks.
Last weekend, the Eagles led Wonthaggi early, but would only kick two goals after quarter-time on their way to a 22-point loss.
The Eagles met their match in the midfield and struggled to begin attacks out of defence.
Looking to avoid three successive defeats for the first time since 2000, Maffra shouldn’t have many issues against Drouin on Saturday.
In their 162-point loss to Bairnsdale, the Hawks were held scoreless in the first half. The loss reduced the Hawks’ percentage to just 15.18.
Last time the sides met, the Eagles kicked a club record score and Darren Sheen equalled the club record of 17 goals for a match.
LEONGATHA will play in the Latrobe Valley for the second successive week when it plays Traralgon.
Despite having less scoring shots, the Parrots defeated Moe by seven points.
Victory on Saturday will have the Parrots heading into the second half of the season at 4-5 and better placed to make a run to the finals.
After falling out of the top five on percentage following their 65-point loss to Morwell, the Maroons need a win ahead of tough matches against Sale.
NOW in third place, an inform Bairnsdale will head to Moe.
The Redlegs will look to continue their good form against the Lions, who were unable to make the most of their opportunities against Leongatha.
FOLLOWING an impressive win at Maffra, Wonthaggi will host Warragul.
The Gulls are coming off a big loss to Sale, but will look to recapture the form which helped them win their last match at Wonthaggi by four points.
The Power’s win over Maffra propelled it back into the top five, but again highlighted its wayward kicking for goal.
