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DEAKIN UNI EASTERN REGION WOMEN’S PREVIEW

EFL Media’s Will Taylor previewed all the upcoming action this weekend in the Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s Competition. 

First up, we will be travelling up the mountains to Yarra Junction to see the two Yarra Valley rivals go head to head as seventh place Yarra Junction takes on top seed Mount Evelyn.

Mount Evelyn have been unstoppable this season through its amazing defensive play with a damaging midfield and back-line. Yarra Junction needs this win to stay in the hunt for a top four berth at the end of the season.

The players to watch out for will be Melanie Hogg, Catherine Garlick, Ashleigh Forbes, Heather L’Huillier, Katelyn Betts and Rebecca Theakstone for the visitors. Meanwhile for the home team, Jamee Cousens, Jessica Laidlaw and Louise Sandqvist will be the players to keep the Eagles in the game.

PREDICTION: Mount Evelyn by four goals

Just down the road at Kimberley Reserve, second placed Chirnside Park will battle it out against fifth placed Knox in a must win game for both teams as they fight for positions in the finals.

Chirnside Park will be trying to keep up with the high-flying Mount Evelyn and stay away from Bayswater in second spot while Knox will be needing a win to keep in touch with Waverley Blues who are currently in fourth spot.

Sophie Ruddick, Corrinne Jackson, Ashleigh Leslie and Alex Barker will be guiding the Panthers through the Knox defence while Kaitlyn Zeeck will be trying to keep the Falcons in the game.

PREDICTION: Chirnside Park by two goals

Mount Waverley Reserve will be the venue for the big clash between Waverley Blues and Norwood this weekend as both teams will be needing a win for different reasons.

The Blues are currently in fourth position on the ladder and will be hoping to be a game and a half clear in fourth with a win this weekend.

Norwood will be aiming to stay off the bottom of the ladder as the visitors are currently in equal last spot with Upper Ferntree Gully and Yarra Junction going into the round.

Bridget Murphy and Olivia Baxter will be steering the Blues express as they have both played amazing football over the past couple of weeks while Holly Fenton will be ensuring that Norwood will be in the contest in front of goals.

PREDICTION: Waverley Blues by five goals

If you have nothing to do on your Sunday afternoon, make sure you head down to Bayswater Oval to see the two closest suburbs in the EFL in Bayswater and Heathmont.

Bayswater will be hoping to jump back into either top spot or second on the ladder after a win, while Heathmont will be needing a win to get back in contention for a finals berth.

Jessica Saunders, Samantha Evans, Jayne Blakemore and Emma Gosbell will be leading the way for the Jets while Leesa Mcshane, Brenda Lay and Marissa Lee will be kicking the goals for the Waters in this game like they have done for most of this season.

PREDICTION: Bayswater by three goals

UNDER-18s 

What a Friday night at Fairpark Reserve as we saw two classic games of Deakin Uni Under 18 Girls as Blackburn/Norwood remained on top of the ladder after a convincing victory over Knox by 52 points.

Gemma Lagioia kicked two goals for the winners as they led from start to finish to record their seventh win in a row.

After the game, I spoke to Olivia Ashcroft and Eliana Parratt from the Blackburn/Norwood team about the game and they both agreed that it was a great game with the pressure intensity right up. They also said it was difficult to get any clean possessions through the game due to the conditions of playing at night.

Croydon retained third spot on the ladder after its win against Ferntree Gully by 68 points with Kiara Simons, Lili Gibson and Brooklyn Smith all scoring multiple goals for the winners.

It was a tight contest throughout the game with the Eagles staying in touch for two quarters (first and third) but at the end it was Croydon’s midfield through the second and fourth quarters that proved to be difference and also the Eagles’ injuries to key players made it difficult for Ferntree Gully.

The match of the round unfortunately proved to be the fizzer as Mount Evelyn, through Hayley Styles’ two goals, managed to get a five-goal win over Emerald in the battle of the finals contenders.

Mount Evelyn remained undefeated as well as Blackburn/Norwood as it led from start to finish to win the game. To Emerald’s credit, they didn’t give up throughout and their pressure on the ball was definitely shown to keep the score as close as possible.

Previewing this weekend’s games, Blackburn/Norwood will be venturing up the mountains to Emerald to take on the Bombers in the big game for the home team.

Emerald will need to stop Blackburn/Norwood’s Gemma Lagioia, Emily Harley and Olivia Ashcroft to try and secure the win on the weekend.

It will be a mighty tough contest played in one of the toughest venues to win at Worrell Reserve.

PREDICTION: Blackburn/Norwood by six goals.

Chirnside Park and Ferntree Gully will be the match of the round as both teams’ slim hopes of the finals will be resting on this game at Kimberley Reserve.

Olivia Flanagan, Ashleigh Allsopp, Sidney Arthur and reigning Eastern Ranges best & fairest Georgia Macpherson will be using their experience to hold a very good Eagles line-up which features Laura Mcclelland, Tess Mcleod, Paige Whitworth and Sonja Thorneycroft.

These two teams will be hungry to take the game over right from the opening bounce and I’m definitely sure this is not to be missed.

PREDICTION: Ferntree Gully by one goal.

Knox comes off a lost to Blackburn/Norwood while Croydon comes off a win against Ferntree Gully. Both teams would have been scouting each other on Friday night as they both played at Fairpark.

The question will be, can Knox hold off the charging Croydon team who will be ready to take the game over right from the start?

Paige Buruma and Caitlin Vippond will need to stir the Falcons into their forward and break Croydon’s back-line while Kiara Simons and Lili Gibson will be trying to do the same for the Blues.

PREDICTION: Croydon by three goals.

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