By Michael Sholly – @vafaceo
The spotlight is on the Division sections this weekend as all the Premier Sections take a week off. The reason for the extra bye for the Premier Sections is to allow a spread of finals matches, as we wouldn’t have enough facilities to host each 26 sections semi-finals all on the same weekend. Also, this weekend sees the commencement of the Club XVIII Finals.
One change that will be noticed by the keener eyes is that all the Premier Umpires become available and will be distributed through the grades. This is a forerunner to the finals where our more proficient umpires get appointed to finals. With 30 more field umpires available, one would hope the standard of umpiring would increase. This also flows to the goal and boundary where we may be able to give a full complement of umpires throughout the grades.
With three rounds to go each match is gaining in significance. As evidenced by the turnaround in form of St Bernard’s in Premier, the relegation games often have the most intensity. In Division 1, 9th and 10th placed Prahran Assumption and Brunswick NOBSPC play each other. This is Brunswick’s final chance as they are now sitting six points behind Old Paradians. OPs have been the big improvers since David Boundy returned and only went down to ladder-leaders Old Mentonians by three points on the weekend. The final four may nearly be set if fourth-placed PEGS can beat Therry Penola who are currently third on the ladder. St Mary’s Salesian are the only other team that can make the four.
In Division 2, with only one team to be relegated Richmond Central are going back to Division 3. That club has had an excellent five-year period going from Division 4 through to Division 2 but will now need to stabilise and regroup before next season. Third and fourth are doing battle with Preston Bullants hosting Yarra Valley. The Bullants can still regain the double chance whilst Yarra Valley are hopeful of keeping MHSOB at bay with the Unicorns having a bye before the two clash next week.
Division 3 has a final six with the top two having a week off and going straight into the preliminary final. Glen Eira and Hawthorn have sown up those positions after La Trobe University went down to UHS-VU. After being in the relegation zone only a couple of weeks ago Power House have surged and are only percentage out of the six. They host Canterbury and will be confident of getting into the six by days’ end. They finish playing the teams sitting 11th and 12th so they could be heading to the finals on the back of six straight wins.
With no relegation in Division 4, the competition can have a flat end to the season for those without any chance of making the four. Westbourne Grammarians have had a stellar season after the disappointment of losing a final last year. Point Cook, Mt Lilydale and Eley Park Sharks look likely finalists.
The biggest rivalry in recent times in the Club XVIII competition has been between the Hawthorn Spartans and Old Xaverian Crocodiles. This will be their fifth finals encounter with Hawthorn winning the flag last year with the Crocodiles in 2014. They met only last weekend with Hawthorn winning convincingly. They are near certainties to play off in this year’s grand final for a third consecutive year.
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