Division 2 Men’s top 4 blockbusters

Joe Pignataro

As we swing for home in the final rounds of the home and away season, due to COVID enforced breaks the top 4 might just be set should results go the way of Old Parade and West Brunswick in 3rd and 4th while Ivanhoe AFC need everything to go right in the remaining 4 rounds. We’re back though, and Division 2 is showcasing two massive top 4 clashes.

At the bottom of the table, Power House will be fighting for survival this weekend when they travel out to Aquinas. The last time these sides met was Round 1 of 2016 in Division 3 with Power House getting the points, Aquinas will be eager to inflict more pain on the boys from Ross Gregory Oval. However, should Power House record their second win of the season (their 1 and only was a 3 point win over the Ants in Round 3), they’ll move to equal points with Yarra Old Grammarians who face a tough battle this Saturday that they themselves will not be taking lightly coming up against Bulleen Templestowe.

For the Grammarians, they won’t want to be complacent as they push for the 4 points having lost 3 games in a row and a win this Saturday ensuring they remain out of the bottom 2.

Ivanhoe AFC need to win themselves to stay in touch with the top 4, as it stands, they’re 3 games and 10% behind Old Paradians in 4th. Losing their last 2 matches against top 4 sides, the task has been made slightly easier with 3 of their remaining 4 games coming against sides below them on the ladder. They’ll roll the dice and have one last push to get to September in 2021.

The fate of their season may well be decided in Round 17 when they face Old Parade in an old-fashioned 8-point clash but first they need to overcome the Manningham Cobras this Saturday. The Cobras will get out the tape on how they snuffed out Ivanhoe earlier in the season to get a 7-point win with coach Frank Salanitri hoping the same formula this time around will give them the 4 points.

Old Paradians could see themselves as fortunate to have not met Glen Eira and West Brunswick this season as their fixtures were interrupted by COVID. However, as it stands right, they will consider themselves thankful there’s a 3-game gap between them and Ivanhoe AFC given their run to the finals from here. This weekend they’ll meet ladder leaders Glen Eira for the first time (away at Packer Reserve), before games against West Brunswick (3rd), Ivanhoe AFC (5th) and MHSOB (2nd) all before September comes around.

Glen Eira, the Division 2 favourites, their scoring prowess has been restricted in recent times but they managed to break their drought by hitting the scoreboard on 32 occasions last time they played on July 3. And they’ll be looking for more of the same this weekend at their home track where they average 115 points per game.

MHSOB have won 9 games in a row since their Round 1 loss to Glen Eira, and this week they’ll travel out to Ransford Oval to face off against 3rd placed West Brunswick. A win will give them an 8-point gap on the Magpies before games against Glen Eira (1st) and Old Parade (4th) come around in their final month. The Magpies will have to quell the influence of Ashan Wijayakumara – the Division 2 goal kicking leader – who they are yet to see in 2021 due to their Round 8 clash being cancelled.

After losing their season opener, the Magpies have lost just once since, and it was to the Gryphons by 98 points. Since then, they’ve been breathing down the neck of the Unicorns and this weekend have a genuine chance to go equal points and really make the conversation for the double spot very interesting in the run to the finals.

It’s a fascinating Round 15 of the Division 2 season coming up, no doubt every player has spent hours and days (recently) looking through the VAFA ladder predictor, seeing the ramifications of every result. One thing we’re sure about though, regardless of results, we’re just happy to have the footy back!