Border Mail |ALBURY ace Josh Mellington is on track to break a 78-year-old Ovens and Murray goalkicking record.
If the former Fremantle Docker keeps up his current average of six-and-a-half goals a game, he will surpass Doug Strang’s 126 majors from 1938 in September with the Tigers guaranteed to play at least two finals.
Lavington spearhead Chris Stuhldreier equalled the 126-goal mark in the 1996 grand final but Mellington is well-placed to race to the top of the list after booting 92 majors in the opening 14 rounds.
If he kicks eight goals against Wodonga Raiders at Birallee Park on Saturday, he will bring up the quickest Ovens and Murray century since Bulldog Brenton Cooper hit triple figures in 15 matches in 1995.
The electric left-footer kicked 111 goals in Benalla’s drought-breaking Goulburn Valley premiership last season, bringing up his century in 20 matches, and he has had no trouble adapting to life in the Ovens and Murray.
He kicked a season-best 13 against Corowa-Rutherglen in round 12 and has thrived in attack for the Tigers with Setanta O’hAilpin missing a large chunk of the season with a knee injury.
Co-coach Daniel Maher said Mellington, who has refused interview requests by The Border Mail, had lived up to the Tigers’ expectations since arriving at the Albury Sportsground on a three-year deal.
“It’s obviously going to be a personal achievement for Josh if he can achieve that (century) in coming weeks, it will be fantastic,” he said.
“Josh’s footballing ability was never in question.
“We’ve got expectations on Josh internally, which he is obviously achieving at the moment, and we hope he continues that.
“He just relieves that pressure for us up forward because obviously we lost Setanta for a while there this year.”
The Tigers lose Daniel Cross (Melbourne) and Lachlan Tiziani (Bushrangers) for the match against the Raiders but regain Brayden O’Hara and Alex Goodall.
The Raiders welcome back forward Adam Flagg from illness but will again be without Todd Bryant (work) and Dean Heta (overseas) as they desperately cling to a top-five spot.
Daryn Cresswell’s charges only went down to the Tigers by 19 points when the sides met in round six and Maher is expecting them to come out firing after losing to arch-rival Wodonga last round.
“They’ll be coming out to make a statement, we expect ‘Crezza’ to have them wound up,” he said.
“If we allow their midfield group time and space, with guys like Steve Jolliffe and Matt McDonald, they’re going to cut up any side.
“We will have to apply ourselves from the start, especially on that big ground, where they like to run and carry the ball.”