After a week off due to the interleague, the Mallee Football League moves ahead into round 7 this week.
Hopetoun play host to Ouyen United in the first scheduled match of the round, and is poised to go down to the wire. Both teams are coming off losses in the previous round, but were not without their chances of winning. Hopetoun look to have found a player in Hayden Drew, who played well in the interleague match and Jackson Fisher, is starting to find his feet in the middle.
Zac Robbins has come back into form, and no doubt one of these boys will have the job of watching Ouyen's Marc Hahnel, who has been in stellar touch. The Devils have the legs and skills to match Ouyen through the midfield, but will need someone to put their hand up in defence to hold the Brad Vallance and Lawrence Angwin combo.
The second match for round 7 pits the two winless sides against each other, Jeparit-Rainbow and Walpeup-Underbool. Both teams have shown that they can match it with the best in the league by winning plenty of quarters, however neither side has managed to hang on for a full four quarters. A victory here will go a long way to restoring confidence in the players and setting up the remainder of the season. The Roo's have had two weeks off and should have plenty of players to pick from.
David Piasente and Joshua Plozza have been good throughout the Walpeup-Underbool midfield and Matt Palmer will no doubt impose himself on the game. Lucas Edelsten will need to provide plenty of run to keep the Lakers in the match and Luke Werner will want his run of form to continue. There is plenty of players capable of winning this match from both teams, but winner will be whoever can put in 4 consistent quarters.
The final match of the round should be an absolute belter as local rivals Sea Lake-Nandaly Tigers and Woomelang-Lascelles do battle at Sea Lake. These teams are only separated by percentage on the ladder, and the winner will move one game clear into second spot. Aside from being run down by a fast finishing Beulah, Woomelang Lascelles have hardly put a foot wrong this season.
Jack Shannahan has been getting better each week, showing that he can play at both ends of the ground, and Caylan Lyons has found his feet. The Tigers have given some absolute hiding this year, but a big round 5 loss must have hurt them. Luke Martin was good in the interleague match and will need that form to continue against the reigning premiers, and Col Durie will need to lead from the front to keep the Tigers in this match.
Ladder leaders Beulah have the bye.
By Daniel Huttig
