Newcastle look to make it 4 in a row
Picture by Bruce Edminston
Written by Josh Callinan
Originally published in the Newcastle Herald
DEFENDING premiers Newcastle City want to arrive home at No.1 Sportsground next weekend having completed a clean sweep on the Black Diamond Cup road.
The Blues are undefeated from three away outings so far in 2019 and travel to Don Small Oval for a meeting with Wyong Lakes this Saturday.
Having already accounted for Maitland, Killarney Vale and Nelson Bay, City coach Tim Cotter wants his squad to continue the roll as visitors .
We’ve been on the road for a while now, Cotter said. This will be our fourth away game and then we are home next week against Singleton.
If we can go 4-0 that would be a solid start for us.
The Blues have at least six changes to their team, including several younger players attending music festival Groovin the Moo, with experienced campaigners Matthew Enright and Jayson Cleaver helping to fill the void.
We’ve got a few out and we need a few experienced guys to come in, Cotter said.
It’s handy to have the likes of Enright and Cleaver still around.
Cameron Keast joins Conor Haswell, who has polled four votes in this year’s coaches MVP, in Newcastle’s half-forward line while Kevin McDonald and Noah MacDonald remain in the side and have 19 goals between them.
Wyong Lakes have made four changes to last week’s roster after clocking an account opening victory against Singleton before the Easter break.
The Magpies have named both Justin McPhan, who has eight goals this season, and Lee Moore, who has four points in the coaches MVP.
Elsewhere in AFL Hunter Central Coast fixtures , Nelson Bay welcome Sydney Swans premiership winner Craig Bird back into the fold against Gosford at Adcock Park.
At Rose Point Park, Singleton and Maitland will play for the Bryan Childs Memorial Shield in honour of the former Roosters player who died in a car accident in 2015.
Killarney Vale are down Tim Oosterhoff at home to unbeaten Terrigal Avoca at Adelaide Street Oval.
All matches kick-off at 2pm.
Meanwhile, players will have their last chance to impress selectors on Saturday before the Black Diamond Cup representative squad is announced next week.
It will be a big squad and we’ve got it pretty close, but this will be the last weekend to post a performance, co-coach Cotter said.
We don’t want to pick the rep side on reputation, we want players to earn spots on form and to promote our young talent.
Warners Bay’s Riley Warren may now be out of contention after suffering a knee injury in the Bulldogs ‘ 61-point loss to ladder leaders Cardiff at Pasterfield Sports Complex on Anzac Day.
