AFL HCC HAVAL Week 2 Preliminary Finals Previews

Written By David Redden

 

Preliminary Final weekend in the AFLHCC sees the Wallsend-West Newcastle footy club host at Newcastle No.1 Sportsground and Killarney Vale welcoming teams to Adelaide St Oval in Tumbi Umbi.

 

AFL HCC HAVAL BLACK DIAMOND CUP PREVIEWS:

Terrigal Avoca versus Singleton, 2.15pm, Adelaide St Oval, Tumbi Umbi (BARTV game);

Singleton, after a gripping but convincing win over Killarney Vale in the 4 v 5 semi-final last Saturday, face up to the toughest test in the AFLHCC, at Adelaide St Oval; minor premiers Terrigal Avoca.

The Panthers had the perfect scenario of a day off last week and will head into the Preliminary Final fully fit and roaring to go after a 14-day break.

Ruckman-forward Sam Ellis, used sparingly this year, will be another tough tall match-up for the Roosters after Andrew Scott’s men had to contend with Tim Oosterhoff last week. Ellis usually rotates through the centre with the ageless Pete Van Dam and presents an interesting match-up for Singleton. Will Brayshaw, himself an attacking backman, may start on Van Dam and then switch onto Ellis when Ellis heads inside the Panthers 50m arc.

James Hart will probably start on key Roosters forward Daine Cowburn, with Cowburn sure to use of the whole forward line in a bid to thwart the Panthers expert use of the third and fourth man in at marking contests.

Leading Panthers goalkicker, small forward Brandon Thomas, will look for quick ball from the centre, with Adelaide St not a long ground and a place where centre clearances are absolutely crucial.

Panthers coach Chris Bishop, possessing an astute and intelligent football brain, has an entirely different Singleton outfit to contend with to the side belted by the Panthers at Hylton Moore Oval just a few short weeks ago. Bishop will surely follow the lead of the rest of the competition in tagging Roosters gun Andrew Scott. The Bombers Calvin Bond was effective in the role last week and Bishop may elect to have two, three or four players rotate onto the brilliant Roosters centreman.

Rover/small forward Alex Mitchell and centre-half forward Sam Brasington must kick goals in Singleton are to produce the biggest upset in a decade of Black Diamond Cup finals. Corbin Bond looms as a match-up for Mitchell, whilst Brasington may have the reliable Jayson Van Dam for company, especially inside the 50m arc.

This is a classic David v Goliath battle. Singleton have beaten everyone inside the Top 4 except Terrigal Avoca in the run into the Finals, but the Panthers, firm premiership favourites, present the Roosters with huge challenge. The Panthers are clear favourites, with the Preliminary Final being broadcast on BARTV from 2.40pm.

 

Newcastle City v Cardiff, 2.15pm, Newcastle No.1 Sportsground;

Fierce Newcastle rivals Newcastle City and Cardiff, long-time co-tenants at No.1, go head to head in a bid to qualify for the Grand Final at the same venue in 7 days’ time.

Cardiff has quietly gone about its business over the past three weeks. Coach Nick Tomlinson, who sprang a surprise last week in starting himself at half-forward, has the dynamic and rapidly improving Izaak Hughes and the returning Jack Lennon inside forward 50 this week, a mid-sized but mobile duo set to cause havoc for City’s reliable and experienced back six.

Tomlinson, who moved himself onto the brilliant Conor Haswell the last time these two met, with some effect, may again start forward in a bid to quell the dynamic League backman. Evergreen Cardiff forward Michael Ryan may well have Ethan Durbridge for company inside the 50, with Durbridge’s superb long kicking a major weapon at the relatively short No.1 Sportsground.

Quality on-ballers Simon O’Brien, Bryce Graetz and Marcus DeLeur were solid last week as Cardiff gave Warners Bay a finals lesson, and they will need their very best performances in Cardiff are to make their second Grand Final in DeLeur’s three-year tenure with the Hawks. Jack Pratt and Jared Campbell excelled deep in defence last Saturday, combining well with Liam Gibson and David O’Donnell.

City coach Tim Cotter will have been working overtime over City’s fourteen day-break, with the Blues having been beaten by Terrigal Avoca and Singleton in their last two starts. Haswell, a late withdrawal at Rose Point Park, Reed van Huisstede and ruckman/forward Cam Keast will return today, giving the Blues a much different look than the side overwhelmed by the Roosters.

Jackson Crawford was the lone forward standout in Singleton, and he will relish running off contests created by Abe Gibson and Keast. Mac O’Malley, veteran centre Mitchell Knight and van Huisstede will rotate through the middle, their clash with O’Brien, Graetz and DeLeur sure to be a great highlight of what will be a very close, tough battle between sides that know each other very well.

AFL HCC HUNTER HAVAL WOMENS:

Wyong Lakes versus Maitland, 12 noon, Newcastle No.1 Sportsground

2018 Grand Finallists Wyong Lakes kicked 3.2 last week and, amazingly, won comfortably over Cardiff on the back of a superb defensive performance despite the absence of gun centre-half back Sarah Ball (arm).

Maitland present the Magpies with a very different challenge to the up and coming Cardiff. Gun forward duo Jessie Burnham and Sarah Burns are a lethal forward combination, and the continued absence of Ball places much pressure on skipper Emily Bohan and Stephanie Dalcol.

Rebecca Ives was superb in a best on ground last week, rucking all day with Kanesha Murray returning from a serious ankle injury. Ives will again need to produce her best against a talented and experienced Saints outfit, with Saints utility Sarah James sure to closely marked, especially when James pushes forward to link with Burns and Burnham

Wyong Lakes love defensive arm-wrestles, but the Saints have the attacking weapons to worry the Magpies. The Magpies did the double over Maitland this season, so this game should be a cracker from 12 noon.

 

Newcastle City versus Killarney Vale, 12 noon, Adelaide St Oval, Tumbi Umbi

A great match-up between perennial Grand Finallists (City) and minor premiers Killarney Vale, this is perhaps the most exciting game of the weekend.

City’s guns Molly Simpson, Meaghan MacDonald and Sarah Halvorsen present the major obstacle for the Bombers hopes of a Grand Final berth. All three City stars are mobile, quick and run all day. Simpson and MacDonald will have great one on one battles with Jocelyn Kelleher, Sash Edwards and Ash Page, with these midfield match-ups pivotal to the result.

The Bombers have dynamic forwards in Ange Jones and Georgia Butler. The Blues’ Madeleine Norton and Casey Eacott will have their hands full with Jones and Butler, with Norton’s quickness meaning she is an ideal match-up for Jones, the League’s leading goalkicker in 2019.

This game has the potential to be epic, with coverage on BARTV from 11.55am.

AFL HCC HAVAL BLACK DIAMOND PLATE:

Terrigal Avoca versus Warners Bay, 9.45am, Adelaide St Oval, Tumbi Umbi (BARTV game)

Terrigal Avoca, unbeaten in two years, enter this fixture as firm favourites against a resurgent Warners Bay, who have at least half a dozen players returning this Saturday from Cup duties last week. Both teams will have plenty of Black Diamond Cup experience, with Warners Bay having to produce a huge upset to defeat the Panthers and book a Grand Final berth

 

The Entrance Bateau Bay versus Newcastle City, 9.45am, Newcastle No.1 Sportsground

The Entrance Bateau Bay (TEBB), who produced a brilliant eight goals to zero second half in defeating hosts Muswellbrook in the semi-final last week, hit the road again this week as they make the 75-minute journey to Newcastle West to face the might of Newcastle City on their home deck.

City and Terrigal Avoca have been the standouts in the Plate again this season, but TEBB will fancy their chances of an upset despite City’s vast experience and great depth.