EASTERN RANGES (1st, 12-3) vs. SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS (4th, 9-6)
Saturday, August 31, 2.00pm
MARS Stadium, Ballarat

Match Preview:

One of the most interesting clashes for the weekend pits top-of-the-table Eastern Ranges against fourth placed Sandringham Dragons for a spot in the preliminary final. On paper, one side has had a dominant season, winning 12 of a possible 15 games and beaten its opponent on both occasions they have met, while the opponents has won nine out of 15 and survived a knockout Wildcard Round match by providing a KO in the opening term to run away with the easiest of wins. It is therefore remarkable that the top side heads in as the underdog in this clash, but with Sandringham back at full strength – a luxury they were not afforded in the previous two encounters with the Ranges – it is hard not to see them coming away with the win. If form is an indicator, the Ranges got past Calder in the final round of the season with the Cannons narrowly scraping past bottom two side Tasmania. While Sandringham easily belted Geelong last week, they surrendered a 29-point lead against Oakleigh to lose the right to a week off after being overrun in the final term. Eastern has been the feel good story of 2019, rising from eleventh and escaping the wooden spoon by percentage, to be the dominant home and away side of the competition. But the theory that they are a champion team was proven right with no National Draft Combine invites – instead a host of names heading to the state and Rookie Me combines. Sandringham on the other hand had a remarkable 11 National Draft Combine invites, and while some of them – Jack Mahony and Josh Worrell – will not be out there, they still have enviable amounts of talent across the ground. Eastern’s midfield simply has to get on top of the Dragons because we saw last week what happens when the likes of Ryan Byrnes, Darcy Chirgwin and Finn Maginness get on top. Add in Miles Bergman who kicks goals for fun, and Hugo Ralphsmith, Charlie Dean and Fischer McAsey all of whom hit the scoreboard regularly and the team is stacked for talent. For Eastern, Mitch Mellis, Zakery Pretty and Lachlan Stapleton have all been in superb form this year, and adding in the key position defensive duo of James Ross and Joel Nathan, and the forward pairing of tall Jamieson Rossiter and small Jordan Jaworski, and the side has players who can get off the chain at both ends. Their defence is as reliable as they come, and while their forward line does not have a dominant goal kicker like some sides, they rely on a host of unpredictable goal scoring options which makes them hard to stop going forward. Everyone loves a good underdog story and it is hard to imagine the top side would be the underdog heading into the game, but their pressure game will aim to put the Dragons to the test early and try and put scores on the board before the Dragons can get a run-on.

Prediction: Sandringham Dragons by 20 points.

Key match-ups:

Zakery Pretty/Mitch Mellis/Lachlan Stapleton vs. Finn Maginness/Darcy Chirgwin/Ryan Byrnes

The coalface is where the game is to be won and both these sides have midfielders who can accumulate plenty of the football and clearances. The Dragons trio of Maginness, Chirgwin and Byrnes average 67 disposals between them per game, while the combination of Pretty, Mellis and Stapleton are not far behind with 65.

James Ross vs. Fischer McAsey

The key match-up outside the midfield battle is that inside the Dragons’ forward 50 with All-Australian centre half-back McAsey playing a key role up forward and marking everything that comes his way. Eastern captain Ross will be the main man to try and nullify his influence, while still creating rebound out of the back 50.

Head to Head:

2019:
Eastern Ranges – 2
Sandringham Dragons – 0

Overall:
Eastern Ranges – 24
Sandringham Dragons – 30

Teams:

EASTERN RANGES

B: 10. C. Black, 39. J. Nathan, 40. J. Hourihan
HB: 16. T. Garner, 21. J. Ross, 19. W. Parker
C: 20. C. Downie, 7. L. Stapleton, 30. T. Edwards
HF: 11. M. Mellis, 18. B. McCormack, 52. T. Sonsie
F: 9. J. Duffy, 13. J. Rossiter, 27. J. Jaworski
R: 49. R. Smith, 23. Z. Pretty, 45. M. Zalac
Int: 4. J. Clarke, 14. L. Gawel, 1. K. Hubber, 26. C. Norris, 41. K. Phelan, 59. B. Tennant, 53. J. Tilly
23P: 44. H. Keeling

In: K. Phelan, K. Hubber, B. Tennant, C. Norris, J. Tilly, H. Keeling
Out: B. Hickleton, J. Soligo, J. Gilbee

SANDRINGHAM DRAGONS

B: 9. N. Burke, 33. C. Watts, 18. J. Lloyd
HB: 13. L. Butler, 29. F. McAsey, 74. H. Loughnan
C: 15. A. Hanrahan, 5. R. Byrnes, 36. O. Lewis
HF: 6. M. Bergman, 14. K. Yorke, 11. H. Ralphsmith
F: 3. G. Grey, 12. C. Dean, 39. B. O’Leary
R: 32. J. Bell, 2. D. Chirgwin, 4. F. Maginness
Int: 43. J. Bowey, 26. J. Castan, 30. A. Courtney, 51. D. Hipwell, 10. J. Le Grice , 37. W. Mackay, 17. T. Milne
23P: 49. L. Carrigan

In: L. Carrigan, T. Milne, J. Castan, D. Hipwell, G. Grey
Out: A. Perkins, J. Voss