DIVISION 1
BRACKNELL coach Gary Shipton knows that Hillwood on its day can cause some damage.
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However, he is confident his unbeaten outfit can once again keep the third-placed Sharks at bay on Saturday at Bracknell Oval.
The Redlegs were 34 points too good in round 2 with the hosts expected to go in unchanged for veteran Josh Nunn’s 200th match.
“Hillwood’s run and carry is quite good with Dan Withers, Nathan Pearce and a few other midfielders having good years,” Shipton said.
“If we can shut them down it will go a long way to securing the end result we want.”
Sharks coach Jake Lowe said he is considering up to up to five changes following a poor showing against South Launceston.
He said Isaac Thompson, Brendan Klok and Marcus Haley and certainties to return. “We were pretty ordinary… we didn’t come with the right mindset,” Lowe said.
“We gave Bracknell too good of a head start last time so we have to make sure we stick with them.”
SOUTH LAUNCESTON and Scottsdale will clash at Youngtown Oval on a day the club will mark East Launceston’s 1957 premiership.
Dogs coach Leigh Harding pointed out that the Magpies had only lost one game since his charges won by 52 points last time around.
“They are going to be difficult to beat with Daniel Roozendaal starting to hit some good form,” he said.
“Aaron Viney and Nathan Parkin will come in for us.”
Scottsdale coach Geoff Mohr said South was a hard team to shut down with solid players across each line.
“We know we’re going to have to stop their chip and running game, that’s where they cut teams apart,” he said.
A South victory would move it eight points clear of the Pies.
ROCHERLEA hosts Longford in a battle of the competition’s Tigers.
A win for Longford would keep it in touch with the finals fight and within four points of fifth-placed Rocherlea.
Longford coach Tom Reinmuth said he hopes his players can improve on the 36-point deficit nine rounds ago with Jake Murfett returning and skipper Beau Thorp unavailable.
“When we defend well we are a good footy team,” Rocherlea coach Lyndon Stubbs said following a 102-point triumph over George Town.
DELORAINE and George Town are both confident they can secure four points after the Saints got over the line by five points earlier on.
Kangaroos coach Brett Smith said the key was for his players to hold their nerve with possession of the ball.
He said Andrew Lockett and Brodie Donohue would replace Jared Kettle and Brendan Maynard.
Meanwhile George Town is set to roll out its fifth and sixth senior debutantes in Jack Deacon and Zach Jenkins.
REDLEG MILESTONE
Josh Nunn started his senior football journey with the now defunct Hagley Football Club as a 14-year-old in 1998.
On Saturday, the 34-year-old will play his 200th match for Bracknell at home against Hillwood.
Nunn joined the Redlegs in 2007 from North Launceston and has since coached, captained, won two best and fairests and played in three losing grand finals for the club (2008, 2012 and 2016).
“It’s a good family orientated club, I’ve got a lot of close friends there I grew up with,” the electrician said.
“The grand finals standout as a highlight as in the past couple of years we have come from fourth or fifth to play in them. To play 200 games is a good personal achievement and it has come around rather quickly.”
The married father-of-one, who has primarily played in defence or through the midfield, admitted it would likely be his last season with ladder-leaders Bracknell and is craving the perfect finish.
Bracknell secretary Nicole Jones said: “He has been amazing for our club, leading by example on and off the ground”.
DIVISION 2
COMPETITION front runners Old Scotch and Evandale will get a general feel for what they might encounter in September at Morven Park on Saturday.
The undefeated Thistles are four points better off than the Country Eagles, who have lost just one game in nine rounds.
“You need these challenges as the year goes and it’s a great time to find out where we’re at against the benchmark,” Evandale boss Anthony Axton said.
“Their results compared to ours, they seem to beat teams by a few more goals and they have a lot of belief as a group because they have been together for a while.
“To be competitive early is the first step and if we can be competitive early who knows?”
Old Scotch co-coach Jake Terry said the match is “pretty much a mini final”.
“It is a big game in the scheme of things and a win could really set up the rest of our year,” Terry said.
“Evandale are competitive across the field, there’s going to be no easy possessions on the weekend.”
PERTH runs into a red-hot East Coast side that has won four consecutive matches.
However, the Magpies are yet to lose at home this season and coach Damien Rhind is hoping to maintain that record despite failing against Lilydale last week.
“We’ve still got a few weeks to work on our weaknesses… [and] East Coast are playing good football and would be one of the favourites to top Old Scotch,” Rhind said.
“We will be bombarding them with an immense amount of pressure on our smaller ground so they need to make sure they come prepared.”
Swans coach Ned Hyland some inconsistencies presented in their win over rival Bridport and is seeking a complete performance.
TAMAR CATS have sunk to eighth position after winning their opening three matches and are in desperate need of points against Lilydale at Beauty Point.
Cats coach Brennan Cresswell said he still holds finals ambitions but a big scalp such as the fourth-placed Demons is key.
“We have to bring our tackling pressure and a lot of intent. If we rock up to play we’re a good chance,” he said.
Lilydale coach Thane Bardenhagen, Reuben Rothwell and Jack Venn will miss after pulling up sore.
ST PATS will face Uni-Mowbray at home without Josh Bellchambers and Matthew Williams.
Saints coach Alex Russell seeks comfort in his side’s positive form but said the Suburban Eagles showed last week against Prospect that they can be damaging.
“It was pleasing against Tamar to know that we can score quickly when required, going from 66 points up at three-quarter time to 98 was pleasing,” Russell said.
MEANDER VALLEY hosts Bridport with both teams craving a victory.
The Suns have only conjured one win, while the Seagulls have been honest in building a 2-7 record.
“We won two quarters last week against East Coast and got beat by 80 points, but we played some good footy,” Bridport coach Brett Laskey said. “If we can take our best in to this week we will do very well. – it’s a very winnable game.”
PROSPECT and Old Launcestonians will fight it out at Prospect Park with Maurice Stone, Frank Archer and David Gardiner to line-up for the Blues.
TWL NORTH
Prospect welcomes Rocherlea at 12.30pm on Saturday before Evandale hosts Scottsdale at 3pm on Sunday in an exciting Round 8.
In a preview of the grand final in two weeks, the Weagles and Magpies have two wins apiece and seeking a psychological edge ahead of the title decider.
The Weagles welcome back Kartley Broad and Candice Akister but lose Renee Wilson and Brittany Grice to work. Sophie Townsend has been great for Evandale since crossing over from Launceston.
Alex Hall and Jessica Cairns have been consistent all year for the Magpies and a feature of the game will be a shootout of the forwards with Evandale's Emily Mckinnell and Scottsdale's Gemma James fighting it out for the goal kicking award.
Prospect’s form has been good under the astute coaching of Chris West who will look to Sara Radford and Alissia Pearson to lead their charge while Angela Dickson has been a stand out for the Tigers.