Liam Durkin
STRATFORD and Boisdale-Briagolong will recommence their race to the double-chance in East Gippsland football tomorrow.
While the Swans and Bombers are on track to play finals, time is ticking for them to gain the immunity that comes with finishing top-two.
Just five rounds remain in East Gippsland, and with Wy Yung two games clear on top, and Stratford and Boisdale-Briagolong both two games clear of fourth-placed Lucknow, it is looking like a two-horse race to finish second on the ladder.
The Tigers should have no trouble accounting for bottom-side Lakes Entrance, and a similarly easy result is expected to fall the way for Lucknow against Lindenow.
The Swans hold second spot by virtue of superior percentage, but the Bombers will have a better chance of bridging the percentage gap when they welcome lowly Paynesville tomorrow.
Stratford by contrast travels to Orbost, playing a team currently equal fourth on the ladder.
The Blues will see this game as an opportunity to take a scalp against a Swans outfit that hasn’t really been tested recently. Stratford has played the bottom three sides in the last three rounds.
Hopefully for Stratford’s sake, complacency hasn’t crept in, as they can ill-afford to take Orbost Snowy Rovers lightly.
Zane Perkins is enjoying a stellar season in the red and white, named in the best eight times out of 10 games.
It has been a breakout year for the youngster, who was in-and-out of the seniors in 2022, although he did end up playing in the senior premiership.
While Boisdale-Briagolong should have no trouble beating a team that has two wins and is driving an hour just to play, they will be looking to achieve much more than victory alone.
As much as people don’t like to see one-sided games, hallmarks of a genuine premiership side often see them make a statement by winning games against struggling opposition toward the end of the season by huge margins. Think of the number Geelong did on Melbourne in 2011 (186 points in Round 19), Richmond against Fremantle in 2017 (96 points, Round 22) and Melbourne against Gold Coast in 2021 (98 points, Round 20).
With this in mind, if the Bombers find themselves ahead by a huge margin at halftime, they might see it as like facing the Zimbos or Bangas in Test cricket after lunch and really try and cash in.
Caleb Calwyn has a virtually unassailable lead at the top of the league goal-kicking, with 50 to his name, and he could be on to kick double-digits tomorrow.
Crunching the numbers, although even a 200-point win won’t be enough to push Boisdale-Briagolong ahead of Stratford (assuming the Swans beat OSR) on percentage, it could pave the way for an ultimate pre-finals showdown when the two rivals meet in the last round of the home-and-away season.
Midfielder Kel Porter has only played four games this season, but it is understood the Bombers midfielder will be available come finals.
Could it be a Briag/Stratty Grand Final?
Imagine that.
You would have to play the granny in Sale or Maffra surely.
