Lucknow (ladder: first, 6 wins, 1 loss) Grade: A
AFTER not playing finals in 2023, the Magpies are making quite the impression on the rest of the East Gippsland senior football competition after seven rounds.
Lucknow has consistently stood off some closely slated opponents, like a one-point win against Bosidale Briagolong in Round 3, and got the job done against the expected sides. Their only loss has come against reigning premier, Wy Yung, who will most likely be their biggest challenge yet if they are to play off against each other in finals.
Wy Yung – B (second, 5 wins, 2 losses)
THE Tigers looked back in premiership groove some weeks ago, before losses to Stratford by just two points in Round 5 and a sizeable loss to Boisdale Briagolong by 16 points after scoring just 25 points in the second half in Round 8 has brought some questions their way regarding the mental fortitude to win it again in successive years.
Wy Yung have a few easier weeks in a row coming up against Lakes Entrance and Lindenow to ease the tension slightly.
Boisdale Briagolong – B (third, 5 wins, 2 losses)
LAST year’s Grand Finalists don’t seem to be doing much wrong at the moment.
Sitting third with a 5-2 win-loss record, with both of their losses coming within a goal against Orbost Snowy Rovers and top-placed Lucknow, the Bombers have displayed top-tier talent in most of their contests including big wins against Wy Yung and Stratford. Another matchup against Stratford in Round 10 and winning that will give them their best shot at clinching a top-two finish.
Stratford – B (fourth, 5 wins, 2 losses)
THE last side to be listed at 5-2 by the time of the break, the Swans have shown their might with wins against the reigning premier and similarly placed OSR.
One thing however is their inability to put away sides. Stratford only beat second-bottom Lakes Entrance by five goals, and were trailing against Lindenow, who are winless, before winning by just 20 points.
Stratford have games against top sides Bosidale-Briagolong, Wy Yung and Lucknow in the next four games, so we’ll see how they place after that.
Orbost Snowy Rovers – C (fifth, 4 wins, 3 losses)
THE Blues have probably been the most hard to track side in the competition, getting up for games against Lucknow (defeated by 12 points) and beating Boisdale Briagolong by five points, and then falling away against the likes of Stratford and Wy Yung.
They can count themselves lucky that the next side behind them on the ladder are statistically, significantly worse.
Paynesville – F (sixth, 2 wins, 5 losses)
GIVEN that they finished last year as wooden spooners with two wins, Paynesville would be happy to see a couple of clubs listed below them on the ladder at this current point of the season.
Their win against Lakes Entrance in Round 3 didn’t come convincingly, winning by 19 points thanks to a five goal last quarter, but a 40-point takedown of Lindenow keeps them slightly away from the two bottom feeders, despite losing every other game by at least 80 points.
Lakes Entrance – D (seventh, 1 win, 6 losses)
DESPITE being listed below the likes of Paynesville, the Seagulls have actually strung together some decent showings against the top sides.
A 22 point loss to Boisdale Briagolong and a 30 point loss to Stratford is a lot more than what Paynesville can say. However, an abysmal performance against Lucknow in Round 8, which saw the final scoreboard read 15.16 (106) to 1.4 (10), lessened their percentage significantly, but we will see if they can keep up their competitiveness.
Lindenow – F (eighth, 0 wins, 7 losses)
LINDENOW played finals in 2022, but after a 49-point demolishment against Wy Yung in the preliminary final, nothing has been the same since. They haven’t registered a win yet during the season, but it could come shortly if someone comes into a weekend against the Cats not fully switched on.
Lindenow kept Lucknow to only 52 points, losing by less than three goals, and have kept pace with a few other finals contenders including Boisdale Briagolong and Stratford so far this season.
