SOUTH GAMBIER V EAST GAMBIER

East Gambier has looked a better side in the final few rounds of the 2023 season as they have finally been able to settle on a combination, pushing both Millicent and North Gambier in recent rounds without getting the result.

The Bulldogs head to Blue Lake Sports Park this weekend and will be looking to continue that finetuning when they take on the Demons.

The flip side of that is South has also shown improvement against the top sides and should be looking at this clash with East as a chance to take scalp before the season ends.

Morgan Amy should be right to take the goal keeper bib for East and her battle with Gracie Dalton will be one of the key match ups of the contest.

South would do well to not look to deliver the ball in the air to Dalton and rather wait until the young shooter works to the front as both Amy and Bo Creek are so strong aerially.

South goal attack Alyssa Duncan will be aware of that fact and will use her front cuts to great effect as well.

South’s defensive combination of Sophie Wight and Ellie Bouchier will need to put in a four quarter performance to deny Renee Henke and Casey Horrigan any easy ball and too any scoring opportunities.

Henke and Horrigan are coming off a strong performance against the tough North defence and Wight and Bouchier will need to relentless in their commitment to working hard one on one on their respective opponents.

Tully McShane has a big job as well as she looks to limit the influence of Tarsh McCallum.

East should take the points if they bring their form of the past month.

MILLICENT V WEST GAMBIER

It is a top of the table clash at McLaughlin Park this weekend as the 2022 grand finalists go head to head for the final time prior to the 2023 finals series.

Sam Kerr’s calf might have been the most talked about muscle in Australian sport but in this region it is West Gambier playing coach Lisa McGregor’s calf.

The key Roo rested the minor strain last weekend but what West decide for this weekend remains unclear given they cannot lose top spot and the double chance regardless of the result.

Fortunately Sarah Ritter is such a dominant shooter, West can hedge their bets with McGregor and with Tara Bryant in outstanding form as she uses her speed to hit the circle hard and also is reliable with ball in hand, West has plenty of firepower.

Denying those scoring opportunities falls to Portia McRae and Lauren Van Eeden and the young duo has had a strong month, working hard to occupy front position and using their ability to read the play to great effect, getting their hands on plenty of feeds to create turnover ball.

The defensive circle is a strength of West with Jade Ritter and Amy Cram relentless in their defensive pressure, not just in making it tough for their opponents to get the ball, but their pressure over the shot and strong rebounding.

Their clash with Tabatha Sanderson and Demi Verbena will be epic, while Zoe Malseed and Bryant will need to pressure the feeds from Lillie Paul and Daisy Tunkin, who will drive hard and are confident on the release.

The Saints would love to knock off the Roos ahead of the finals and, especially if McGregor opts for one more week of rest, will get the points in a tight arm wrestle.

NORTH GAMBIER V CASTERTON SANDFORD

North Gambier survived a significant scare from fourth ranked East Gambier last weekend and will no doubt be looking to iron out the wrinkles as finals fast approach when they host Casterton Sandford this weekend.

And for the Cats, it is the second successive round they have had to find a way to deny a tall shooter too much supply, having taking on Millicent’s Tabatha Sanderson last weekend and now facing the challenge of Grace Potts this weekend.

Potts is in good form at her new home at Vansittart Park and her combination with Macey Griffith has developed nicely over the course of the season.

Brianna Walters will also cause headaches for the Cats.

Walters has always been a class act but her past month has seen her arguably ranked the best player in the competition with her accurate delivery and incredible work rate.

It means Ebany Jarrad, Chelsey Galpin, Chloe Foster and Madeline Patton will need to pressure every feed to hopefully force the Tigers into error and allow keeper Caeleigh Humphries the opportunity to disrupt supply to Potts.

At the other end, Casterton Sandford will need to work the ball with care through what is a tight checking Tigers defence.

Mel Renko, Lauran Norman, Noni McConnell and Mikalia Pitt all pride themselves on one on one defensive pressure and that is without considering a role for Stella Mobbs.

It means Ivy Lane and Madalene Cleary will earn every scoring opportunity and will need to make every post a winner with McConnell and Pitt both strong rebounders.