Hatherleigh v Port MacDonnell


Can Port MacDonnell stop the inexorable passage of Hatherleigh to an undefeated minor round and then a grand final victory at Robe on Saturday, September 20?


The Demons have their first opportunity when the seventh round of the Mid South Eastern Football League is played on Saturday.


The seasiders make the 100km journey northwards to take on a team which has won well in all five games.


Expect to see Hatherleigh players to the fore when the MSEFL interleague team is announced to take on the Kowree Naracoorte Tatiara Football League at Kongorong next month.


Standing in the way of the Eagles on Saturday are Smith, Turner, Wilke and Macdonald


They sound like a high-end legal firm but Mark Smith, Ned Wilke, Jake Turner and Will Macdonald are all current or past onfield leaders at the Bay.


The quartet are all in good form and must be closely checked.


Hatherleigh’s huge supporter base will drown out their opponents.


It will be a great test for the Eagles but they should kick away in the final term.


Robe v Kongorong


After enduring tough losses on home turf to ladder leaders Hatherleigh and Tantanoola, Robe avoided any travel sickness and thrashed Nangwarry.


With a game scheduled at the seaside against winless Kongorong, there is a temptation for the Robe brains trust to investigate some options.


Should their Colts be given extra game time so they can adjust to the tempo of A Grade football.


The Hawks may be lacking in skills and experience but that does not mean they will concede easy kicks to their opponents.


Another calculated risk for the seasiders would be to rest players with a niggling injury.


If they do, these Roosters will have almost a full month to recover.


Robe has the bye in round eight and then the interleague match against the KNTFL will be played at Kongorong on June 7 which is the Saturday of the King’s Birthday Holiday long weekend.


The Roosters might also experiment with field placings and one key position has to be filled.


It would appear a serious knee injury to reigning Mail Medallist and skipper Henry Lawrie will keep him on the sidelines for a long time.


Who will take his place and who will captain the team?


Ahead of the season, the club appointed three well-credentialled deputies to Lawrie.


They are Zack Deane, Jack Sneath and Jake Wehl.


Deane led the team in their big win at Nangwarry on Saturday.


The Hawks fielded five Colts in round six and this lack of experience will prove telling in the match at Robe.


Kalangadoo v Tantanoola


Past Kalangadoo premiership coach and skipper Ben Mules was in the thick of the action in recent weeks.


However, the presence of the 43-year-old was not exactly in the format which will end Kalangadoo’s five-match losing sequence.


Although Mules showed last season that he still had that touch of class, the 200 game SANFL veteran and Glenelg skipper was not playing.


In actual fact, Mules was umpiring the B Grade contests.


By all accounts, Mules has been umpiring well and would be an invaluable addition to the MSEFL umpires’ panel.


Kalangadoo has recalled another premiership skipper after three years away from the club.


Jason Bannister was both an excellent leader and a dour defender and Kalangadoo would be well advised to encourage this “zero transfer points” veteran to stay with the young Magpies outfit.


Over in the Tigerland camp, the Tigers are hopeful the results go their way and they will be ladder leader by 5pm on Saturday.


Kalangadoo can take heart that Tantanoola have used up a large dollop of their luck quota already in 2025.


The visitors have won three of their games with low scores and narrow margins.


However, winning form is good form and Tantanoola deserve to start favourites.


Glencoe v Nangwarry


Glencoe plays four trophy games each season and two have already been decided.


The Murphies ended 12 years without the Max Matthews Memorial Trophy by defeating the Magpies in round three.


However, the Neil Von Duve Memorial Cup eluded them yet again at Tigerland on Saturday.


The third trophy game is Saturday when Nangwarry tries to win the Phil Muhovics Memorial Trophy for the first time.


Muhovics was a three-time Saints premiership coach and also mentor to senior sides at his home club Glencoe as well as Robe and East Gambier.


He died from cancer in 2010 and his family began the annual trophy the following year.


Inconsistency has bedevilled both clubs in 2025 while the Tigers had more run than the Murphies in round six and took the points. 


The home ground advantage will give Glencoe the edge.