Mid SE seaside match of round awaits

Mid SE seaside match of round awaits

Round 3 Mid South Eastern Football League Preview

Robe V Hatherleigh

The seaside match between Robe and Hatherleigh is rightly billed as the match-of-the-day when the Mid South Eastern Football League resumes for its third round on Saturday after the customary Easter break.

The teams last met in a desperate 2021 first semi-final when the Eagles held on by a few points.

If the evenness of the two competing teams is not enough to draw the crowds, there are the added attractions of it being part of the second annual Robe 2 Recovery defence force veterans’ weekend.

The match ball will be delivered by skydivers, special playing tops will be worn by all senior netballers and footballers and best-on-ground and best-on-court Robe 2 Recovery commemorative medallions will be awarded.

Crowd numbers are certain to be boosted by the presence of many tourists on account of the school holidays and Anzac Day holiday long weekend.

All players will be keen to put on a show for the large crowd as well as secure the premiership points.

Hatherleigh can hardly be faulted so far in 2022 with comfortable wins over Mount Burr and Nangwarry.

On the other hand, Robe has had just the one outing so far this season and that was a slim victory over Tantanoola at Tigerland.

The visitors look to have the greater firepower.

Nangwarry V Glencoe

All attention will be focussed on the Glencoe selectors tonight when they announce the 21 players who will be venturing to Nangwarry on Saturday.

The hierarchy of the Murphies have made no secret of the fact one of their key players will be at his wedding.

It remains to be seen how many of his teammates will be on hand to witness the nuptials.

In all likelihood, first-year coach Tom Edwards will have to call on some colts and B Graders to fill the gaps among the visitors.

They take on the Saints who have chosen this round to officially open the new licensed clubrooms.

The structure replaces the post-war building which was destroyed by an arsonist three years ago.

Furthermore, Nangwarry will be staging the 25th annual reunion of its 1997 premiership team.

Saturday marks the 10th year the winning team will receive the Phil Muhovics Memorial Trophy and it has never been won by Nangwarry.

The best-afield will receive a medal in the name of this late Glencoe, Nangwarry, Robe and East Gambier coach.

The obvious fairy-tale outcome would be for the home team to win both trophies and thus end a losing streak dating back almost eight calendar years.

The form of the two teams so far in 2022 has been patchy but the maroon-and-golds have the definite edge.

The home ground certainly helps Nangwarry and they are a 51% chance of singing their victory song.

Kalangadoo V Port MacDonnell

The replay of the 2021 final between Kalangadoo and Port MacDonnell would usually get top billing but this fixture has to play third fiddle.

The Magpies are well-placed to avenge the result of last season’s premiership decider when they had come into the contest as favourites.

The black-and-whites have yet to put their first-choice 21 on the park but they have nonetheless put Glencoe and Kongorong to the sword.

The return from injury of ace forward Michael Krieger has been critical to the side’s success in 2022.

It will be their first outing at Pie Park for 2022.

On the other hand, Port MacDonnell cannot be ruled out of the contest as they have retained many of the key players including Tim Sullivan and Will Macdonald who took them to victory in the last season decider, but have not played for 21 days.

Mount Burr V Kongorong

The meeting of Mount Burr and Kongorong at Mick and Jean Walker Oval will result in a breakthrough win for one of these teams.

Supporters of the Mozzies will be hoping it is the green-and-golds as the other outcome would spell near-disaster.

It is not stretching the imagination to see the Mozzies winless by the end of April with a 0-4 result.

The prognosis is not as dire for the Hawks as they play their third game at home on the last day of April against cellar dweller Nangwarry.

The Hawks and the Mozzies have each suffered two heavy defeats in 2022 and this is looming as the closest contest of round three.

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