East Gambier V West Gambier
East Gambier is in for a tough day at the office when it hosts West Gambier for the round three match of the Western Border season.
East Gambier currently sits bottom of the ladder after two matches, in which the Bulldogs were soundly beaten by the reigning premiers and then suffered a tight loss when they travelled to Casterton Sandford last week.
West Gambier on the other hand is riding high after its 60 point destruction of North Gambier last week and a big round one win over Casterton Sandford.
The Roos sit on top of the ladder with a huge percentage as well.
West Gambier looks the team to beat after the first two rounds and East will be well aware of the danger the game will have.
West Gambier will also be aware there’s a certain amount of danger when taking on the bottom of the ladder side, as taking them too easily could cause an upset.
The Doggies will hope their improvement from last week’s game against Casterton Sandford will carry through to this game and the homeground advantage can tip the odds in their favour a little more.
East Gambier’s defenders will be sure to focus on Braiden Ousey after he had a day out against North Gambier slotting six in his side’s win.
If the defenders can take him out of the game they tie up an important scoring outlet for West.
West Gambier will be looking to avoid the sluggish start that affected the Roos in round 2, as they look to fly out of the gates early and boot some early goals to make the rest of the day easier.
East Gambier’s senior players will be required to stand up if their side is to get a look in on Saturday, the young side will require strong leadership when facing such tough opposition such as West Gambier.
It’s a season defining game for East Gambier as they hope to prove themselves against a high quality opponent, while West Gambier will be hoping to get an early lead and cruise to victory away from home.
North Gambier V Millicent
Millicent will hope to continue its winning ways when the Saints travel to Vansittart Park to take on North Gambier for round 3.
North Gambier consider themselves a serious contender for the flag this year and this is the game to prove to the rest of the competition they are.
The Tigers are coming off a disappointing loss to West Gambier where they were blown away in the second half and now have the chance to take points off the reigning premiers, it’s a game the Tigers players should be extremely excited about.
It is also a chance for the side to show their improvement from last season as they were unable to beat the Saints in any of the three times the two sides met last year, something that will no doubt be in the minds of both teams.
Millicent will hope to continue its strong form from the first two games which included a 51 point win in the grand final rematch.
The Saints have shown strong belief in their team as they continue to win with it now being over 10 months since they last tasted defeat, and even longer since North Gambier has gotten the better of them.
Nick McInerney has proved a crucial player for North Gambier early and if Millicent can limit his impact it will be hard for North to respond.
For North Gambier they will no doubt be looking to take captain Jacob Carger out of the game.
Carger has dominated up forward for the Saints booting six goals in both matches, leaving the opposition well behind.
The game will be sure to have massive ramifications for both North Gambier and Millicent season in what will be an exciting contest.
Casterton Sandford V South Gambier
South Gambier will travel to Casterton Sandford with a lot to prove in round three.
South Gambier is winless after two games and will hope the trip across the border will provide the Demons with their first win of the season.
Casterton Sandford has now got a taste of victory after the win against East Gambier and a win against South Gambier will be a big confidence booster for the rest of the season.
Casterton Sandford is hoping to play finals football this season and games like this one will be the difference between success and disappointment.
The Cats have a capable side confident they can get the better of the young South Gambier team, but they will know the Demons will be confident they can kick off their season at the Cattery.
South Gambier will be wary of Casterton Sandford’s forward line after they had three multiple goal kickers on the weekend displaying their numerous outlets for scoring.
South Gambier youngster Nelson Forbes will be the main focus of the Casterton Sandford defence after he kicked multiple goals in the opening two rounds of the season.
Michael Krieger has proved a dangerous new addition to Casterton Sandford and South Gambier will look to limit the impact he has on the game.
These are two sides that carry the unknown this season, ensuring this will be a game that will give the opposition and the teams themselves a good chance to see where they are at.
