Looking ahead: Kyabram selector Glenn FIelds said his side was aiming to stabilise its squad before finals.
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Aydin Payne
After a round of cancellations due to heat Allan Matheson Shield action will return this weekend — with plenty of important games pencilled in.
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A clash of two premiership hopefuls headlines round 10 fixtures, as third-placed Tallygaroopna welcomes second-placed Kyabram.
Last time the two sides met the Bombers produced a dominant 104 to 65 victory, however, Kyabram selector Glenn Fields was under no illusions that Saturday’s game will be a tough one.
“We’re shaping up pretty good,” Fields said.
“I think we’ve got one change, Chris Williams is coming in for Brett Reiner, so that’s the only change for the week.
“Apart from that we’re trying to stabilise the side heading into finals.”
Missing some of its talent when the teams last met Tallygaroopna is sure to come out hungry for a statement win in a crucial clash.
“It’s very important, obviously battling for that top two position on the ladder, it will be a very important game for both of us,” Fields said.
“We know it’s going to be a tough one and we’ve got Shepparton Golf the week after, so it will be a big couple of weeks for sure.”
In another game that could go either way Shepparton Park will face a trip to Mooroopna.
Sitting in fourth place, Park is hoping to make a solid finals run and team manager Ash Williamson said the changes his side made last week would remain.
“This is going to be our first game of the year and with a few different combinations and things like that we’ve got to be on our game heading over to Mooroopna,” Williamson said.
“It’s certainly not going to be as easy as when we played them before Christmas.”
On top: Brad Orr and Shepparton Golf currently sit on top of the table.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
The inclusion of the in-form Jeff Boyle is sure to bolster Park’s line up, while Sue Tyson’s return is also a welcome boost.
“We are sort of searching for a few answers with our combinations and were looking forward to testing ourselves against Tallygaroopna (last week) when they might have been a little bit vulnerable,” Williamson said.
“They (Mooroopna) have been improving every week.
“They’re going to be a much different proposition than when we played them before Christmas and we’ll have to really knuckle down and make sure that we get the job done over there.”
Elsewhere on Saturday, Tatura-Hill Top will welcome ladder rival East Shepparton to its home deck.
Putting in a strong showing against Tallygaroopna pre-Christmas, Hill Top will be hoping to leapfrog East on the ladder.
The final game of the weekend will have Stanhope host Shepparton Golf.
Knocking on the door of the top four, Stanhope will be up against it facing off with the ladder leader, however, it is sure to put up a fight.
All of the weekend’s games are pencilled in to start at 1pm.
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