Team Talk Rd 16 | The Courier | August 10, 2023
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00:00 Welcome to Team Talk, Round 16 in the Central Highlands and Ballarat Leagues.
00:03 I'm David Breo and I'm joined as always by Edward Holland.
00:07 Good evening Edward.
00:08 G'day David, how you doing?
00:09 Not too bad, looks like we've both paid a visit to the hairdresser in the past week
00:13 so we're brushing ourselves up and getting ready for a big post-season in a few weeks.
00:18 Presentation nights, finals, got to look at our best don't we?
00:21 Yeah well it all started last night with the BFNL Hall of Fame night as well and a quick
00:26 shout out to Barry Aker for the new pen so looking forward to getting stuck in.
00:29 I haven't got mine yet so we'll wait for Barry to see if he comes good with a few more pens
00:33 but anyway, talking about pen, we've caught a few more stories this week.
00:39 You've still got the Ballarat Football Netball League three rounds to go and in the Central
00:45 Highlands we've got just the two so really in Countdown mode, we keep talking about it
00:50 but now I just feel that we can just about reach out and touch it.
00:53 A much more docile round of football in the Central Highlands this week after so many
01:02 top end games last week.
01:05 A little bit quieter when you look at the match-ups and in fact just one game that involves
01:13 two top eight teams so a lot of games I would suggest, I'm not saying they'll be one-sided
01:19 but I think they'll be fairly emphatic wins to the upcoming finalists.
01:23 Okay, so before we get into that and get into the Ballarat Football Netball League and we'll
01:28 go to that first shortly, just late today some news coming through in the Central Highlands
01:35 that a Premiership player of years gone by is making his first senior appearance for
01:43 the season this Saturday.
01:45 It's for many, it's coming out of the blue for those in his club, they'll be well aware
01:49 that he's been working up to it with a handful of reserves games.
01:54 So if you haven't caught up with that news, go to our website and take a look because
01:59 he's a big name in the Central Highlands Football League, he's got a distinguished career behind
02:05 him and he's decided to give it one more go and play finals.
02:10 I mean that's why he's back for, he's in one of the top eight teams and so looking forward
02:15 to that but we'll just keep that under our hats for the moment and everyone can go and
02:22 look at that story online where it's been since earlier tonight.
02:27 But let's go to the Ballarat Football Netball League, first of all any big news that stands
02:31 out in particular?
02:32 Well the thing that has me excited actually is Brett Buley is going to line up against
02:38 Melbourne South so it's going to be a one-sided result but a lot of the players, their best
02:42 performances of the season have come against Melbourne South and Brett Buley was rested
02:46 in the second half of their early season.
02:48 Are they really their best or are they just statistically big days?
02:52 Statistically big days.
02:53 You probably can't say it's necessarily their biggest day because the opposition unfortunately
02:58 is not there.
02:59 While you're on that, before you go any further, rumours are starting to circulate, I've asked
03:04 you in recent weeks, not much, I don't think there's any names attached to it but there's
03:10 a bit of a feeling that obviously clubs in need of coaches in particular, perhaps recruits,
03:16 are really starting to get their claws into the task and we may not be too far away with
03:22 some maybe some big announcements.
03:24 Yeah, there's a few rumours circling, you're right, and a few clubs involved in those rumours
03:29 and some exciting names so hopefully they...
03:31 So you know more than I do but they are rumours at the moment?
03:34 Yeah, absolutely.
03:35 I'm not going to report on rumours but if those names do come through then we'll have
03:40 a ball reporting on those.
03:42 But I'll get stuck into the action for the weekend.
03:45 Ballarat boasts probably three season defining games so we're looking at the top six picture
03:52 at the moment.
03:53 If everything goes according to plan then it's going to be no surprise but if there's
03:56 just one upset this round then it could shake up everything.
03:58 So a game I've got my eye on is East Point and Sebastopol going head to head at Eastern
04:04 Oval so a loss would likely end the season for East Point.
04:09 That's unless Redan loses to Ballarat.
04:12 So there's just so much that can play out this weekend.
04:14 So East Point, they're treating every single game like an elimination final.
04:18 They almost have been since round 11.
04:20 They just need to keep on winning and hope that either Redan or Sunbury is on the wrong
04:25 side of a few upsets.
04:27 If Redan loses this week and even if East Point doesn't win that keeps them on the same
04:33 points.
04:34 Is East a chance to tip Redan out or not?
04:39 Because they've had a good run home, they're having a good run home at the Lions.
04:44 So Redan's run home is probably the edge.
04:47 I think that's why everyone's kind of expecting them to be there.
04:50 So they've got Ballarat this weekend, Melton South next weekend so that's four points there
04:54 and they finish the year against Sebastopol.
04:56 Whereas East Point, it's pretty tough three weeks ahead so they've got Sebastopol this
05:00 weekend then Melton and then Sunbury.
05:03 So it's well and truly, as long as Redan doesn't fall off the perch, they're in the
05:09 box seat let's say.
05:10 Yeah absolutely.
05:11 So East Point will need to keep on winning and hope for an upset the way of the Lions.
05:18 Despite that I'll still go with Sebastopol there but in the Ballarat and Redang I reckon
05:24 I'll just tip and upset, have some fun, keep the season alive and tip Ballarat there.
05:29 So like I said, just assuming there's a percentage booster next week for Redan that could lock
05:35 them in by then.
05:36 But yeah, like I said, if one of these games goes the opposite way, all of a sudden it's
05:42 wide open.
05:43 Another game, the third game in Ballarat, North Ballarat and Sunbury at Mars Stadium.
05:48 So Sunbury got the four points in Round 1 when these two sides first met.
05:54 The way it's going actually with these two sides is they probably will meet again in
05:58 the first week of finals.
06:00 So having not played since Round 1 and then all of a sudden they could have two games
06:04 within a month.
06:05 So North Ballarat welcomes back Jack Riding and Jamie Quick.
06:10 Jack Riding had VFLG at Werribee who have the fire this weekend and Jamie Quick had
06:15 a week off with concussion.
06:17 But it's North Ballarat's first home game since Round 12 and they're on a two game losing
06:23 streak at the moment.
06:24 So Mars is a bit of a fortress for them.
06:26 They've only lost one game to Melton there this season.
06:29 So I'll tip the roosters but that one doesn't really have much effect on the latter.
06:36 I think Sunbury will still have a pretty tough run home.
06:40 I think they've got a game against the Lakers that could be the four points that lock them
06:45 into finals.
06:46 Speaking of the Lakers, they've got backers to Mars this week so it's probably their last
06:51 chance this season to avoid a back-to-back one win season.
06:56 Joel and Lachlan O'Connell.
06:57 Joel O'Connell is a skipper of Lake Winnipeg this weekend after some overseas travel.
07:02 Your favourite type of thing.
07:05 This one is actually going to be another, like I said, four ladder altering games.
07:11 So Backsmash could even finish eighth if they get the win here knocking on the door of Ballarat
07:16 with a final round matchup.
07:17 So excited to see how that one plays out and just the last game of the round.
07:21 Daly and Melton South and no Shane Page and Matt Denham or Daly.
07:26 Just going to rest those players.
07:28 So I could talk about this round all day long but I'll hand it over to you.
07:33 Yeah, you've done enough.
07:35 Okay, and you will get your chance.
07:38 You've still got the two home and away rounds to go after this and you're one week ahead
07:44 of the Central Highlands.
07:45 But anyway, Central Highlands, as we said, the penultimate home and away round.
07:50 The big game is Hepburn v Cardamom Linton at Hepburn and I'll be heading up there to
07:56 do a live stream of this match.
07:59 Let's hope the weather is good because Hepburn, I remember going up there last year and doing
08:05 a game and it wasn't very pleasant.
08:07 But the weather's been a little bit better of late.
08:09 Still cold but as long as it's fine, we'll look forward to this game.
08:13 This is a big game for Cardamom Linton in particular.
08:16 Obviously both these sides locked in for finals.
08:18 But Cardamom Linton are coming off basically a 10 goal loss to Gordon.
08:23 And while losing to Gordon was not a surprise, I think the margin would have just been a
08:29 bit of a wake up call for the Saints.
08:30 They've done an exceptional job to make the finals and come from way back, not having
08:35 won a game for a number of years.
08:37 So no matter what happens for the rest of the season, there's no taking anything away
08:41 from Cardamom Linton.
08:42 But like anyone in the finals, they don't want to just rock into the finals and then
08:46 lose and go straight out.
08:47 So if they're to have an impact, even maybe force their way into the top four and get
08:52 the double chance, they would need to win this.
08:54 But if they don't win, Cardamom Linton, I think they need to really perform well and
09:02 have a relatively tight game with Hepburn.
09:05 If they can do that, that means they can go into the finals with some confidence that
09:10 they can do some damage.
09:12 So Hepburn is coming into this game off a win off Bungaree.
09:16 They've been hot and cold.
09:17 Obviously, they're still missing their star veteran forward, Andy McKay.
09:23 But all being well, he will be back for the finals at some point.
09:28 Hepburn, they need to keep winning to get that top four double chance.
09:33 And I think they'll be just too strong.
09:37 They're a big game team.
09:38 Hepburn is a very hard place to go and play at as a visiting team.
09:42 So I think the Borough will get home because they're a team, they're like Gordon, they're
09:48 like Springbank.
09:49 They know how to win the big games and they're a perpetual powerhouse.
09:53 So Hepburn to beat Cardamom Linton will run quickly through the rest of the games.
09:57 Warbra at home to Dunstown.
09:59 Dunstown heading to finals.
10:01 So they will get home against Warbra.
10:04 Newland at home to Dalestert.
10:06 Our rivals, neighbours, Newland, well, they're not travelling as well as they would like
10:12 ultimately, but again, they will play finals.
10:14 And if you look where they've come from, they didn't win many games last year.
10:18 So to make finals is a good result.
10:20 They've got a number of players out this week.
10:22 That won't help them.
10:23 They should still win, but Dalestert will give a sniff.
10:26 They're coming off a win.
10:27 That will give them a bit more confidence.
10:29 And Newland could be missing up to five players for this game, depending on how they pull
10:34 up after training tonight.
10:36 But they're certainly going to be missing some front end players, certainly over the
10:40 next couple of weeks.
10:42 So but Newland still should get the points.
10:44 Bunningong at home to Belan.
10:46 Been a tough year for Belan.
10:47 Bunningong, well, they'll feel a bit deflated.
10:50 They've missed out on finals.
10:53 So they're just playing out of the season, but they should.
10:55 The Bombers should still take the points at home, get a consolation win.
10:59 Gordon at home to Creswick.
11:01 Creswick, I think they've improved this year a little bit, although their records are the
11:05 same as last year.
11:07 But Gordon, the reigning Premier, at home in front of their adoring fans.
11:12 They will win that and win it comfortably.
11:16 Clunes at home to Bungaree.
11:18 Clunes are a very hard ground to play at.
11:21 Everyone talks about how small it is, and it's a tricky ground.
11:24 Up against Bungaree, who have lost their last two, and were very lucky to win the game before
11:29 that against Bunningong.
11:31 Bungaree, importantly, have some players back.
11:34 They've got Cooper, they've got Quick, and their big name that they've got back at the
11:39 side is Ben Simpson.
11:41 He's been away for about a month on overseas travel.
11:45 Which they knew about.
11:46 I mean, all these overseas travel plans, the clubs have known, but it still does make it
11:52 a little bit hard.
11:53 He's been so important to their rise up the ladder, Bungaree.
11:57 Clunes will give them a real run, I think, for their money.
12:02 They don't get beaten by much when they lose at home, and they've given a few good sides
12:06 a close go.
12:07 But, Demons, two weeks out from the finals, they need to get back in winning form, and
12:12 they will.
12:13 Skipton at home to Beaufort.
12:15 One of the arch rivalries in the competition.
12:17 Beaufort, well, they look like going through another, or this season, without a win, which
12:23 is going to be disappointing.
12:24 They've got the two draws to their name.
12:26 Two plus two, we've got four premiership points, but they won't feel that they haven't had
12:29 a win, and they will know it.
12:31 And Skipton, well, they'll be on the rebound after a disappointing loss to Springbank.
12:37 So the Emus will get up there.
12:39 And Roekwood, Corandap at home to Springbank.
12:41 This is Springbank's last match before finals.
12:44 They have a bye in the last round.
12:46 They've got back a couple of really good players, including young Jack Simpson and Joel Maher.
12:52 So they're a couple of big pick-ups for the Tigers.
12:56 So their last game before taking a week off against Roekwood, Corandap, who have been,
13:01 well, they've been disappointing this year.
13:02 There's no doubt about that.
13:03 And they haven't come up anywhere near they would like.
13:06 So the Tigers, to make it what will it be, 13 games in a row.
13:11 Incredible run they've had.
13:12 And they'll go into the finals with that record.
13:15 So there is Round 16 of the Central Highlands Football League.
13:17 As I say, some big news today coming out of the league.
13:21 And you can catch up with that online.
13:23 We'll have all our match-by-match previews, as we always do, online on Friday, leading
13:31 into Saturday's round.
13:32 We have our teams, well, more news on teams.
13:37 We'll have more of that on Friday, as well as in our print edition of The Courier for
13:43 Saturday.
13:45 So lots coming up.
13:46 And we look forward to more coverage at the weekend.
13:49 Edwin, any last parting shots?
13:51 I'll just wrap up with Melton having a bye this weekend.
13:55 So Aaron Timms, he's announced he's stepping down.
13:58 He gets a little week off as well, just to relax.
14:00 But he's seeing out the season, so don't panic.
14:02 But yeah, blood's with the bye.
14:04 Yeah, he'll reset, as will the bloods, and they'll have a good time to have a bye, as
14:07 we've seen in the Central Highlands.
14:09 And they'll recharge and see if they can make it two in a row.
14:13 But anyway, a lot to play before then.
14:15 Thanks for joining us.
14:16 I'm David Breo.
14:17 This is Edward Holland.
14:19 And we'll catch up with you with a wrap of everything that happens across the weekend.