By Sports Desk
There’s one game that stands out above the rest in West Gippsland football this week with Warragul Industrials hosting Nar Nar Goon in the clear choice as Match of the Day.
Not only will the Dusties and Goon lock horns in a crucial game for both clubs, but the Dusties will celebrate one of the finest and long-standing football careers in the region.
Luke ‘Tex’ Walker, the former Pakenham and Kooweerup gun, will play the 350th game of his glittering career for the Dusties at Western Park on Saturday.
Walker burst onto the scene in blazing style during a strong period for Pakenham, when the Lions played finals for fun.
His elite footy smarts, combined with a lethal left foot, made him one of the most attractive players to watch in the Casey Cardinia Football League.
The open spaces at Toomuc Reserve provided the perfect canvas to showcase his talents.
Walker moved to Kooweerup, winning the EDFL’s Alf Walton Medal in 2014, and was a driving force as the Demons made grand final appearances in 2014 and ’18.
Walker played his last season at Koowee in 2019 before moving to Warragul where he played 20 games for the Dusties in their push to the preliminary final last year.
No longer blessed with explosive speed, he has settled into the backline where opposition coaches are still wary of his impact.
And Tex will need to make a strong impact again as the Dusties and Goon try to set their seasons alight!
The Dusties sit where most people probably expected after six rounds – with losses to Phillip Island, Tooradin-Dalmore and Inverloch-Kongwak certainly not cause for panic.
The Dusties have balanced that out with wins over Bunyip, Korumburra-Bena and a 21-point win over Kooweerup last week to sit with a three-three ledger.
This game is a real litmus test for both clubs, with the Dusties needing to build a buffer on the Goon – who has a much easier run home to finals.
The Dusties were the big story of the year in 2022 – making the penultimate day of the season – but that success has come at a cost with a much-tougher assignment this year.
Harmit Singh and his team play all of the proven top-three again, while the Goon only faces Inverloch-Kongwak again over the remaining 12 rounds of the season.
If Justin Stanton can get his Goon boys firing, dual engagements against Bunyip, Korumburra-Bena, Kilcunda-Bass and Dalyston could ensure a top-four finish.
A win like this against the Dusties, on their own deck, in a milestone game, will be the cherry on top for Stanton and his side.
The return of Dermott Yawney was a huge boost for the Goon last week, who looked set for victory against Cora Lynn before falling away late.
The Goon is slowly getting back to full strength, with Yawney, Jake and Sam Blackwood and James Milivojevic all returning last week after several weeks on the sidelines.
This is a huge one for both clubs, and almost impossible to predict.
If the Goon wins the midfield battle – it’s goodnight for the Dusties – with Yawney hungry to build on his six-goal return last week.
This one will go the wire…and it’s the Dusties to prevail for four points.
In other games this week, Tooradin-Dalmore will be too good for Kooweerup at home, while Inverloch-Kongwak and Phillip Island will also have home success against Korumburra-Bena and Kilcunda-Bass respectively.
Cora Lynn will maintain its grip on fourth place – for now – with a strong win over Bunyip, while the battle between Garfield and Dalyston at Beswick Street looks set to be a beauty.
Paul Carbis has the Stars in a much-more competitive state this season, to the point where last week’s loss to Kilcunda-Bass will be the source of much frustration.
Unsung heroes like Chris Diston, Cooper Reilly, Isaac Braaksma and John Zaccari have played every game for Garfield this season…and get better with every run.
But Dalyston appears to have the class edge, with Mitch Hallahan, Brad Monson, Hayden Wallis and Will Clarke set to guide the Magpies to victory.
It won’t be easy, the Stars are on the rise…but it’s the Magpies to be too strong and win by 21 points.
TIPS – Round 7
CORA LYNN v Bunyip, Garfield v DALYSTON, INVERLOCH-KONGWAK v Korumburra-Bena, PHILLIP ISLAND v Kilcunda-Bass, TOORADIN-DALMORE v Kooweerup, WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS v Nar Nar Goon.
SOUTHERN
Cranbourne’s clash with Springvale Districts headlining the Southern League action gives the impression that there’s not much happening this weekend.
In all metrics, the Eagles are expected to win.
The reigning premiers, fired up coming off a tight loss to Port Melbourne, against Springvale Districts, which has some nice bits and parts and four wins for the season.
But the way the match plays out will give a clear indication of where the Dees, which won eight games last year, sit in the realm of the competition.
It’s one of six teams that has at least four wins for the season six rounds in – no teams are undefeated, so it’s tight at the top.
But if Kris Thompson’s men want to be viewed as a side that can win a final, they need to do better than they have so far.
What separates Springy Districts from the top four, is they are yet to record any wins against fellow teams in the chasing pack.
The same can be said of St Paul’s McKinnon.
The four wins have come over St Kilda City, Chelsea Heights, Mordialloc and Bentleigh which have barely thrown a punch this season.
And of those, only Mordialloc was a convincing win – all the way back in round one.
The Dees beat the Saints by just two points and had to stave off a massive fightback against the inexperienced Bentleigh.
Meanwhile, against rivals Dingley and 2022 runners up Cheltenham the Demons never looked like winning.
At present, you can still put a positive spin on the season.
Dylan Quirk has added leadership to the midfield, which has stood up at times when challenged, and Matt Wetering is doing what everyone expected him to at full forward.
Two losses can be written off as anomalies.
Things don’t go your way and it’s hard to stop momentum against strong sides.
But lose badly to Cranbourne on the weekend and the results become a pattern, calling into question the process, the talent, the hunger.
Ultimately, fifth spot is likely to come down to who comes out on top when Springvale Districts face St Paul’s McKinnon in round nine and 18.
Both need to show improvement or they’ll be making up the numbers in September.
Saturday’s the perfect time to start.
TIPS
Division One: Bentleigh v ST KILDA CITY, CHELTENHAM v Mordialloc, CRANBOURNE v Springvale Districts, St Paul’s McKinnon v PORT MELBOURNE COLTS, DINGLEY v Chelsea Heights.
Division Two: Skye v HAMPTON PARK, EAST MALVERN v Black Rock, EAST BRIGHTON v Keysborough, CAULFIELD v Doveton Doves, MURRUMBEENA v Highett.
OUTER EAST
Having been handed a reality check against the reigning premier last week, Gembrook Cockatoo will be out to make amends when they tackle Woori Yallock.
Games against the two top sides from 2022 will provide crucial lessons for the remainder of the campaign, if they are to qualify for an all-important finals spot come September.
Woori Yallock have been one of the form sides of the competition, winning three of their last four before succumbing to a red-hot Wandin last week.
As one of only two sides to hold the Bulldogs under 100 points to date, their defence seems well-equipped to handle the strong bodies of Myles Wareham, Michael Firrito and Jay Verhagen.
Pakenham, meanwhile will be hoping their winning momentum can continue against Wandin at the kennel.
Having played impressive football in patches against good sides in Narre Warren and Woori Yallock in the opening two rounds of the season, their challenge will be to put a four-quarter effort together.
To get the better of the undefeated Bulldogs would a major spike in confidence and resurrect a season that has been slow to get off the mark to date.
Wandin, for their part, won’t want their undefeated run to come to a close in front of their home crowd.
Elsewhere, Olinda Ferny Creek look likely to remain winless for another week, faced with the daunting prospect of containing Narre Warren, while Monbulk and Mount Evelyn will go head-to-head at Monbulk.
In Division One, Berwick Springs welcome Seville to Mick Morland Reserve as their quest to rediscover their best football continues.
Despite a slow start to the season, Seville’s pedigree is not to be discounted, having fallen only a few goals short of a 2022 Division One flag last season.
Hallam’s search for their first win will see them tackle Healesville at the Hawks nest, while Officer are gunning for three straight wins ahead of their clash with Belgrave.
TIPS
Premier Division: WANDIN v Pakenham, WOORI YALLOCK v Gembrook Cockatoo, MOUNT EVELYN v Monbulk, NARRE WARREN v Olinda Ferny Creek.
Division One: Hallam v HEALESVILLE, OFFICER v Belgrave, BERWICK SPRINGS v Seville.
