It’s not often you find a side looking to improve on respective 77 and 75 point victories, yet the Animals Men’s sides will be looking to “complete the job” when they travel to North Brunswick.
In an extra touch for the Animals, Nath Baranello makes a return for his first game for 2019, and as such notching up his 200th appearance for the Blue and the Blue. The former president, u19s flag winner, and 2014 Andrew McCormack Perpetual trophy winner will finally reach the milestone, and being stranded on 199 games after playing, starring, and winning his previous time out for Leo’s against Powerhouse.
The sentiment however shared at Thursday training was one of improvement, with Coach Ian Ledder not allowing his charges to rest on their laurels, and setting them the task of improving the margins from earlier in 2019, or risk growing stagnant.
The Reserves will precede the milestone, and will be looking to improve on a clunky win last time out against Westbourne. The twos struggled to meet the conditions and scrapped to get the 3 goal win.
Multiple changes to the side named to face Westbourne, see Connor Hoetzel, Isaac Waite, Emerson Lemkau. Joe Anker, and Tom Birkett all come in to the side.
Birkett lost sole ownership of Division 3 Reserve goalkicking leaderboard after missing last week and Aquinas’ Aaron Kinghorn notched 7 against Canterbury. Birkett will be out to reclaim the lead.
Down back Darcy Burke moves into the last line of defence, with Tom Buick moving back into a more familiar role across half back.
A new rotation group has also been named, with Kieran Mair the most notable name on a strong bench.
For the Seniors, there’s only one inclusuon that everyone is interested in, and it features across half back where Nath Baranello lines up for game 200 in what is a largely tall defensive 6.
Ray Kuhnell comes into the starting side and is thrust forward, with his hard nosed style set to disrupt any plans North Brunswick have moving the ball out of their defensive 50.
His inclusion frees up Brent Simons to start in the middle, where he has been damaging in his return to Burwood in 2019.
Chook O’Connor also returns to the side, to pair up with Kev Moloney in a ruck tandem set to dominate the day
