Bennettswood Reserve is home to only one Emmaus St Leo’s team this weekend as the Thirds welcome the Old Camberwell Grammarians. The Animals are coming off an unfortunate loss to Elsternwick while the Old Camberwell Grammarians are in some good form after beating the Melbourne High School Old Boys by 64 points away from home.
At the selection table this week, an Animals favourite returns to bolster a side looking for their second win. Cooper Walter and Lachlan Thompson will start on the halfback flanks, providing support to Michael Mazzeo at fullback. Tom Voogt, Nick Rodway, and Darcy Burke, returning for his first game of the year, round out the defensive 50. On the wings are Greg Rollo-Walker and Jeff Riordan, while captain Oscar McVann returns to take ruck duties, with Matthew Lewis, Sean Nathan and Nathan Zoumpoukas at his feet. Starting high on 50 metre line are Jaxson Penny and Jai Lamperd, as Carlos Urbina and Lachlan Carboon provide help in the middle of the forward line to Anthony Smith and Jonathan Bradley who are beginning the game deep in the attacking 50. On the bench is David Cowell, Niles Sheridan, Sonny Dipietro and Ajay Singh.
This weekend will be a really good test for the Animals Thirds as they go up against some quality competition, so get down to Bennettswood Reserve to watch the intriguing battle! First bounce is at 9:20am.
While the Thirds remain at home to face the Old Camberwell Grammarians, the reserves and seniors will head to Canterbury Sportsground to take on Canterbury. For the reserves, the top spot on the ladder is up for grabs depending on other results, while the seniors look to shore up their top 4 position this early on in the season.
Both Emmaus St Leo’s teams will head into the games against the Cobras high off two comprehensive wins against Albert Park sides who probably lost the games before they even started. For Canterbury, their wins against the Westbourne Grammarians in round six will set them in good stead for Saturday.
Head-to-head, the Cobras seniors will have some unfinished business to take care of when they welcome Emmaus St Leo’s at home, given that their 2019 finals efforts were ended by those in the blue and blue but the Animals will no doubt take confidence from that game into the weekend. For the reserves, the Animals will have left some scars after dismantling Canterbury in their last encounter of the year.
There’s been a number of changes to the reserves team who took down the Falcons. James Rippon will start at fullback, joined by Fraser Walker and Tom Elliott on the flanks, while at halfback it’s Jackson Campbell, and fresh from their wanderings to the forward line, Tom Wales and Cameron Price. Ben Severin will have Noah Skiller, Guy Donovan and Adam Bullivant at his feet as Connor Leevers and Cameron Gardner take control of the wings. Steve Jones, James Moran, Tom McBride and Harry McConnell will start out of the goalsquare in the forward line, while in it, unstoppable goalkickers Anthony Smith and Dan Quattro return to make life hard for Cobras defenders. Starting on the bench is Mitchell Burrows, and up from the Thirds to make their reserves debuts are Aaron Burrows and Lachlan Hicks while Jonathan Greensides returns.
While, for the seniors, returning to his usual post at fullback despite kicking two goals in the forward line last week is Sam Argus, flanked by Joden Crothers and Jesse Collins, while at halfback, Zac Kearns and Ben Collins will start either side of Baxter Newbegin. Tom Clarke is once again taking ruck duties while Ethan Phillips, Nathan Bird and Hugh Schaeche will read his taps as Matt Hill and Kieran Mair take their surely trademarked roles on the wings. High up the ground but still forward of the ball is Jacob Glare and Isaac Waite, while inside the attacking 50 at half-forward Jacob Anthony and Harry Davis will provide support to Dan Hill and a returning Jack Hunt in the goalsquare. Sam Barrah, Michael Davis, Lawrence Virgo and Callum Dickinson start on the bench.
Canterbury Sportsground will be the place to be on Saturday as two interesting games loom on the horizon. The reserves will run out on 11:40am while the seniors follow suit at 2pm. Get down and cheer your favourite Animals on.