Funny Big weekend in ABL

Well this double header weekend promises to be a biggy with plenty of good match ups. I am interested in 3 teams in particular this weekend... Southern, West and Forestville.

Southern was the leagues big mover last weekend with two big wins, but I am interested to see if they can now back up those two wins. They play West which is a pivitol game becasue West were the team that people believe could and maybe stlii can make a run for the title, but who now seem to be the team that one of the bottom teams could replace in last years top 5. A win here for the tigers would go along way to them grabbing a top 5 spot. It would put Tigers at 4-0 and west at 0-4. 4 games is alot of ground to make up so West will be desparate to get this one! Looking forward to the Crusher vs Bungey match up. Bungey has been the in form big man of the competition with 36 rebounds last weekend, but if anyone can put him off his game it would be Crusher. Also the young guard match ups will be good to watch with Spud and Craddock going up against Boal and Braithwaite.

Southerns other game is against a Puddifoot injected centrals. Centrals is sitting at 1-2 with a chance gone begging last weekend against a depleated Sturt line up. With Southern the favouirte team to break into the 5, Centrals would be the next best bet, but early wins are crucial. With Southerns great start, Centrals will need to get this one in order to close the gap on the tigers, and set up a series winning margin if possible as it could come down to that by the end of the minor round. Puddifoot has picked a handy time to start(although last week would have been better) since they also have Norwood. Both Norwood and Southern are deep in the big man department, one area where centrals are thin and where Puddifoot is most needed. Clarke gets to play against his old side and he will be hoping to do what Gerlach and the Eagles couldn't and thats to get one up on his former team mates. Parker agaisnt Smith will be a good match up to watch, as will Clarke and Goodenough. But most importantly the Lions will need to find away to break even on the boards if they are to be any chance.

In my opinion, if Southern are good enough to get both of these wins this weekend against the two teams that will be challenging them the most(apart from the big 4 teams) for a finals berth, then they are all but in the top 5. Big weekend for the tigers!

West are in trouble. They have as I said a must win game against the tigers. A loss here and they almost turn into that team that can only annoy the other teams who are fighting for the best possible spot they can get in the top 5. Hopefully for them they get some personnel back this week. Pearce and Mann I hear are not far which would help, but they really need another big to help them combat the bigs of Southern.

Their other game is against South. Maybe a win against their old foe is exactly what they need to kick start heir season, but i wouldn't count on that one being easy. South are coming off a good win against the Warriors, and almost knocked off the in form tigers in round 1 so they will be no walk over. South have struggled with consistancy for the last 10 years(havn't made the finals since 1999!), but this weekend is a great opportunity for them to get two wins in a weekend to make it 3 on the trot and a 3-2 record. With the eagles, Norwood and Sturt still to play in the first round, South will know that wins this weekend sets them up nicely to have a crack at the top teams and in turn the finals. One would think they will fall a game or 3 short again, but who knows, but certainly this weekend is huge for them, and must fancy themselves agaisnt the depleated bearcats. McKenzie and Pilkington should get the better of Crusher and Davis, but do they have the speed to control Spud in the open court. The Panthers will need to find a solution for that, cos if they can keep him quiet the game is just about theirs.

If west are any chance at all this year they will need at least 1 win this weekend, if not they go 0-5 and will need to go 10-3 for the rest of the season....doubtful!

Now the Eagles are an interesting one. This weekend I think will let us know if they are contenders or pretenders. With a loss against Southern...a team most people expected them to get by 20-30, and then a win against a very tired and depleated west team, its a bit hard to see where they are, but with North and Sturt this weekend, i'm sure we will have a better sense. Pivitol weekend for thre eagles. 2 wins means 3-1, 2 losses means 1-3 and struggling.

Firstly North. Now the eagles havn't beaten North since 2006 inlcuding 4 ABL games last year(2 regular and 2 finals), also North beat the eagles in their last regular season game of 2006, plus 2 blitz games and summer game so your looking at about 8 games in a row now so the eagles will be keen to end that run. Burdon is the form player of the competition and he also killed the eagles in the 2007 prelim with 36 points. The eagles will be hoping recruit Gerlach will be able to do a job on burdon. Zorich and Sutton will be a great matchup. The match up between Oakley and Mapunda/ Reardon I think will have a huge bearing on the outcome...North has the edge in quickness here, but eagles have the size advantage. Whoever can use their edge to their advantage better could win the game. Probably game of the round North will be looking to put some space between themselves and the Eagles.

Then up against Sturt on sunday. Not sure if Ng will be back or not, if not Sutton will want to get the better of Vaughn as that would make it very tough for the Sabres. The Dodman/Bowley vs Hoban/Mac-Taylor match up could be a firery one. Gower vs Oakley also one to watch.

Eagles will be keen for back to back wins here and stamp themselves back as one of the favourites...anything else would leave them and everyone else thinking have they had their time?

Great weekend of ball coming up...get out and see a game!

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