Week Four Preview

The fourth weekend of Outer East Football Netball action takes place this weekend, with the festivities of the eighth running of the Pride Cup being the headlining event.

Yarra Glen will take on Belgrave with representations in football, netball and women’s football for what is sure to be a great turnout.

In the premier division ranks, Wandin will be up for a great test this weekend when they play ladder leaders Narre Warren. With both making strong starts to the year, neither will be willing to give in.

Mount Evelyn and Monbulk will renew rivalries, while the Tiger teams of Woori Yallock and Upwey Tecoma will be out to cause a stir and excite their supporter bases in their quest to show which Tiger side is more superior.

The rivalry between Seville and Gembrook Cockatoo will continue this weekend, with both keen to not give in to each other in this matchup.

Division Two will be sure to see some close games with Yarra Junction taking on Alexandra, and Warburton Millgrove playing Kinglake.

In the women’s football lineups, Olinda Ferny Creek and Pakenham is the match which is tipped to be a close one, with both the Bloods and the Lions having good wins in its 2022 campaigns thus far.

Take a look at what’s to come for all matchups across senior men’s and women’s football and A grade netball with the week four preview:

Premier Data Premier Division Football

The game between Narre Warren and Wandin is shaping up to be a great matchup, with the Bulldogs looking to knock off the Magpies in what will be a true test of where they are at in the early point of the season. Through the efforts of Patty Bruzzese, Patrick Hodgett and captain Tom Hinds at full back, Wandin are well-placed to potentially cause an upset on the grounds of Kalora Park, which will put the remainder of premier division on notice as we get into the ‘nitty gritty’ of the season.

With both stepping up from division one to compete in premier, Mount Evelyn and Monbulk will renew rivalries once again as they fight to put their first win on the board for season 2022. Enduring a tough loss to Wandin in Round One before a bye last week, the Rovers will be out to prove they are no pushover against its local Hawks rivals.

Woori Yallock will be out to grab their third successive win to start season 2022 when they take on Upwey Tecoma at Woori Yallock Recreation Reserve on Saturday. Led by the likes of Kody Busoli around the ground and Zac Monkhorst up forward, the Tigers of the upper Yarra Valley region have been impressive thus far, which ensures coach Jack Cole will do all he can to make sure his side can continue the momentum. For the Tigers of the Burwood Highway, Upwey Tecoma have been competitive thus far, with its Round One win over Officer and going down by 13 points to Olinda Ferny Creek on ANZAC Day. Led by the likes of coach Stuart Hill, Carmine Porcaro and the Waters’ boys, a second win for the year would be an outstanding result against the might of Woori Yallock.

Olinda Ferny Creek and Pakenham will go head-to-head up in the Dandenong Ranges this week, with each side sharing the objective of needing to grab their second win of season 2022. The Bloods have been competitive thus far in the new year with the likes of Kelsey Currie, Lachlan Taylor and Matt Scharenberg all playing important roles and they will be called upon with their experience come Saturday. Pakenham, on the other hand, have been competitive but need to tidy up a couple of areas in their game plan if they are to be genuine contenders later in the year. This matchup against the Bloods is a great way to start this change.

Karcher Premier Division Netball

Just as it is on the football field, the A grade netballers of Wandin will have a good test on their hands this week when they face up against Narre Warren at Kalora Park. Erin Bell and Brittany Lamont have been excellent for the Magpies in its season 2022 campaign thus far and will hope to continue with it this week where the motive will be much the same for the Bulldogs. With both sides having won their first two games to start the year, the winner should go straight to the top of the ladder, which means there’s a lot riding on this match.

Mount Evelyn and Monbulk will resume their rivalry this week, with the intensity on the netball court sure to match that of the football match. The Rovers are yet to pull off a victory in season 2022, so they will be keen to put a win on the board before we get too far into the season. For the Hawks, a second win of season 2022 will be the clear aim in this match before they go too far into the season.

The matchup on the netball courts between the two Tiger teams of Woori Yallock and Upwey Tecoma is sure to be a great one, with each team chasing their first win of season 2022. Both squads have been competitive but have endured close losses to each of their rivals thus far, so a win this week will be well received for both clubs as they try to move themselves up the ladder before the season gets too far ahead.

Winning its first two matches to start the season, Olinda Ferny Creek will be out to make it three from three this weekend but will first need to encounter the might of the Pakenham Lions. For the Lions, a tough one-point loss to ROC in the last round was a bitter pill to swallow considering they had led for much of the match and will clearly be aiming to make up for it this week through the leading efforts of Emma Jones and Caitlin Cooke.

Local rivals Beaconsfield and ROC will go head-to-head for the first time in four years when the two clubs meet on the netball courts of Holm Park. For the Eagles, a second win in a row will be a great way to keep its campaign going as we progress further into the year. For ROC, it’s been a great start to its premier division campaign and a third straight win will be the only thing on its mind on Saturday.

Community Bank Division One Football

The eighth running of the Pride Cup match sees Yarra Glen and Belgrave go head-to-head with both sides eager to get their first win on the board for season 2022 in Division One. There’s no doubt the River Pigs are really missing their influential captain Ben Ashton who is out with an injury but will continue to put its best foot forward this weekend in an annual fixture for which they place a lot of emphasis on. For the Magpies, this is the perfect opportunity to continue in its development pathway and have a crack at victory.

Emerald and Berwick Springs will meet for the second time in as many years as the Bombers try to make it three from three in its season 2022 campaign thus far. Managing to beat the might of Gembrook Cockatoo by a tight margin on ANZAC weekend was a big feat and it makes the early suggestion that Emerald are one of the genuine contenders in Division One. For Berwick Springs, win number one is high on the agenda for this week when they travel to Chandler Reserve.

The matchup between Division One heavyweights Seville and Gembrook Cockatoo is sure to be a great contest as talented players of each club go head-to-head. Nathan O’Keefe’s Blues outfit have been strong early in the season but the Brookers will do everything in their power to stop their momentum, with the likes of Colin Bastow, Michael Firrito and Myles Wareham sure to put in strong performances once again.

Karcher Division One Netball

The Pride Cup matchup will be replicated just as well on the netball courts as it is with the footy, with Yarra Glen and Belgrave going head-to-head to chase their second wins of the season. Both outfits have performed well thus far but claiming the honours for the Pride Cup will be hot on the minds for both teams, particularly the River Pigs as the home side.

Emerald have been ultra-competitive in Division One thus far and will be hoping to continue its momentum when they take on Berwick Springs at Chandler Reserve. The tuition of new coach Michael Loulanting has proved pivotal up to this point but will need to encounter the might of the Titan army this week who are chasing its second win of the season.

Seville and Gembrook Cockatoo will meet this weekend in what is sure to be a great matchup of two sides that want to achieve success in 2022. The Blues are searching for their fourth win of the year while the Brookers will be hoping they can achieve win number two with the assistance of the likes of Paige Ladner, Chelsea Ingram and Ashlee Bowden.

Healesville will be hoping to put in their best performances this weekend when they take on the might of Berwick at Don Road. For the Bloods, Chenile and Kaitlyn Chandler will be sure to put in their best efforts while the strong performances of Olivia Macente, Chloe Phillips and Hayley Stewart will be on show once again.

ATC Traffic Division Two Football

The matchup between Yarra Junction and Alexandra is sure to be a great contest, with the Eagles hoping to maintain its position in second on the ladder with a win over the Rebels. The boys of the Yarra Valley have been impressive in its campaign so far which proves they are a key contender for the season. For the Rebels, win number two is high on the agenda and they will be hopeful it can be achieved with the assistance of captain Brayden Norris, Dean Galea, Jason Degabriele and Sam Kerridge.

Another game of heavyweights will occur on Saturday, with Warburton Millgrove taking on Kinglake at Mac Sparke Oval. Both clubs have had a competitive start to their seasons with Mitch Bonuda being an influential figure in the early stages of his first year at the Burras. For the Lakers, the likes of young guns Jed Tyrell and Riley Kennedy will be on show once again as Kinglake try to grab a win.

Karcher Division Two Netball

The A Grade netballers of Yarra Junction and Alexandra will be hoping to put on a great show this week when they each chase their second wins of the season. The Eagles encountered their first loss of the season last week, while the Rebels took a surprise win against second placed Broadford in a win which instilled great confidence early in the season.

Warburton Millgrove will go for win number four this weekend when they take on Kinglake who have been competitive in their outings thus far. For the Burras the likes of Selina Fotia, Kirralee Luiyf, Gabby Woods and Bianca Daniels have all played a key part in their strong start to the season and will again play an important role this week. For the Lakers, a competitive outing will be high on the priority list.

Broadford and Yea will square off again for the second time in a month, with the Kangaroos looking to make amends for a shock loss to Alexandra last week. The Kangaroos will look to make amends for its loss to Alexandra last week, while for the Tigers, they will continue to do all they can put in a solid performance on the court and excite its fanbase that turn out for the matchup.

Karcher Senior Women’s Football

Following its defeat of Thornton Eildon last week, Yarra Junction will have more confidence onboard for its Saturday morning clash against the might of Upwey Tecoma on its home deck. Recruiting more players to the side over the past few weeks, the Eagles are better placed to mount a challenge to its opponents and the third-placed Tiger army are a good place to start in gauging where they are at. The women of the Burwood Highway put in a formidable performance ANZAC Day, despite going down to Olinda Ferny Creek and will look to get back on track this week.

Thornton Eildon will hope to continue on its pathway of development this week when they take on ladder leaders Healesville on their home deck. Yet to win a game in season 2022, the Shinboners will be hoping to put in a solid performance this weekend against the Bloods who have been dominant in their appearances thus far.

The matchup between Seville and Monbulk will be a good test for both sides, with the Blues still searching for its first victory of the season. The Blues will need to turn its bad start to the season around quickly in order to get themselves back on track, but with the Hawks as its rivals on Saturday afternoon, they too will be looking for a win following a competitive performance against Pakenham last week.

The women’s football match of Yarra Glen and Belgrave will join in the festivities of the Pride Cup, which is scheduled to follow the senior men’s football game in the twilight of Saturday afternoon. Despite having to forfeit last week, the River Pigs will be keen to field a team and put in a good performance for an event which they place a lot of emphasis on. For the Magpies, a loss to Healesville last week put a spanner in the works for this early part of the season but will be out to overcome that this weekend.

Olinda Ferny Creek and Pakenham will square off for the first time, with this match also taking place after the men’s football game up in the hills of the Dandenong Ranges. Both sides are coming off a win last week where the Bloods got the better of Upwey Tecoma in a close game while Pakenham defeated Monbulk. Since her debut against Seville prior to the Easter break, Grace Belloni has been an outstanding performer for the Bloods with great support from Madeline Collins and Chelsea Wilson to name a few, while for the Lions, Chloe Nagel will be sure to have her side up and about for this all important clash.