Sunday is shaping up to be a fierce contest when the Northern Blues head to Piranha Park to take on Coburg.
After last week’s win against Williamstown opened the account for 2017, the Blues will be hoping to continue their winning ways against another of their close rivals.
Northern went some way to rectifying a disappointing start in Round 1, but they’ll need to put their best foot forward against a Coburg outfit which is desperately searching for its first win of the season.
The Lions have had the wood over the Blues in the Battle of Bell Street in recent years, with Northern’s win last time the sides met their first over their suburban counterparts since 2013.
Over 350 games of AFL experience has been added into the club’s line-up as they welcome Rhys Palmer, Andrew Phillips and Dale Thomas into the side.
Palmer and Thomas will be joined by Jarrod Pickett and Northern-listed Kane Keppel (23rd man) in playing their first VFL games for the club.
Dale Thomas will play his first Northern Blues game on Sunday. (Photo: AFL Media)
As a result, the Blues have no shortage of midfield options to take the game to Coburg on the weekend, with David Cuningham and Sam Kerridge also featuring after impressive games against Williamstown.
However, Northern’s back-line will be without Jesse Glass-McCasker — who sustained an injury in the final quarter against Williamstown — and Alex Silvagni (AFL selection).
It will be the first time the Blues come up against a pair of familiar faces, with Damandeep Aujla and Hisham Kerbatieh named to take on their former side for the first time since departing last year.
The game will be dedicated to Vicki Cleary and all victims of domestic violence, with a minute’s silence to be observed prior to the VFL game.
In positive news for Blues fans, all the action from Coburg will also be streamed on the VFL website.
MATCH DETAILS
VFL Round 3
Coburg vs. Northern Blues
Piranha Park (Coburg City Oval)
Sunday, 30th April — 2pm
Free entry for all supporters
Live stream on VFL.com.au
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Harry McKay: McKay set the tempo for Northern’s win against Williamstown last week, with his three first quarter goals playing a crucial role in the Blues opening an early ascendancy. With Patrick Kerr showing good signs and potentially Kristian Jaksch or Liam Jones in support, Northern’s tall forwards will have to be on-song if the Blues are to record a second straight win. Northern senior coach Josh Fraser said McKay “wasn’t far away” from putting together a breakthrough four-quarter performance.
Rhys Palmer: One of four Northern players coming up for their first VFL games in blue, Palmer returns from a niggling knee injury which has kept him out of action since Carlton’s Round 3 win over Essendon. Palmer proved himself to be a vital asset for Northern in pre-season rotating through the forward line and in the midfield. With Sam Kerridge and Dale Thomas also named, it’s a vast amount of AFL experience for Northern heading into the clash at Piranha Park.
Rhys Palmer will add a wealth of experience to the Northern Blues' line-up on Sunday. (Photo: AFL Media)
Cameron O’Shea: With Alex Silvagni promoted to the senior line-up for his Carlton debut and Jesse Glass-McCasker to miss through injury, Northern recruit Cameron O’Shea will have a huge role to play in holding down the fort defensively. O’Shea has been building by the week for his new club and put in a huge defensive effort against the Seagulls last Saturday: it will need to be more of the same for the 25-year-old.
