The Northern Blues will be looking for a response in one of the VFL’s toughest tests when they travel to Burbank Oval to face Williamstown tomorrow afternoon.
After being demoralised at the hands of the Casey Scorpions, the Blues head to the home of one of their fiercest rivals looking to atone for last week’s result.
The test couldn’t be any tougher for the Blues, facing the reigning premiers in red-hot form after they sent out a warning shot to the rest of the competition with a 74-point win over the previously undefeated Werribee.
The Blues and the Seagulls have offered some classic VFL matches in recent years, with a Northern four-point triumph in 2014 followed by a Williamstown one-point win in the season opener last year.
Northern have named 19 AFL-listed players in a very extended squad of 31, with all seven players named on Carlton’s extended squad featuring.
First-year Blue David Cuningham has been named in Northern’s starting midfield, while fellow draftees Jesse Glass-McCasker and Jack Silvagni may also return.
Long-term injured Blue Ciaran Sheehan may also make his eagerly-awaited return this weekend, named on the extended bench after more than 18 months on the sidelines.
In what has been a typically fiery affair in recent years, the Blues will be heartened by the return of Brent Bransgrove, who will look to make up for the losses of Kieran McGuinness and captain Tom Wilson through injury.
Following his incredible solo performance last weekend, Nick Graham again reprises a role in a midfield battle which will be pivotal against the likes of Sean Hetherington, Michael Gibbons and returning Williamstown captain Ben Jolley.
With the Blues only managing two goals last weekend, the onus will be on the likes of Kristian Jaksch, Hisham Kerbatieh and former Seagull Ben Casley.
Jason Tutt (who was the Blues’ best the last time they faced Williamstown) and potentially Andrejs Everitt may also be in line to face their former side, who will be looking for their fourth consecutive win.
After bursting out of the blocks to start his Williamstown career with seven goals in his first three games, Ayce Cordy will be his side’s No.1 ruckman in the absence of former Northern Blue Nick Meese.
Should either man feature for the Northern Blues this weekend, Michael Jamison and Simon White could have their hands full with Sam Dunell and Arryn Siposs, who have been the VFL’s most lethal forward duo to start the season.
Northern’s big loss last weekend saw Josh Fraser’s side slip to 13th on the ladder, and in desperate trouble of falling away from the pack after the season’s opening month.
MATCH DETAILS
VFL Round 6
Williamstown vs. Northern Blues
Casey Fields
2pm, Saturday May 14
Adults $10, Concession $5, Kids under 15 free
Northern Blues members - half price
PLAYERS TO WATCH
David Cuningham: Playing his first game since the Blues’ sole 2016 triumph against Geelong in Round 2, Cuningham returns from a hip injury in a much-needed boost for Northern’s midfield stocks. After losing Dennis Armfield to AFL selection in recent weeks and Tom Wilson out after a concussion, Cuningham, Nick Graham (if selected) and Blaine Boekhorst will be the prime-movers for the Blues at the coalface.
Matthew Dick: Quietly going about his business down back in recent years, Matthew Dick has been Northern’s most-prolific possession winner after the opening five rounds. Dick has averaged just under 25 disposals per game to start the season, and will have a pivotal role to play in quelling the ever-dangerous forward-line threat of the Seagulls.
Brent Bransgrove: Coming up for his 99th game in the VFL, the Northern stalwart knows quite a bit about the storied recent history between the Blues and the Seagulls. Back in the squad after being unavailable last weekend, Bransgrove will have to put in a big shift and be at his ruthless best if Northern are to come away with a victory at a ground where they haven’t come away with the four points in seven years.
