..:: Latest News ::..

Round 8 Preview - 29/11/08

Premier League
Following last weeks rain, round 8 of the Sports Power backed Premier League will head to the Barnard St Lawn Complex to test the players on tennis's natural surface.

Spring Gully Mozzies vs Strath Park Storm @ Lawn Crts 8, 9 & 10

This weeks match of the round sees the improving Mozzies trying to continue their rise up the Premier League Ladder when they take on Strathdale Park Storm.  The Mozzies have been chipping away over the last three weeks and might have added the scalp of South Bendigo to their list last week if the heavens hadn't opened and forced an early finish to the day.

The word around tennis circles is the Mozzies are about to get stronger, with stalwart Danielle Bowles seen practicing at the Nolan St courts for the first time this year.  Whilst Jessica Hartland and Bronwyn Osborne have taken all before them this year, "Dal" adds a new dimension to the strongest womens line up in Central Victoria.

For the Men, Jamie Brown and Travis Toner will be looking to put up a better showing than the last time these teams met.  The Storm pairing of Terry Smith and Andrew Lethlean dominated all the matches in round 3 to get their team over the line.  The combinations maybe slightly different with Mick Smyth likely to replace Lethlean at no 2.

In the lower men Michael Hogan will have his first hit in Premier League for some years for the Storm.  Hogan will combine with James McArthur and may find the step up against the Mozzies Peter Valientine and Steven Rogers to be tough going.

With Mozzies starting to show the fight of old, they may have to many weapons for the Storm.

Verdict:  In a close match the Mozzies to win 7sets to 5.

South Bendigo vs Castlemaine @ Lawn Crts 5, 6 & 7

South Bendigo and Castlemaine will do battle in round 8.  This was a very one sided match in round 3 with South taking all but three sets against a hapless Maine.

Matt Hartland and Shane Burke have been the pillars of strength for the Maine in recent weeks and will need to be right on top of their games if they are to match it with the Premier Leagues top ranked team.  Hartland will especially have his work cut out against the rampaging Corbin Fleming.

In the lower mens, Dean Harris and Robert Jefferies will be looking for a improved performance against Grant Leader and Jono Guy.  Jefferies and Guy are two young players who will provide the future of premier league and both will be keen to perform for their respective teams.

The womens battle should be a fairly open-shut case, with Ashlea Bakers and Erin Colmans return likely to provide South with the points over Alyssa Cole and Jessie Culpitt.

Verdict: South are not the top team in premier league by mistake and will have far to many weapons for the Maine.  Expect a closer match than the last these two played with South likely to win 8 sets to 4.

Strath Park vs Bendigo Lawn @ Lawn Crts 2, 3, & 4

An almost do or die for Strath Park this week as they take on the glamour team of Premier League Bendigo Lawn.  The lawn have been the surprise packs this season, with the newly formed team gelling from the word go.  They have only dropped one match this season and look like grand final certainties.

The same can't be said for Strath, who have had a polar opposite season to this point.  Whilst Strath have been competitive in all their matches this year, they have lacked the killer blows to turn honorable losses into victories.  This will be the toughest test they have faced yet, against an opponent who are keen to move to the top.

The promising battle in this match looks to be Strath's young gun Eliza Long's battle with the ever consistent Mandy Connors-Butson.  The last time these teams met, Connors-Butson scored a close tiebreaker victory which provided the impetus to drive her team to victory.  Long however is always improving and will look to utilise her superior court speed and movement to move here opponent around the court.

In the mens the Lawn combination of Curt and Ward Garwood, along with Stefan Butson, Michael Nihill and Nick Bath have been the backbone of a powerful team.  They have rarely been beaten in the mens and will provide a real test for Jack and Alistair Baker, Jarred Epps and Reuben Ellis.  The Strath men must stand up and win their share of matches if their team are to succeed.

Verdict:  It is very hard to see an upset here, with the lawn likely to push toward the top with an 8 set to 4 victory.

Sports Power Senior Pennant 2008/09

Section 2
Spring Gully New China vs Spring Gully Sensation @ CCC 12 & 13
Epsom vs BLTC Bronze @ CCC 16 & 17
Spring Gully Blue vs BLTC Green @ CCC 14 & 15

Section 3
BLTC Gold vs BLTC Blue @ CCC 6 & 7
BLTC Federer vs Strath Park Symmetry @ CCC 8 & 9
BLTC Rafa vs BLTC Red @ CCC 10 & 11