Pindan Premier Grade Preview - Week 15

Match of the Round

The Pindan Premier Grade Round 15 match of the round sees final contenders UWA and Cottesloe line up against each other at McGillivray Oval on Saturday afternoon.

 

Defending champions UWA have been inconsistent for large parts of the 2012 season, but were on a three-game winning streak before suffering a 43-15 loss against Associates last Saturday.

 

Currently sitting in fifth place, the Students know they must win their remaining fixtures if they are to defend their title.

 

UWA coach Steve McFarland was disappointed with his team’s performance last weekend and is hoping his players can lift in the remaining four fixtures.

 

“It was obviously disappointing to lose last weekend as I felt we had been starting to put together some form for a late run at a finals position,” he said.

 

“We gave far too many penalties away last weekend against Soaks through ill-discipline so cutting this out of our game has been the focus in training.”

 

McFarland believes it will be a tough game against Cottesloe, but outlined that the Students will have three or four players returning from injury.

 

“It’s a nice point in the season to be getting players back from injury, as I feel it could be the extra push we need to secure four victories,” he continued.

 

“Cottesloe are a well balanced team and of late results have always been close, often settled by a point or so.

 

“If we are to play finals football in September we need to win these matches and show we deserve to be in the top four to defend our title.”

 

Cottesloe are the visitors to McGillivray Oval and are sitting third on the table after a 36-23 victory over Wests Subiaco.

 

The visitors are coming into the match in strong from after recording four victories in the last month and will be hoping to record their fifth consecutive win to secure their position in the top four.

 

Gulls coach Ian Fowler has delighted with his side’s recent string of victories and will be hoping that form can continue.

 

“I was obviously happy to record a big win over Wests, which saw us continue our unbeaten streak to four matches,” he said.

 

“The table is still tight and we are playing for our finals future, so it is essential we continue our undefeated streak.

 

“UWA are a fantastic team and I’m sure Steve McFarland has been doing his research on how they can get the points this weekend, and potentially leapfrog us should they win.

 

“It’s a big weekend and it’s almost like a final with a win going a long way in securing a place come September.”

 

Fowler said his side has some injury concerns, but was happy that his side will regain their influential captain Jarrett Budworth.

                                                                                    

“It is a good time to welcome Jarrett back into the team – as well as Dave Kirton – especially as we are playing a strong UWA side,” he said.

 

“We have lost a few players to injury in recent weeks, so I am looking forward to getting more players back in the coming weeks.”

 

After starting the Pindan Premier Grade competition in fine fashion and being in contention to finish in the top four only a matter of weeks ago, both Wanneroo and Wests Subiaco will have to win their remaining games or settle for a mid-table position for 2012.

 

Wanneroo, in the last month have rediscovered their early season form, and are on a two-game winning streak after thrashing Perth Bayswater 40-22 last weekend. After suffering close losses to second-placed Associates (20-15) and fourth placed Palmyra (17-15) in the last month, Wanneroo will be hoping they can record a win that will see them leapfrog Wests on the table.

 

Despite sitting in the top four for most of the season, the visitors to Landsdale this weekend have seen their form slide dramatically, including a 36-23 loss against Cottesloe last Saturday. Although not mathematically being out of finals contention, Wests will need results from other teams to go in their favour, as well as winning their remaining four fixtures starting against Wanneroo on Saturday.

 

The Associates are the in-form team of the Pindan Premier Grade and will be going into their match against fourth placed Palmyra to extend their undefeated streak to eight matches. The hosts currently occupy second position on the league table, three points behind Nedlands, and will be hoping to amend their round six loss against Paly, which ironically was the last time they suffered defeat.

 

Palmyra has been one of the quiet achievers of the 2012 Pindan Premier Grade competition and occupies fourth position on the table after eclipsing out-of-sought Rockingham 48-10 last Saturday. With defending champions UWA hot on their heels, Paly will know a win will go a long way in securing their finals position come September.

 

The 2012 season has not been a memorable one for both Kalamunda and Rockingham as they sit bottom and second-bottom of the Pindan Premier Grade table respectively.

 

Nothing has gone right for the hosts since their shock 27-15 win over Wanneroo a month ago, and this continued last Saturday with a 48-10 thrashing at the hands of Paly last Saturday. Rockingham will be hoping for a repeat of their earlier victory against Kalamunda this season to ensure that they do not receive the dubious honour of holding the wooden spoon this season.

 

The 2012 season hasn’t panned out the way Kalamunda would have liked either as they recorded their 13th loss of the campaign with a 34-5 defeat to Nedlands. With a string of matches against top four placed teams – Associates, Palmyra and Cottesloe – the match against Rockingham presents the visitors with the best chance of victory before the end of the 2012 season.

 

The final match of Round 15 sees top-of-the-table Nedlands play host to Perth Bayswater.

 

Nedlands got their season back on track last weekend with a 34-5 thrashing of Kalamunda after losing their previous two matches. The visitors, Perth Bayswater, have only won three matches in 2012, so league-leaders Nedlands will be looking to record their second consecutive victory in as many matches.

 

The 2012 season has been a tough one on-field for Perth Bayswater and it continued last weekend as they suffered a 40-22 loss to Wanneroo last Saturday. This weekend does not get any easier and they will be hoping to expose an injury-plagued Nedlands side to record the fourth win of their campaign.