Football
23 May, 2024
Dimboola face stiff test against Thunder
Dimboola will travel to Rainbow this weekend to take on the formidable Southern Mallee Thunder.
The Thunder are sitting third on the ladder with a massive percentage of 228.79, with two of their three victories being triple figure margins.
The Thunder don't look to have a weakness across the path, and their ability to share the ball around and have multiple players hit the scoreboard is their strength.
Last week they had 10 players hit the scoreboard and in the 21 goals kicked, Jackson Fisher led the way with four goals.
He has hit good form and will be hard to stop alongside Bradley Lowe, a key recruit with strong hands and accurate goal kicking.
For Dimboola, recruit Andrew Moore has proven his worth through the midfield and is likely leading their best and fairest awards.
His impact is significantly amplified when paired with the skilled Dylan Landt and the robust Ben Miller, forming a dangerous midfield combination that has been challenging for opponents to contend with.
Last weekend, the team played without Jackson Calder, who had scored an impressive 19 goals in three games for the Roos. His absence was felt, but with his return, Dimboola’s offensive capabilities are greatly enhanced.
However, for the Roos to secure victory, they must not only dominate the midfield but also find a strategy to stifle the Thunder’s forwards and prevent them from scoring heavily.
On the defensive end, Patrick MacDonough has been a standout for the Roos. Despite not having played much in recent years due to injury, he has made a significant impact this season and is a crucial player for them in defense. Jackson O’Neill is also enjoying a strong season and will play a vital role at full back, bolstering the team's defensive line.
The combination of a strengthened midfield, with Moore, Landt, and Miller leading the charge, and a solid defense anchored by MacDonough and O'Neill, positions Dimboola as a formidable opponent.
As they prepare for their upcoming matches, particularly against the Thunder, the Roos will need to harness these strengths effectively. The return of Calder adds another layer of potency to their attack, but the real test will be balancing their offensive and defensive efforts to secure consistent wins.
In the reserves, the Thunder are sitting in fourth place on the ladder with the Roos in fifth. The under-17s will eye their first win, with the Thunder only having one win for the season thus far whilst the under-14s, sitting in third place will look to stay there with the Thunder sitting in fifth.
Important week for netballers
The A-grade netballers are currently sitting third on the ladder with three wins, and a win is important in the context for their season as the Thunder are sitting fourth, one game behind.
Nicole Polycarpou has been their highest scorer this year with 100 goals and is fresh off a 52 point game against the Eagles.
Defensively, Olivier Beugelaar and Bridget Dorrington have been exceptional, forming a formidable barrier against opposing teams.
Their consistent performance has been a key factor in the team's success this season. Meanwhile, Maddison Marra has been a strong presence through the center, linking defense and attack effectively and driving the team's play forward.
In the other netball divisions, both teams in B-grade are on one win, C-grade both are on two wins and in C-grade, the Roos are on one win with the Thunder on zero, so the senior netball action is going to be a tight throughout all grades.
In juniors, the U17s, both are on two wins so another close contest is expected. In the U15, both teams haven't won with the Thunder drawing against Minyip Murtoa last week and in the U13, the Thunder are on two wins with Dimboola on one, so a win is vital for the Roos.