If, like me, you love a bit of drama with your footy, then you weren’t left disappointed in round nine of the Peel Football and Netball League.
If you happened to miss the action, here’s a quick recap:
- Halls Head’s game with Pinjarra was called off in the first quarter, with each side taking two premiership points.
- Leroy Jetta took to the field as a Tiger for the first time, only getting to play the 17 minutes in the forfeit game.
- South Mandurah knocked off what was an undefeated Baldivis side in the upset of the season (so far).
- Centrals smashed what was a red-hot Rockingham on their own deck.
- Waroona took care of business against Mandurah to get themselves off the bottom of the ladder.
Now, let’s start with the ramifications of that first point and how it’s going to directly affect the upcoming round.
Halls Head were two goals up when the game got called off, and have every right to believe they would go on to upset Pinjarra (particularly given it just seemed to be a round for upsets).
If they go on to win that game, they’re a clear four points ahead of Centrals and South Mandurah, as opposed to just two.
It’s significant given each of the three sides’ opponents in round 10.
South Mandurah and Centrals are both touted to pick up wins this coming week as they take on the bottom two Mandurah and Waroona respectively.
Meanwhile Halls Head travel to Baldivis, to face a team that you would think is pretty filthy on themselves after taking their first loss.
So, if results go the way they’re expected (which is a big if), Halls Head is all of a sudden outside the top five with their fellow contenders now in hot form.
Meanwhile Pinjarra takes on Rockingham, a team they could have been four premiership points clear of, with the winner claiming second spot.
Oh yeah, and they also put a black and gold jumper on Leroy Jetta, so there’s that too…
Now while I personally disagree with the game being called off, you also have to recognise bylaws are there for a reason, and if they’re going to produce this kind of jostling jumble for a ladder position then hey, more power to them.
The boring half of the year (which actually wasn’t that boring) is behind us, and now every week clubs are going to have one eye on the ladder and how it’s affecting their finals hopes.
Seriously, get to a game this week, because this country footy league is the most entertaining in the state.
Justin Rake
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
Sports journalist for the Mandurah Mail, Australian Community Media, Fairfax Media.
