Adelaide Footy League: Aldi Division 4 Round 2 preview

SMITHFIELD will be hoping to open its 2017 account when its visits Gepps Cross in division four action this weekend.

SMITHFIELD will be hoping to open its 2017 account when its visits Gepps Cross in division four action this weekend.

The Panthers – promoted after losing to Hectorville in last season’s division five decider – have dropped their opening two games of the new Adelaide Footy League season.

Smithfield matched Edwardstown after quarter-time in the opening round before falling just short of a maiden win against Hectorville in round two.

Led by Daniel Cook and Ian Bellman, the Panthers will be hoping to take down Gepps Cross, which finished the opening fortnight of the season with a win and defeat.

Smithfield will have to limit the impact of Jack Wood and Josh Bald – who were influential in the Rams’ win – if they are to avoid falling to 0-3.

Salisbury is also hoping to earn its first competition points of 2017.

The Magpies will have their work cut out, visiting undefeated Colonel Light Gardens.

It will be another tough test for Salisbury after losing to first-placed North Haven in round two.

The Magpies’ defence was no match for Tom Lipson and Kyran Dixon, who combined for 13 goals, and will have to stop Lions’ gun Alistair Fleming (nine goals in two games).

Colonel Light Gardens can keep pace with early-season leaders North Haven.

North Haven would be favourites to take down Kilburn at Blair Athol Reserve and improve to 3-0.

The aforementioned Lipson and Dixon have been impressive for the Magpies, as have Chris Lipson and Ross Merrett.

In other games, Hectorville will look to notch its second-straight victory when it hosts Eastern Park at Daly Oval.

The Hounds take on a Demons outfit coming off a crushing 86-point victory over Edwardstown.

A win for either side would propel them to 2-1 after three rounds.

Meanwhile, former Southern Football League counterparts Edwardstown and Morphettville Park will go head-to-head in a new league for the first time.

The Roos were strong from start to finish in their 96-point thumping of Kilburn last start.

Jackson Trezise, Gareth Baldwin and Sam Barnett have started the season in strong form for Morphies.