Adelaide Footy League: Wakefield Sports Clinic Div 7 Round 10 preview

THE Adelaide Footy League’s Wakefield Sports Clinic Division 7 is tight, with percentage likely to determined spots in the top five, with this week’s clashes crucial.

THE Adelaide Footy League’s Wakefield Sports Clinic Division 7 is tight, with percentage likely to determined spots in the top five, with this week’s clashes crucial.

It will be decidedly the case for Adelaide University and St Pauls OS as they battle just to achieve a berth in this year’s finals.

Nothing shows that more than this week’s fixtures, with the Blacks eyeing a considerable percentage boost in their contest against lowly Flinders University.

Meanwhile, the Saints will be out to upset one of the flag fancies in Mitchell Park, but preventing a blowout defeat may be almost as favourable.

Unfortunately St Pauls OS was unable to avoid that fate last round when it suffered a percentage-hammering 75-point loss to Adelaide Lutheran.

Adelaide University has had three weeks between action so should be well freshened to feast on the Crabs, who suffered a heartbreaking two-point loss to Central United before last weekend’s mid-season break.

With Adelaide Lutheran having another week off itself before returning to the field, the Lions may see their match-up on Saturday as a chance to reduce the gap that has them just behind the Bulldogs in third spot.

At the same time, they will be eager to rebound from a disappointing defeat to Tea Tree Gully, while also being out to maintain pressure on ladder leader Para Hills.

The Big Reds are on the road to Mofflin Reserve this week to meet Central United, which should keep their one-win buffer intact atop the Wakefield Sports Clinic Division 7 ladder.

The home side will be in for a long day, though, if Michael Skinner, Robert Pinkie, Oscar Richards and Shayne Scanlon from Para Hills continue their rampage in a similar vein to their crushing 124-point win over North Pines before the break.

However, buoyed by their own success two weeks ago, Bulldogs Rory McMillan, Michael Hayes, Jim Daley and Nathan Addison would relish the opportunity to cause a major surprise.

The remaining encounter in Round 10 pits North Pines against Tea Tree Gully.

The Redbacks will not want to fall too far back from the other finals challengers, already two wins in arrears of the Saints and the Blacks, but it will be difficult to overcome a rising Gullies outfit, which still has the top-three within their sights.

A slow start didn’t hold back Tea Tree Gully from stunning its higher-ranked opponent last round by a substantial 56 points.

Dean Coats, David Ford, Shane Latham and Jason Power showed that the Gullies are right in the mix of contenders following that imposing result.