EFL 2018: Mitcham looking to lift itself out of the Division 2 relegation zone

THE Division 2 relegation battle is set to run to the wire with Mitcham’s Round 17 clash against Mooroolbark set to possibly decide who will be demoted from the second tier.

Mitcham coach Neil Winterton. Picture: Hamish Blair

THE Division 2 relegation battle is set to run to the wire with Mitcham’s Round 17 clash against Mooroolbark set to possibly decide who will be demoted from the second tier.

The Mustangs have been one of the disappointments of 2018, sitting above the drop zone by a game with just three wins for the year.

After going winless through the first six rounds of the season, Mitcham has given itself a chance of avoiding the axe with two wins and a draw in the past eight rounds.

RIDDLE EYEING FLAG SUCCESS AT THE HAWKS

KINGS EMERGE AS FLAG CONTENDER

Coach Neil Winterton said fixtures against Mulgrave and Mooroolbark in the run home could determine if his side lifts itself out of the drop zone for the first time this year.

“They (Mooroolbark) are a game in front of us and decent percentage so effectively two games but the beauty of that is our destiny is in our own hands,” he said.

“We obviously think we can win every week but those two games are obvious standouts, absolute must-wins, and I’d say we’d need to get another win along the way as well.”

Jesse Cherry shrugs a tackle for Mitcham. Picture: Hamish Blair

Winterton said his side’s Division 2 future could boil down to the Round 17 clash against Mooroolbark.

“That’s certainly on the cards, from our perspective we’re hoping not, we’d be happy to win every game we play in but that is obviously a distinct possibility that it could be a finals-type game for both teams,” he said.

“We’ve got some tough games before that, we’ve got Mulgrave before that, who are starting to play some good footy as well and they took care of Mooroolbark pretty convincingly just last week.

“We’ve got to get over them first but that Round 17 game could be a big one for both sides.”

Forward Jake Parente, last year’s best and fairest winner Lachlan Ryan and utility Anthony Willenberg will return to the side in the coming weeks.

Winterton said the Tigers had not “quite been able to nail that four-quarter performance” as they did in the Round 9 upset over flag fancy Doncaster East.

“Ultimately we want to be in Division 1 so to take a step back in Division 3 would obviously be a blow,” he said.

“We’re really keen to stay in Division 2 and we’re going to be doing everything we can over the next five weeks to make sure that happens.”