Andrew Tranquilli and Tim Bongetti analyse Diamond Creek, Eltham blockbuster
Ahead of Saturday’s top-of-the-table blockbuster between Diamond Creek and Eltham, the opposing coaches have pinpointed each other’s strengths.
Northern
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Ahead of the most eagerly anticipated match of the NFNL Division 2 season, rival coaches Andrew Tranquilli and Tim Bongetti have cast their eye over each other’s outfits.
Tranquilli’s ladder-leading Diamond Creek hosts Bongetti’s pre-season premiership favourite Eltham in a possible grand final preview at Coventry Oval on Saturday.
The two clubs are locked together at the top of the table with just one loss each for the year but the Creekers’ hold a significant percentage lead.
Diamond Creek claimed the first meeting of the season with a 19-point victory at Central Park and will be looking to complete the season sweep.
Tranquilli has engineered a suffocating defensive scheme that has seen rivals average just 35 points per game.
Bongetti knows if his Panthers are to secure victory it must find a way to score.
“They’re a good outfit, coached by a good coach, AT is a very experienced coach who has a lot more experience than I have, coaching at the level and the level above,” Bongetti said.
“I’ve heard him speak about it that if they can keep sides to 40 points a game, they win the game, we know that’s their strongest aspect so we’ve got to find a way to score.
“We’ve been working on it for the past couple of weeks, we’re getting some players back from injury or who have been overseas.
“If you can keep the ball away from their prolific ball-winners like Searl, Bedford and Dale Marshall then you can control the game.
“If you allow them to get two-on-ones and out-number you in the air then you play into their hands.
“We’ll throw a few things at them and see what it looks like but at this time of year, I wouldn’t expect he’ll show me and I won’t show him all the clubs in the bag.”
That defensive system will be tested on the wide expanses of Coventry Oval.
Tranquilli will be looking to keep the pressure high to deny Eltham any free-flowing ball movement.
“I’ve always had Eltham high up, the way they run the club, they’ve recruited and the calibre of players they’ve got, they’re one of the sides to beat, if not the side to beat,” he said.
“We’ve got a good opportunity this week, we think we’re playing some good footy, so we’ll see how we measure up against them.
“Watching what I have watched over their last three or four games they’re really thrown up a mix of players.
“We know they’re style of play is dynamic, they’re really quick across the ground, they can use the ball well and cut you up.
“(Coventry) does suit Eltham, they’ve beaten us there in the last couple of years.
“They move the ball so well and because it is a bigger ground it is harder to defend and they’re able to use their weapons.
“We’re just have to put a couple of strategies in place to try and suffocate them as much as we can and minimise their forward entries.”
Both clubs possess serious weaponry.
Diamond Creek star Jacob Booth is currently second in the Coaches’ MVP voting, while Panther Jesse Donaldson close behind in third.
Nick Barro has been named in the Creekers’ best nine times in 14 appearances, while off-season addition Mitch Tobin, Tyler Barnes and Ryan Donaldson have been impressive.
Eltham small forwards Jason McCormick and Daniel Owen have booted 31 and 26 goals respectively and are sure to give their defenders headaches, while Lane Sinclair, Anton Woods and Liam Frazer have also stoodout.
Both coaches are expected to let their players go head-to-head, which is sure to please what should be a bumper crowd.
“We’re not so much a lockdown (team), you’re aware of their key players – Jesse Donaldson is in terrific form,” Tranquilli said.
“We’re more about how we can defend as a team, your aware of dangerous players, Donaldson, Avramov is always dangerous against us, Culligan is a big body and Ayres out of the backline, along with Merkel who’s a good interceptor.
“You can put a lot of energy into saying ‘how can we stop A, B or C’ but with a side like Eltham you’ve got to respect every player on the list and provide a defensive structure that can nullify their weapons.”
Bongetti agreed, adding: “there’ll be times (we lockdown), Booth is a great footballer and I don’t reckon there’d be many who could lock him down in the competition,” he said.
“You can compete with them and see how long we can sustain it for, when he goes forward that when he’s more of a worry because he hits the scoreboard.
“We’ve also got guys like Jesse Donaldson, (Nathan) Perone and Benny Mont (Montanaro) who has played two games in the reserves now after coming back from overseas.”
Eltham has been forced to explore its depth, using 44 players with just three playing all 14 matches.
Diamond Creek meanwhile has used just 35 players and had 10 players featured in every game.
Changes are expected for Saturday.
The Creekers should have Footscray VFL-listed gun Ewen Macpherson for his third game, while Andrew Elward, Ryan Pingree, Jayden Walker, Chris Maloney and Daniel Jarvis face fitness tests.
The Panthers will retain Sebastian Molloy after he garnered coaches votes in his senior debut.
Best-and-fairest winner Montanaro as well as Bradyn Taglieri, James Minehan and Matt Byron are in line to return.
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Both coaches are looking forward to testing themselves.
Tranquilli – “It’s probably the right time of the year for a good test,” he said.
“Both sides will get plenty out of it with learning, hopefully the win goes our way but whoever wins it will definitely have a psychological advantage going forward.”
Bongetti – “It couldn’t fall on a better week with no Division 1 game. It’s going to be a good one.”
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