Coburg Districts eyeing clash with EDFL Division 2 ladder leader Roxburgh Park, the “Hillside of this year”

CHRIS Tankard describes Essendon District Football League Division 2 ladder leader Roxburgh Park as the Hillside of 2014. And with good reason.

CHRIS Tankard describes Roxburgh Park as the Hillside of 2014.

The Sharks were a class above last season, the unstoppable force collecting the Essendon District Football League’s Division 2 premiership and gaining promotion to Division 1.

It seems Roxburgh Park — which last weekend chalked up its 10th straight win — is positioned on a similar path midway through this season.

But as his side prepares to tackle the Magpies on Saturday, Coburg Districts coach Tankard said the premiership favourites were certainly not unbeatable.

“I’m really impressed with what they’ve done this year — with their disciplines and how they play well together and run hard for each other,” Tankard s aid.

“But it’s a good chance for us to test where we’re at. Hopefully we can be the first side to beat them.”

The Lions got within 33 points of Roxburgh Park when the sides last met in Round 5, the fourth smallest margin the Magpies have won by this season.

And Tankard knows his side will have to be at its best if it wants to make further inroads this time.

“We did push them and I think we match up pretty well on them, we’ve just got to come to play that day,” Tankard said.

A genuine contender this year, the Lions sit third on the ladder, a position they could have just about rubber-stamped if not for a disappointing defeat to Keilor Park last weekend.

The Lions had a shocker at home, trailing at every change to go down by 46 points.

A win would have opened up a 12-point gap on fourth-placed Keilor Park but instead just four points separated the two sides last week going into the weekend’s Round 11 matches.

“It was a massive missed opportunity for us,” Tankard said.

“But we’re happy with where we are at the moment and we’re looking forward to making sure we consolidate a spot in the four.”

Tankard’s side hit back on the weekend though, hammering first-year club Burnside Heights by 164 points, Gregory O’Shea booting eight goals.