Rebounding Rovers loom as a big hurdle to jump for a youthful Pioneer in Alice Springs football

Can the Eagles hunt down the Double Blue Rovers jumpers in their Round 4 CAFL clash at Traeger Park

Pioneer’s goalkicker Shawn Foster celebrates a goal. Picture: SOCIAL MEDIA NT

PIONEER has the tough task of subduing a rebounding Rovers when the two sides meet in their Central Australian Football League clash at Traeger Park tomorrow.

The Eagles are coming off a bye and face a Rovers side coming off a last kick loss to Federal seven days ago.

Pioneer president Owen Cole is under no illusions on the difficult task in front of coach Danny Measures’ young side.

“Rovers have been the dominant team in the competition for the last three years, but I’m confident we’ll be ultra competitive again,’’ Cole said.

“Rovers have got a player I still rate as one of the best footballers in the NT in Cameron Ilett, but we’ve got some players who will give very good accounts of themselves.

“Kylan Bishop won our club best and fairest last season with his ability to run through the midfield all day and become a ball magnet.’’

Shawn Foster and Clayton Walker up forward and Jawoyn Cole-Manolis are other Eagles who will have to produce big games if they are to topple the reigning premier.

Ilett will run out for Rovers today in another boost for Damien Hall’s side as go in search of a hat-trick of CAFL flags.

The unbeaten Federal will start favourites against Wests at Albrecht Oval.

But the black and red jumpers showed enough in their narrow loss to Souths last week to suggest their youth policy is producing positive results.

Federal impressed with their come from behind win over Rovers last week and coach Dave Thomas will look for more of the same from playmakers Abe Ankers, Braydon Weily and Josh Dixon in front of goals.

The Demons produced a spread of seven goalkickers in booting 13 goals to 12 against the premier, a statistic Thomas noted when analysing the Rovers game.

Ankers will again be a prime mover for Federal out of the middle and running through half forward, raising the probability of a tag when Wests coach Shaun Cusack puts together his gameplan this week.

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