IN the 2007 grand final, Jervois hit the front by four points with six seconds left on the clock.
In round one this year it was 15-10 a piece, a draw to continue the amazing run of results between Imperials and Jervois.
But come Saturday I’d expect Imperials, who are in better form at the minute, to stitch up Jervois and come out comfortable winners.
It’s been the Trevor Rigney show over the last three weeks at Jervois.
Twenty-six goals, averaging nine a game, but it’s impossible to sustain this golden run of form.
The hardest part about trying to contain Trevor Rigney is if you put a small player on him, he jumps on his head and takes big marks.
If you put a tall player on him, he just beats him to the contest and out runs him every time.
Rigney just seems to be able to flick the switch in every big game he plays.
He was best on ground in the 2007 Grand final, he was best on ground in last year’s representative game and he just never puts in a poor game.
Tony Fielke will try to restrict his influence by applying a stopper.
If they contain him to five goals, Imperials will have gone a long way towards winning the game because someone else has to take up the slack.
Don’t forget about Sam Mahony, another Jervois player that has a brilliant record against Imperials in big games.
Jervois has enormous self-belief, they think they can win regardless of their position during the game.
Imperials have a habit of choking in unlosable games.
At this point in time Imperials are in better form.
A three-pronged attack led by the world’s slowest man Martin Ballie.
Ballie is a big unit, who has had a lovely Christmas, but he is impossible to shift off the footy.
He has got bigger love handles than Joan Collins and he still kicks five goals a game.
Mathew Kowald is still learning his craft and he is a pretty useful foil for Ballie.
The return of Luke Harrowfield beefs up the Blues’ forward line even more.
Ryan Edwards up against the experienced Jason Bayless will test the young ruckman out, but his form is pretty handy leading into this game.
Ryan Eyre, Ash Temby and Daniel Girdham up against Zac Ewer, Jamie Jagodnik and Russell Jarvis.
You would go a long way to see a better contest than this Saturday, but Imps at home should get over the line by 21 to 30 points.
Mypolonga v Meningie
It’s time for the Tigers to reload for the second half of the season.
They would have expected to be sitting better than three wins and three losses.
The talent is there but the self-belief isn’t.
There have to be changes and the first change would have to be a ban on wearing yellow boots.
Joe Pedler went home to Cummins for Christmas and saw them on special in the shop window, two for the price of one.
He brought two pairs and gave one to George and I reckon he gave George the two left ones because he is struggling at the minute and doesn’t look right.
I reckon George is wearing dancing pumps instead of footy boots.
The Tigers thumped Meningie in the opening round by 20 goals and on paper they look much stronger.
They have four scoring forwards in Brad Martin, Joe Pedler, Brendan Corrie and Caine Lynn.
The Meningie Bears don’t have one at the minute.
The Bears haven’t been able to kick over 10 goals this season.
They have played some good quarters here and there, but they haven’t been unable to sustain it and just get pushed off the footy in the finish.
Evan Smith is a great toiler for the Bears, but as hard as they kick it forward, it just gets banged back over their head.
Young players take time to find their feet but the bigger bodies of the Tigers will force the Bears into errors and cause turnovers.
Brad Martin managed eleven goals in the opening round and there is every chance he will repeat the dose this time around.
Meningie will win a game eventually but not this Saturday.
Mypolonga by 100 plus.
Mannum v Ramblers
The Roosters are limping over to Mannum with five players under an injury cloud.
It’s a pretty depleted lineup without the “brick with eyes” Daniel Zadow, the clever forward Ben Dougall, Jarrad Weyland in doubt and with Matt Mundy and Ryan Morris no certainties, you would think the Mannum Roos may sense they are a silly chance.
The Roos are nearly back to full strength, but it’s all about the midfield and key forwards at Mannum.
It’s a huge ground at Mannum, a ground where Mark Marchetti learned the game and he has the advantage of the form forward in the competition Adam Jackson on fire at centre-half-forward.
Jackson has hit a purple patch and Clint Girardi bobbed up in his first game for 2008 with a seven-goal haul.
Throw in the dangerous Liam O’Neil, who is the leading small forward in the competition, and it’s still a very potent attack.
The time for excuses from Mannum has finished.
At their best they are a pretty handy unit but they just haven’t put four quarters together.
Their season starts again on Saturday, 10 games to go before finals and they have to ask themselves if they want to be part of it.
The young ruckmen Ty Pfieffer and Alex Mason take on the more seasoned Brad Wakefield.
The great man Justin “Shovel” Moloney busts his gut every week, Shane Harte and Ben Quinn always have a go, Adam Nitschke holds their defence together and if Josh Gould and Matt Connolly can hold together they will trouble the Roosters for half a game.
Class will prevail in the finish, the Roosters have got too many options going into attack and with Luke Button overdue for a big one I’d expect them to coast home in the finish.
Ramblers 51 to 60 points.
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