HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR and Woorndoo-Mortlake are both undefeated after the first three rounds of the Mininera and District Netball Association 2023 season, and with both teams expecting to play finals, today’s winner at Woorndoo Recreation Reserve will gain an advantage.

The Eagles currently occupy the second ladder rung while the Tigers are clinging to fourth, as both teams in great form coming into the game.

Woorndoo-Mortlake had a crushing 33-goal percentage-boosting victory away from home at Caramut last week, while the Eagles only knocked the Swans off by four goals when they met in round one.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur had a dominant 16-goal victory last week against Glenthompson-Dunkeld after having a bye in round two and will be looking to carry this form into today’s game.

While the Eagles are higher on the ladder, the Tigers must be favoured to take the points at home.

Other Games

ALL eyes will be on Penshurst Recreation Reserve today as Penshurst hosts the Ararat Eagles.

The Eagles are in red hot form, thrashing Moyston-Willaura and Great Western respectively in the last two rounds, while Penshurst will be looking to bounce back from its loss to Lismore-Derrinallum last Saturday after posting victories against Great Western and Glenthompson-Dunkeld in its opening games.

Ararat currently occupies the third rung on the premiership ladder, but it’s the highest scoring team in the competition after the first three rounds with the Bombers perched in sixth spot with a vastly inferior percentage to their visitors.

The Bombers were humbled by 19 goals against the ladder-leading Demons last round, and will be tested just as ferociously today by their opponents, while Ararat has scored 161 goals in the last two games, as its attacking strategy was put into action to great effect.

LISMORE-DERRINALLUM will look to continue its undefeated run atop the ladder when it travels to Dunkeld Recreation Reserve to play Glenthompson-Dunkeld.

The Demons have swept all before them in the opening three rounds and are flag favourites at this early stage of the season, while the Rams haven’t been far away in their games to date, but are yet to put all aspects of their game together in the same game.

TATYOON and Caramut will be a closer game than the respective ladder positions indicate, with the Hawks winning both their games to date, while the Swans dropped their games in rounds two and three after defeating Glenthompson-Dunkeld to open the season.

The Hawks sit fifth on the ladder with the Swans in eighth, but a loss by Caramut will open a two-game gap between the two teams that may prove hard to rectify as the season progresses.

GREAT Western Recreation Reserve will be the location for the Great Western and SMW Rovers clash, with both teams far from being at the top of their games.

There has been only one victory between them in the opening three rounds, but the Bulldogs are favoured to take the points with the Lions needing to regroup after being thrashed last weekend.

PENSHURST kept its finals hopes alive with a maiden victory for 2023 last round and will look to improve on that performance today against reigning Mininera and District Football League premier, Ararat Eagles, at Penshurst Recreation Reserve.

Both teams enter the game with a last round win, with the Bombers getting the better of highly favoured Lismore-Derrinallum away from home while Ararat led all the way in its local derby with Great Western.

Penshurst has been thereabouts in all three games it has played this season, and to finally gain the win was just reward for the endeavour this young side has shown over the first three rounds.

The Demons were expected to take the points last Saturday, but the Bombers led all the way to record victory and they will have to perform equally as well this week if they want to keep their finals aspirations alive against Ararat.

Ararat has been wasteful in front of goal in its first three games, kicking 44.48, and the Eagles must rectify this anomaly if they want to record back-to-back premierships, but a first-round defeat at the hands of Tatyoon is the only blot on their copy book.

Ararat had the services of Brad Thomas last weekend but are not expected to have him line up again.

“It was a one-off game to support some lads who supported me when I was coaching Stawell,” Thomas said.

Penshurst will again look to the youngsters in the side to continue the development curve they are on with Henry Bensch, Jacob Mibus and Edward Rentsch all in great form in the opening three rounds.

Other games

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD sits atop the premiership ladder after winning its opening three games and will host Lismore-Derrinallum at Dunkeld Recreation Reserve this afternoon.

The Rams have been tested in the last two games after thrashing Caramut in the wet to open their season, while the Demons will pose another threat, as they seek redemption for the loss to Penshurst last weekend.

The home side toughed out a come-from-behind two-point victory over Hawkesdale-Macarthur last week which kept their unbeaten run going, and the side will be desperate to showcase their skills in front of their supporters at home today.

HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR will be ruing the lost opportunity for victory last round against Glenthompson-Dunkeld when it led by five goals midway through the third term only to allow the Rams back into the contest claim the points on offer.

The Eagles travel to Woorndoo Recreation Reserve today to battle Woorndoo-Mortlake, knowing another loss will open an eight-point gap between the two teams, but also the top five which may prove hard to close.

The Tigers are coming off thrashing Caramut, but that result appears to be likely for all other teams, so they must carry that form into this game if they are going to match it with the Eagles.

TATYOON will enjoy the opportunity to rest any sore bodies when it hosts Caramut at Tatyoon Recreation Reserve, as the Hawks are expected to win easily, just as teams have done in the first three rounds against the Swans.

The last two games will see Wickliffe-Lake Bolac face Moyston-Willaura at Willaura Recreation Reserve, while Great Western Recreation Reserve will host Great Western and SMW Rovers.

This may well be an entertaining match with the Bulldogs in great form after banging home 31-goals against Moyston-Willaura last week while the Lions failed to match up with Ararat last Sunday.

The Lions had won the opening two games before falling to their first loss against Ararat, and they should bounce back quickly from that setback.