Big V 2015: State Championship Men - The Run Home
As the Big V season enters its pointy end, #TeamPnR’s Dean Zardo takes a look at the run home for all thirteen clubs and where they are likely to finish the season.
Ringwood Hawks
Current Record: 13-1 (1st)
Games to come: Waverley (Home), Hume City (Away), Sherbrooke (A), Eltham (H), McKinnon (A), Corio Bay (H), Melbourne (A), Werribee (A), Bulleen (A), Whittlesea (H)
Photo Credit: Big V Media
Apart from tough clashes with Waverley and Corio Bay, the Hawks have a relatively good run into the post-season and should finish in the top two. They have posted 100 points in eight of their past nine games and are on fire at the offensive end right now. The games against the Falcons and Stingrays are also both at home, so you’d back the Hawks to win at least one, if not both of those matchups. Trips to McKinnon, Hume City and Bulleen aren’t shoe-ins, but on current form the Hawks will start warm favourites in each of those as well.
Predicted Record: 22-2 (1st)
Corio Bay Stingrays
Current Record: 12-2 (2nd)
Games to come: Hume City (H), Sherbrooke (A), Bulleen (A), Hawthorn (A), Werribee (H), Whittlesea (A), Ringwood (A), Eltham (H), Waverley (A), McKinnon (H)
After a disrupted off-season and start to 2015, the Stingrays have settled nicely to be running second; however are not the dominant force we have come to expect in recent seasons. Their run home features six away games and isn’t easy either, with trips to Waverley and Ringwood, as well as Bulleen, Whittlesea and Hawthorn, who will all potentially be fighting for a spot in the finals. The Stingrays will also host the dangerous McKinnon in their final game. The matchup with Waverley may prove pivotal in the battle for second place, with a +7 advantage in the split likely to prove handy.
Predicted Record: 20-4 (2nd)
Waverley Falcons
Current Record: 12-3 (3rd)
Games to come: Ringwood (A), Eltham (H), Whittlesea (A), Diamond Valley (A), Hume City (H), Werribee (H), McKinnon (A), Corio Bay (H), Sherbrooke (H)
The Falcons have little room for error from now until the end of the season if they are to snag a spot in the top two. Their draw is similar to both Ringwood and Corio Bay, and given the teams all play eachother once it may well come down to those clashes. Outside of the big matches, only a trip to McKinnon and a matchup with Hume City at home look to have the potential to test Waverley, meaning that there may be hope of a top two finish if they beat every team below them and knock off Corio Bay by more than seven points. Nonetheless, third spot looks more likely.
Predicted Record: 19-5 (3rd)
McKinnon Cougars
Current Record: 9-6 (4th)
Games to come: Bulleen (H), Diamond Valley (A), Eltham (A), Ringwood (H), Whittlesea (H), Hawthorn (A), Waverley (H), Melbourne (H), Corio Bay (A)
Photo Credit: Big V Media
After being 9-2, the Cougars have lost four straight games and it is suddenly difficult to see where their wins are going to come from. They should get wins against Diamond Valley and Melbourne, with clashes against Bulleen, Whittlesea, Eltham and Hawthorn potentially going either way. The Cougars will also face Waverley and Corio Bay in their final three matches and will need to rediscover their best form by then if they are to be in with a chance. The middle of the table is starting to get tight, and if they drop games to Eltham and Whittlesea it may get a whole lot tighter for McKinnon.
Predicted Record: 14-10 (4th)
Hume City Broncos
Current Record: 9-6 (5th)
Games to come: Corio Bay (A), Ringwood (H), Melbourne (A), Diamond Valley (H), Waverley (A), Bulleen (H), Sherbrooke (H), Whittlesea (A), Eltham (A)
The Broncos’ run is tough, with games against the current top three as well as finals aspirants Bulleen, Whittlesea and Eltham to come. Hume has been impressive so far in 2015 after a couple of sub-par seasons, but they have tended to fade out of seasons late and will need to ensure that doesn’t happen again. One thing in their favour is the poor form of McKinnon and Bulleen, which could see them fall into the playoffs anyway. The Boomers, however, do have a +8 advantage on head-to-head before their return clash at Bulleen, which may prove crucial given they are currently separated by just one win.
Predicted Record: 13-11 (6th)
Bulleen Boomers
Current Record: 8-7 (6th)
Games to come: Melbourne (H), McKinnon (A), Corio Bay (H), Werribee (H), Eltham (H), Hume City (A), Sherbrooke (H), Melbourne (A), Ringwood (H)
The Boomers’ season is faltering right now, with offense hard to come by and a last-start loss to lowly Diamond Valley to boot. Rumours of disruptions within the playing group only makes matters worse, and despite a solid run home it could be tough for Bulleen to hold their spot in the playoffs if it all falls apart internally. In saying that, the sides around them aren’t going much better so all the Boomers really need to do is beat those below them and a finals appearance is there for them to take, starting with their clash against Melbourne.
Predicted Record: 13-11 (5th)
Eltham Wildcats
Current Record: 6-8 (7th)
Games to come: Whittlesea (H), Waverley (A), McKinnon (H), Ringwood (A), Bulleen (A), Diamond Valley (H), Whittlesea (A), Corio Bay (A), Werribee (A), Hume City (H)
Life is going to be tough for the Wildcats as they look to inject themselves into the finals race. They will face trips to Waverley, Ringwood and Corio Bay, while also enduring two games against Whittlesea and clashes with Hume City, Bulleen and McKinnon. It is tough to see the ‘Cats making up the games to finish in the top six, with three losses pencilled in against the top three sides. That means that they will have to go undefeated for the rest of the run home to make the finals, which is a very, very big ask.
Predicted Record: 11-13 (9th)
Whittlesea Pacers
Current Record: 6-8 (8th)
Games to come: Eltham (A), Hawthorn (H), Sherbrooke (A), Waverley (H), Corio Bay (H), McKinnon (A), Eltham (H), Diamond Valley (A), Hume City (H), Ringwood (A)
Photo Credit: Big V Media
Whittlesea face a similar run to Eltham, but are arguably in better form after starting the season 0-5 and could potentially snag an extra win or two. Assuming they drop their three games to the top three, they too would need to go just about undefeated to make the finals, unless Bulleen, Hume City or McKinnon fall in a giant hole in the second half of the season. Like the ‘Cats, the Pacers may have one or two few wins to this point, and their shocking start to the season is likely going to cost them a playoffs berth.
Predicted Record: 12-12 (7th)
Hawthorn Magic
Current Record: 6-9 (9th)
Games to come: Diamond Valley (A), Werribee (H), Whittlesea (A), Corio Bay (H), Melbourne (A), Werribee (A), McKinnon (H), Sherbrooke (A), Diamond Valley (H)
The Magic have the best run home of any team in the competition but will need everything to go right if they are to sneak into the finals from here. A loss against Corio Bay is likely, but other than that there are plenty of potential wins on the horizon for the young Hawthorn side. Games against Whittlesea and McKinnon will be the crucial ones, with a loss to either side probably enough to keep them out of the top six given Bulleen and Hume City both have head-to-head on the Magic and McKinnon (+18) and Whittlesea (+16) have big leads heading into their second clash. One less loss to this stage the suddenly we would be talking about the Magic making a run to the playoffs, but it is most probably just out of reach.
Predicted Record: 12-12 (8th)
Sherbrooke Suns
Current Record: 4-10 (10th)
Games to come: Werribee (A), Corio Bay (H), Ringwood (H), Whittlesea (H), Diamond Valley (A), Melbourne (H), Bulleen (A), Hawthorn (H), Hume City (A), Waverley (A)
Sherbrooke has found their offensive groove of late and the Suns are starting to put together some very good performances. Of course, they are well out of the playoffs race and will face a tough run home anyway, with matches against the teams in the top six, minus McKinnon, to come. They do, however, have the chance to play spoilers and have a say in the finals makeup, with a last-start thrashing of McKinnon the perfect example. A disappointing season for the Suns will end with a finish no higher than tenth, but despite only being a win off the bottom, they shouldn’t collect the wooden spoon either.
Predicted Record: 7-17 (10th)
Diamond Valley Eagles
Current Record: 4-11 (11th)
Games to come: Hawthorn (H), Melbourne (A), McKinnon (H), Hume City (A), Waverley (H), Sherbrooke (H), Eltham (A), Whittlesea (H), Hawthorn (A)
Photo Credit: Big V Media
The Eagles have had a bad year but have managed to win two of their last three to pull themselves off the bottom. The face a host of mid-table sides in the run home, which could prove tough for them to grab more wins, with games against Melbourne and Sherbrooke probably their only major hopes to nab a fifth and sixth victory. A win over Bulleen last week showed that they won’t simply roll over, and a victory over Whittlesea earlier this season shows that the Eagles are always a chance to spring an upset; particularly given they play most of their games against teams of that calibre.
Predicted Record: 6-18 (11th)
Melbourne Tigers
Current Record: 3-12 (12th)
Games to come: Bulleen (A), Diamond Valley (H), Hume City (H), Werribee (A), Hawthorn (H), Sherbrooke (A), Ringwood (H), Bulleen (H), McKinnon (A)
The Tigers have recorded just three wins but have been in many more games against decent opposition, which suggest that a couple more wins are still to come before the end of their season. Games against Diamond Valley, Werribee and Sherbrooke are all winnable, while beating Bulleen, Hawthorn or McKinnon is not out of the question either. Avoiding the wooden spoon will be the Tigers’ main priority, meaning the class with Werribee will take on plenty of importance in deciding who finishes with the dreaded kitchen ware. For the record, the Tigers hold a +5 advantage in head-to-head after their first matchup.
Predicted Record: 5-19 (12th)
Werribee Devils
Current Record: 3-12 (13th)
Games to come: Sherbrooke (H), Hawthorn (A), Bulleen (A), Melbourne (H), Corio Bay (A), Hawthorn (H), Waverley (A), Ringwood (H), Eltham (H)
After starting the season 2-0, the Devils lost 12 straight games before breaking the drought against Diamond Valley last week. Werribee has been nothing short of awful since round two and will need to probably win two more games to avoid getting the wooden spoon. Their clash with second-last Melbourne is particularly important in deciding that battle, while their next-up matchup with Sherbrooke is also winnable. Two wins, including beating the Tigers by six or more, will get them off the bottom, while a loss to the Tigers will all-but hand them the spoon.
Predicted Record: 5-19 (13th)
To find your local club’s fixtures and results, and to keep up to date with all the league news and information over the season, head to www.bigv.com.au or click here.