Lakes Entrance will head down the highway to tackle Stratford in round 12 of the East Gippsland Football Netball League this Saturday at Boyd Reserve in Stratford with a spring in
its step.
The Seagulls moved up to sixth on the ladder, before the competition bye when it recorded a third win for the season against a struggling Paynesville.
It was the first time for the season the Gulls had got within 100 points of a team, errant kicking seeing the Seagulls victors by just 69 points.
But in Lakes’ favour is that they are taking on a Swans team whose fortunes have turned in the past six weeks.
From a genuine premiership contender, Stratford has lost four of its past five matches and now looks to be locked in a fight to hold fourth spot from a building Orbost Snowy
Rovers team.
The Darren Martin-coached Seagulls have been competitive in most matches this season but their inability to put together four consistent quarters has cost them potentially another couple of wins.
Sam Nickless, Mitch Banner, Liam Carroll, Sean Smith, Angus McKenzie, Tom Hudson and Josh Piper make up the nucleus of a Seagulls line up that has improved considerably this season.
Youngsters such as George Ioakim, Oscar Brazzale, Caleb O’Donnell and Stevens brothers Max and Angus have showed that they are
future stars.
A loss of Sab Etheridge to Queensland will hurt in the run home, especially with Liam Allen out with a nasty hand injury.
The Swans will be a hard nut to crack at home, stars such as Lachie Channing, coach Nathan Pollard and Jarryd Clohesy always hard to stop, as is the mercurial Jack Bacon who Stratford are hopeful of having back in the line up after missing the Orbost match with injury, as well as Floyd Fulton.
Alex Morcom and Jordan Robertson have impressed in recent weeks and they will be looking for big games from Jack Rietschel and Tim Hawkins, if they are to return to form.
Martin is keen to claim a big scalp before the season’s end and he will be hoping it is Stratford.
