After two weeks without a senior game, Strathmerton will be looking to kickstart its Picola and District Football League season on Saturday against Berrigan.
The Bulldogs have had an interrupted start to the 2022 season, falling to Waaia in round one and producing a convincing win in round two against Katandra, before facing two weeks on the sidelines.
For Berrigan it has been an up and down opening few rounds, winning in round one and three before suffering a big defeat to Tungamah last weekend.
The Saints are sure to put their best foot forward for the weekend’s contest and coach, Justin Hoggan, said the side was confident heading into the game.
“Strathy are going to be one of the benchmark sides or one of the top four sides this year,” Hoggan said.
“At the moment with us it’s a pretty new group of players, obviously a fair bit of action pre-season wise, getting some new recruits and other fellas departing the club, so we’re still gelling together and we’re confident and happy with the style that we’re playing.”
Hoggan said the main thing the side needed to improve on from the start of the season was consistency.
He said with a young side it was difficult to play a consistent brand of football for four quarters, however when it did it would be able to match it with a lot of the top-four sides.
Berrigan suffered a heavy 84-point loss to Tungamah last week, however Hoggan said there was plenty of positives to take away.
“At Tungamah (last week) we were right in the game until half time,” he said.
“But in the end I think we were about nine players short of our senior best side, I think we had five guys double up from reserves or thirds to seniors.”
The Saints will welcome a number of strong senior players back into the squad for this weekend’s game, with the big names sure to have an impact.
“There’s a few big ins this week, Harley Middleton one of our captains, we’ve also got Will Gorman who was away last weekend, Toby Dalgliesh will be back and hopefully Josh McQualter’s back from a jaw injury,” Hoggan said.
“We’re gonna lose somebody who has been playing fantastic footy in Angus Coldwell, he broke his arm against Tungamah at the start of the third quarter.”
Berrigan will travel to Strathmerton to take on a hungry Bulldogs side at 2.05pm on Saturday.
In other Picola and District League games, Katunga will play host to Jerilderie and Rennie will travel away to Katandra.
Katamatite will be looking to continue its birthday celebrations as it travels to Picola to take on Picola United while Tocumwal will play Blighty at home.
Tungamah and Deni Rovers will do battle at Jubilee Park, while Waaia and Mathoura will have a week off.