Rochester and Shepparton have plenty riding on Saturday’s encounter out west — that hardly needs to be stated.
However, our job is to have a look at some of the numbers that epitomise the contest that serves as a true main event come Saturday.
Tigers and Bears to go at it
Total ground ball gets: 97.3 (first) - 91.2 (seventh)
Marks inside 50: 18.4 (second) - 16.2 (third)
Inside 50s: 50.2 (third) - 51.9 (first)
Tackles: 65.9 (second) - 70.2 (first)
Throw-in clearances: 9.9 (10th) - 11.5 (fourth)
It should come as little surprise that in a swathe of key categories, both these sides are in the league’s top three — with Echuca commonly identified as the other team on the podium.
After all, there has been a clear breakaway on the table with the Bears’ remarkable resurgence and Rochester’s fairytale last couple of months providing the usually dominant Murray Bombers with plenty to think about.
What may shock some observers is that the Bears, whose engine room is almost notorious in its pattern of dominance at this point, aren’t even ranked in the top half around the ground ball despite boasting Adam De Cicco among their ranks, who has more total gets (127) than anyone else.
The Tigers have gotten the nod in a couple of ground-based and aerial stats, but the primary issue facing Ash Watson’s side is how to put these advantages into practice against a side that allowed it less than 200 disposals when they last met.
Though it may now seem an eternity ago, especially for the Tigers faithful who have been along for this 10-game spell of success, Shepparton was the side that last put the Tigers away — and did so more than comfortably.
De Cicco was in fact the star of the show, shaking free of any attention or challenge on the day with 20 contested possessions and 12 clearances with a goal coming as reward.
The visitors to Deakin Reserve that day had absolutely no answers for the imposing forces that have driven this powerful Shepparton turnaround, falling staggeringly short in marks (80-35), centre clearances (13-5) and losing the possession count by almost 100 (296-198).
It’s safe to say, though, that this has served as a potent source of motivation given all that has unfolded since, with the midfield in particular firmly correcting course.
While the Tigers haven’t hit the scoreboard as relentlessly as the Bears this year, their streak has largely come off the back of defence-first efforts that allow for attacking overruns later in the contest.
Rochester leads the competition in average spoils and pressure acts a game, retaining a more resolute mentality as opposed to the Bears sitting in the bottom three for rebound 50s — in most cases, simply because they haven’t required that many.
Needless to say, there’s a lot in this contest and with the other two teams in the top four colliding when Mooroopna meets Echuca, everyone involved has good reason to get a leg up, lest they have to look over their shoulders at news from elsewhere.
ˑ Saturday’s One FM broadcast game is Mooroopna versus Echuca on air from 1.30pm, while Sunday’s Kyabram District League clash between Lancaster and Undera will be live from 2pm.
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