Sport
7 August, 2024
McQueen to 'back his boys in' against top of the table Thunder | WFNL R16
Nhill has won five of its last six matches and sit in fifth place.
WFNL
Football
After Nhill "knuckled down" in the second half of its round 15 WFNL match against Warrack, Jake McQueen's side faces a tough lead into a potential finals berth.
The Tigers play the two top teams in Southern Mallee and Ararat before an away trip to Coughlin Park to close the season.
"They [the Thunder] were a pretty good outfit last time we played them [round seven]," McQueen said.
[It will be the same] this weekend, but we've got a good chance; I'll back our boys in to have a crack, and hopefully, we can steal one out of the next couple of games."
Having been one of the form teams in the competition recently, McQueen hopes to bring the momentum into the round 16 match at Rainbow Recreation Reserve.
Nhill has won five of its last six matches and sits a win inside the top five.
"I do harp a lot on that ball movement and pressure, so it'll be the same as the last month to six weeks for us; it's been working well," he said.
As a result, McQueen believes the Tigers are in a better place to take on the ladder leaders.
"The last time we played them, we were still finding our feet a little bit, tweaking our game plan, and trying to see what worked and what didn't for us," he said.
"This time, going in, we're a lot more settled with how we want to play and how we want to move the ball. So hopefully that helps, and we can go a bit better than what we did [in round seven.]"
Looking at Southern Mallee, McQueen sees a "very well-drilled and well-coached team."
"They've got some very good players there, so we'll have a look to see what we can do about that."
The ruck match-up between Daniel Batson and Kieran Delahunty/Jake Garvey will be crucial.
Batson should have the advantage at stoppages, while Delahunty and Garvey's mobility around the ground may prove the difference.
Southern Mallee enters the contest after a 102-point win over Dimboola.
With a top-three spot guaranteed, the Thunder will be eying off the minor premiership and a week off in the first week of finals.
A victory for Minyip Murtoa against the Horsham Saints could see Gareth Hose's side enter the top five before its bye.
Ararat hosts Dimboola as the battle for the minor premiership continues.
However, the Rats will have to do so without star ruck Cody Lindsay, who is awaiting scans on an ankle injury suffered in round 15.
The Rats enter round 16 after a scintillating second-half performance against the Burras.
Ararat led by 22 points at the long break before a 10-goal third term broke the game open.
The final margin at Minyip Recreation Reserve was 67 points.
Ararat had only six goal-kickers, with Tom Williamson (five), Jack Ganley and Tom Mills (four) unstoppable in the forward 50.
Midfielder Ben Taylor featured in the best for the seventh time in nine matches this season.
Whilst the Warriors travel to Anzac Park to face Warrack.