3 Things to Watch for in Round 18 of the IPL
When you look over the final few weeks of the season, if there is to be anything realistically left up for grabs in Round 22, results need to fall a certain way this weekend. That being said, a result here, a result there and we could have three points separating the sides in the top three and the bottom three come Sunday night. Let’s go over the three things I will be looking out for this weekend.
1 — IPL title chasers crave a United win
If Wollongong Olympic and Albion Park White Eagles can pick up wins this weekend there could be three points separating the top three with a month to go. Of course, the result needed to make this happen is injury-ravaged Wollongong United to beat Bulli.
United are outsiders heading into the Balls Paddock clash on Saturday afternoon, however, they are Bulli’s bogey side. United have six wins and three draws against Bulli in the last 14 encounters in the league and finals.
Their record against Bulli this season is also outstanding. In Round 7 they edged Bulli 1–0 in a fiery clash at Macedonia Park — Bulli’s only League defeat in 2018 — while they also thumped them 5–0 in the Preseason Cup Final and knocked them out in the early rounds of the Bert Bampton Cup.
The issue is Jeff Allport has a raft of injuries, especially in the final third. While they scored four against Fernhill last weekend, I am not sure if they have the attacking talent to penetrate the best defence in the League.
I think Bulli will win here.
2 — Where there is mathematics there is hope
For all intents and purposes, I feel Port Kembla sealed their spot in September when Tarrawanna lost 1–0 to Albion Park despite playing with a man advantaged for over half the match.
However, there are still 15 points up for grabs so let’s play out the not overly outrageous scenario where Tarrawanna — eight points behind Port — could be in the top five before the final day of the season.
The next four games for Port Kembla and Tarrawanna…
Port Kembla — Wollongong Olympic, Bulli, Fernhill, Wollongong United
Tarrawanna — Corrimal, South Coast United, Picton, Woonona
Port Kembla are outsiders in three of their next four matches while Tarrawanna are favourites in their next four. If they expected results are played out, after 21 rounds Tarrawanna would be on 35 points and Port would be on 34.
Tarrawanna face Olympic in Round 22 but we will cross that bridge when we get to it.
3 — It is Grand Final day for South Coast United on Sunday
South Coast United take on Picton at the Dandaloo on Sunday afternoon in a bottom of the table dogfight which will go a long way in determining who will avoid relegation.
South Coast jumped above Picton for the first time since Round 6 when they beat Corrimal a fortnight ago, however, they back up their first win of the season with a 6–0 hiding at the hands of Bulli which saw them once again drop to the bottom
The side was without player-coach Greg Valic and Mate Nimac for the encounter with the duo venturing to Croatia to experience the full emotion of the World Cup Final. The centre-back pairing are expected to return for this crucial clash but it’s hard to imagine any of the momentum accrued from five points in three matches will be left in the side after the sizable defeat.
As for Picton, they were the only side outside the top five not to lose last weekend with the Bushpigs nailing a 3–2 win away to Corrimal. Interestingly enough, it was their first win since they beat South Coast 3–1 at Hume Oval.
Lachlan Newman scored a hattrick against Corrimal and while I admit I haven’t seen much of the Picton number 9, coach Dale Clayton will no doubt be grateful to be able to select a striker in a bit of form.
This may be United’s biggest match since the final day of 2010 where they beat Fernhill 2–0 to finish above bottom of the table Woonona by a single goal. If United lose this match, they will be cast five points adrift and with four matches remaining I can’t see them hauling that back in.
It is so hard to pick a winner here, draw.
Side note — If South Coast United win and Woonona lose, there will be three points between the bottom three sides.
