3 Things to Watch for in Round 19 of the IPL
After most clubs had the weekend off due to the Bert Bampton Cup, we are ready to dive into the final month of the regular season. Given Tarrawanna drew last time out, there isn’t much on offer in the top half of the table which is backed up by the TPO Rankings probabilities table.
Despite this, there are still a few plots around the bottom of the ladder, while clubs continue to joust for positions within the top five. Let’s get stuck into the three things I will have my eye on this weekend.
1 — Top two engage in finals replays
Round 19 throws up two finals replays from the last 12 months with Bulli taking on Port Kembla (2017 Grand Final) and Wollongong Olympic facing Corrimal — six days after Olympic beat the Rangers 2–1 to lift the Bert Bampton Cup.
The main point out of these two matches is the title race with Olympic’s chances fading by the week as Bulli lead them by four points with four rounds remaining. Bulli would have to drop points in two matches — something that have only done three times in 18 matches this season — for Olympic to be in with a shout. Despite Bulli beating them 4–0 earlier in the season, Port on paper are one of the two sternest tests for Bulli in the run-in, so realistically, if Matt Bailey’s side wins on Saturday, you could hand them the trophy.
From Port’s perspective, finals football is all but a certainty, however, with September fast approaching they are yet to knock off a big scalp with a return of one point in six matches against fellow top five sides. Last season, Noel Spencer’s side beat Tarrawanna and Kemblawarra Fury in the second half of the season and those results were repeated in the finals series — he’ll be keen to get one over Bulli (and/or Wollongong United in Round 21) to give his side a real confidence boost.
2 — Will the Macedonian Derby reignite Wollongong United heading into the finals?
Wollongong United were a club begging for the week off during their calamitous 4–0 defeat to Bulli last time out. They have had the week off and from reports out of the club, they go into the final month of the regular season with close to all hands back on deck.
While most — including myself — considered United as the preseason title favourites, Club President Peter Vrtkovski believes I have been unfair on his side and he informed me before the Bulli match their only goal for this season was to finish in the top three. They are currently seven points off third so anything less than three points here will end their slim chances of catching the Albion Park White Eagles.
Crinigla have lost their last two matches 2–1 — first against Wollongong Olympic and then against Fernhill. If they can replicate their second-half performance against Olympic, they could prove a tough nut to crack for Jeff Allport’s side.
“The League is priority, the next focus is the FFA Cup, what a moment it would be for Wollongong United to play at Macedonia Park against an A-League club… I think we have the players on board and the experience.”
- Wollongong United President Peter Vrtkovski on the Wollongong Football Show in February
3 — Can Picton rein in the flustered Sharks?
Picton’s Round 18 defeat to South Coast United saw them fall back to the bottom of the table but on Sunday they have a chance to move level with 10th-placed Woonona as the sides face off at Ocean Park.
The sides last met in Round 9 when goals for Valentino Merxhushi and Joel Thomas saw the Sharks claim a comfortable 2–0 away win. Since that match, both sides have only managed to collect five points each.
Woonona come into the tie on the back of five straight defeats — though four of those matches were against top-five opposition. Picton have four defeats in their last five with a shock 3–2 win over Corrimal sticking out like a Bushpig in a poodle pageant.
Woonona let a 1–0 halftime lead slip to go down 3–2 to the White Eagles in their last match which in isolation is a creditable result. Picton disappointed against South Coast in a match where three points would have probably been enough to keep them off the bottom of the ladder. Lachlan Newman barely touched the ball on the back of a hattrick against Corrimal while their goal came via a fortuitous Alex Mojsoski shin kick. The Morley brothers exhausted plenty of energy but really there wasn’t much finesse about Picton’s play and I would expect Woonona to have enough to get the three points and put any relegation worries to bed.
