BY MAE JAMES
Round 8 of the South Metro Junior Football League (SMJFL) 2021 season will take place this Sunday 11 July.
Round 8 is presented by SMJFL Official Partner, Human Resources solutions provider Options Consulting Group.
Options Consulting Group have been with the SMJFL since 2015 and are vital contributors to assisting club development with their continued support of the annual SMJFL Club Conference.
This weekend, certificates recognising the Options Consulting Group ‘Play of the Day’ will be awarded by coaches to one player in each team that demonstrates sportsmanship, care for their teammates and selflessness for the betterment of the team.
Here’s the Round 8 SMJFL Preview.
Under 8 Mixed Red – Hampton Rovers AFC Curtis vs East Brighton Vampires JFC Beresford
Sunday, 9:00am, Boss James Reserve
Halfway through their first season of junior football, the Under 8s have well and truly gotten the feel of the game.
Hampton and East Brighton’s youngest will meet for the first time since regrading this Sunday.
The Rovers will feel at home on their own ground, Boss James Reserve, and will fare the chilly Sunday morning weather in their first week back since school holidays.
Under 12 Mixed Division 2 – East Malvern JFC (Higgens) vs Cheltenham JFC U12 Berry
Sunday, 1:30pm, Stanley Grose Reserve
Cheltenham’s U12 Mixed side, current ladder leaders, will take on third-placed East Malvern in Sunday’s clash.
The margin between the Under 12 Mixed Division 2 ladder is very tight with all top four teams having an even number of wins and losses.
The East Malvern Knights will rival the Cheltenham Panther’s current position at the top of the ladder.
After a 30-point loss against Sandringham JFC in Round 7, the Knights will be determined to come back with a win, while Cheltenham will be feeling confident after a 17-point win against Prahran JFC in Round 7.
The odds are high for this game – a ladder-defining game and certainly one to watch.
Under 14 Mixed Division 1 – Mordialloc Braeside U14 Mixed Division 1 vs Ajax Under 14 Comets
Sunday, 11:00am, Walter Galt Reserve 1
The Ajax Comets will take on the Mordi Brae Mustangs this Sunday.
The Comets are currently in second position on the Under 14 Mixed Division 1 ladder. With an upcoming bye in Round 9, the Comets will be looking to make a mark on the scoreboard to reaffirm their position.
The Mustangs made an impression in Division 2, and were elevated to Division 1 before seeing a bye in Round 7. This game will be the Mustangs’ first in the top division, and they will look to prove their colours.
The Comets and Mustangs will face off for the first time this Sunday, and both teams will look to claim a win at a crucial point in the season.
Under 16 Boys Division 4 – Beaumaris FC U16 Boys Blacktails vs St Peters Bulldogs Div 3
Sunday, 9:15am, Banksia Reserve
Sunday 11 July will mark St Peters’ first game in Division 4 and their first contest in more than a month due to lockdown, a bye and school holidays.
The boys will be raring to get back out there and play a game of footy after a long wait on the sidelines.
After a 35-point loss in Round 7, the Beaumaris Sharks Division 4 boys will also be raring get a win under their fins.
Both teams have a handful of star players including Beaumaris’s Surachet Chaiyakham and St Peters’s Liam Vergers who have both been hot on the forward line, booting several goals throughout the season so far.
Under 18 Girls Division 1 – St Bedes / Mentone Tigers AFC vs Oakleigh JFC
Sunday, 3:30pm, Mentone Reserve
The eldest St Bedes / Mentone and Oakleigh girls will see each other out on Mentone Reserve this Sunday.
The St Bedes / Mentone girls will be itching for this contest after a thrilling one-point victory over Beaumaris in Round 7.
The Dragons, who are currently in second place on the Under 18 Girls Division 1 ladder, are close behind the East Sandringham Zebras and will seek another win to climb to the top of the ladder.
Both teams will be wanting to make every game count as they head into the final stretch of the season before finals.
