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GNFL Round 9 preview: Northampton riding high ahead of huge Brigades clash in possible finals sneak peek

Headshot of Jake Santa Maria
Jake Santa MariaGeraldton Guardian
Northampton and Brigades will face off in two top-of-the- table clashes this weekend.
Camera IconNorthampton and Brigades will face off in two top-of-the- table clashes this weekend. Credit: Snapaction

It’s a top-of-the-table clash and potentially an early preview of this year’s grand final as Northampton hosts the Brigades this Saturday.

The Hawks went to the top of the table with their smashing of the Demons last week while the Rams had the bye after consecutive wins over fellow finals fancies Chapman Valley and Railways.

Both teams have a 6-1 record, though the Hawks have more than double the Rams’ percentage sitting at more than 300 per cent, winning their last five games by 55 or more points.

But Northampton is a happy club to be around right now, with all four teams sitting inside the top four and three of those inside the top two.

President Damien Harris could not be happier with how things have gone so far but knows there’s still plenty of footy ahead.

“We don’t plan to do any of this and the boys and women are just ticking along nicely,” he said.

“If you turned up to training and this week you know there are obviously blokes that are ins and outs and people are always away on holidays and we’re trying to fill spots here and there you think ‘my god out how do you field four teams!’”

“But it’s just a great feeling the whole community is behind the footy club and our community stretches far and wide and to play footy for Northampton is bloody awesome.”

The Hawks’ only loss this year came at home at the hands of the Northampton, when six goals to forward duo Harry Taylor and Jack Cripps was just enough to get them over an inaccurate Brigades who finished with three more scoring shots but lost by two points.

The brothers Schofield and Ryder have dominated for the Hawks in recent weeks and Dale Williamson’s return could provide Harry Taylor a run for his money for the best full forward on the ground.

Harris expects a tough contest on the weekend.

“We’ve got a few outs this week, it’ll be a tough game for our blokes but you know what? They’ll step up to the plate coming off a bye you know, guys are a bit refreshed and whatever,” he said.

“So you’ve got to be confident in the team so look, it’ll be a great game.”

The Rams also enjoy having arguably the best full forwards in the league and women’s competition in Taylor and Selina Kiddle.

“Harry’s record speaks for itself, you know, a two-time premiership player, 280 AFL games, not GNFL AFL games, and to to want to come back and play for our team is just magnificent,” he said.

“Apart from that he’s a cracking bloke, he is absolutely awesome and we had the big JK at training last night, if he comes back for a game imagine that?”

“But even when he’s not in the side we’ve got young blokes who step up and the whole Taylor family, his wife Michelle and the kids are just awesome to have around.

“As for Selena, my god, when she’s on a roll, she’s on a roll. She knows where the goals are and is just a joy to watch.”

Elsewhere in Round 9 action, Chapman Valley will hope to keep their slim finals hopes alive with a big win away over a struggling Mullewa who fell to the last-placed Bulldogs last week.

Railways will be away at Towns and should win to open a four-point gap to the Rovers in fourth place who have the bye.

The Rams women were kept to just one goal in their last clash though Kiddle will be a big in for the side coming off her 11-goal performance before the bye.

But the Hawks have only been challenged once this season and have looked a class above across the park with the best offensive and defensive record by some margin.

Railways women need to get their offence going against a reinvigorated Towns to stay in touch with the top four, having lost three on the bounce with just four goals to their name this month.

The Royals will likely make it two wins in a row against a Mullewa side, who are still searching for their first win this year, to move them back to an even record.

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