Reigning premier Rovers take on top-of-the-table Northampton in a big game for both sides

The Rovers are on the board after getting a win against Chapman Valley, but now have to face their biggest challenge of the season against Northampton. The Demons got off to a slow start in their title defence campaign, beginning with two loses. On the other side, Northampton have shot out the gates, going 4-0 and are stationed to be the team to beat. The clash will be a good indicator for the Dees if they want to have any chance of going back-to-back this year. Fifth year Rovers coach Ian Comben said the team that had spent little time together was finally starting to gel. “We’ve probably got half a dozen new players in our league side, so it’s just a case of starting to learn how to play together,” he said. With the team looking much different from the premiership side from last season, Comben said players have had to adjust playing new roles. “Kobe Simpson has worked particularly hard at centre half-forward and Stuart Egan for the last two weeks has played where he’s never played before at centre half-back” he said. The win against the Royals helps get the season on track, but facing the Rams will be a tall task for the side. Comben said that sloppy footy had killed the team’s start to their season and would be the biggest point at training. “Last week we had only one 50m penalty which was for an infringement of going in a protected area,” he said. “We’ve been a little undisciplined in the first games, particularly last quarters when we’ve got tired and given away silly 50m penalties that cost us goals.” The Dees will need to be firing on all cylinders if they want a chance to take down the league’s top side. “Do as well as we can against a team that hasn’t been beaten yet, we’ll go out there with a bit of confidence after last weekend,” Comben said. If finals started tomorrow then the Rovers would be on the outside, but the team proved last year that all they is to make the final four for a chance. “The goal of every side that starts the season it the make the four, we havn’t missed finals for the last five or six years,” Comben said. “We proved last year that once we get in the finals, we can be quite dangerous. “Whether it’s first, second, third or fourth, once we get there I’m sure we’ll be capable of being very dangerous, or making some upsets.” Across the other games in the league, Brigades will look to cement themselves as one of the tougher sides when they take on Mullewa at home who have only secured one win so far this season. While Chapman Valley will travel to Towns in a crucial game for their season after they fell to the Demons last week. Railways will remain undefeated as they have their second bye in five weeks.