There is a good camaradarie with the Ovens and Murray boys. We have come up with a good side and probably the strength of this side is the depth
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OVENS and Murray vice-captain Daniel Maher believes the league’s ability to keep its side together for the past two seasons could prove a huge plus against Peninsula at Albury Sportsground today.
Only eight changes have been made to the side that crushed Hampden at Norm Minns Oval last season, with Maher rating Brendan Fevola’s line-up as one of the strongest he has played in.
James Brain, Andrew Dess, Brad Murray, Luke Gestier, Matt Pendergast, Sam Carpenter and Shane Gaston have come into the squad in place of Judd Porter, Steve Jolliffe, Lonnie Hampton, Jarrah Maksymow, Adam Flagg, Drew Barnes and Dean Limbach.
“It’s a good group that has bonded really well together, and that definitely helps on the field,” Maher said.
“Everyone is there for the right reasons.
“We all want to get back to have a crack at No. 1.
“Saying that though, I know a few of the blokes at Geelong and they said Peninsula is a really hard at it side so we will have to play our best footy to win.”
Maher, who is Yarrawonga star Craig Ednie’s deputy, has represented the Ovens and Murray in seven inter-league assaults and was ruled out of another two matches due to injury.
He has also represented the Goulburn Valley on several occasions after growing up at Benalla.
“Interleague footy is something I have always enjoyed,” he said.
“There is a good camaraderie with the Ovens and Murray boys.
“We have come up with a good side and probably the strength of this side is the depth.
“We go really deep.”
The Ovens and Murray’s forward line looks as strong as it has been for several years with Fevola, Adam Prior, Andrew Dess, Brayden O’Hara and Craig Ednie set to spend plenty of time inside the 50 metre arc.
But Maher said he would be surprised if the third versus fourth clash was a shootout.
“If it’s a shootout I think it could work out for us, but I’m not sure it will be,” he said.
“We have a strong forward line and I think Peninsula will be aware of that.
“Peninsula beat us a couple of years ago and they are a side we won’t be under-estimating.”
