LEAGUE favourites Wangaratta will need to overcome a 10-year hoodoo to hold onto top spot when they travel to Savoy Park tomorrow.
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The Red Devils sit on top of the ladder but just two points in front of their opponents this weekend, Myrtleford.
Wangaratta haven’t won in the Ovens Valley since 2005 but coach Mario Antonello isn’t superstitious.
“I certainly can’t remember winning up there in recent times but we have a different side, it’s another year,” he said.
“I’m expecting Myrtleford to be top three at the end of the year, so this will be a real test.
“People want to say we are favourites but you have to wait and see where everyone stands after the first round of games.”
Wangaratta will go into the La Fiera Cup clash with question marks over midfielder Ivo Madeira and defender Austin Stone.
“Ivo has a foot injury and is unlikely, Austin’s ribs aren’t quite right and it would probably be foolish to risk him,” he said,
“Ryley Pasquali will most likely start in midfield for Ivo after playing 50 minutes last week — I don’t think there would be too many under 18 players in the region better than him, so that’s a bonus.”
Myrtleford, too, will be without playmakers — Nathan Mirt is expected to miss with a hamstring, while Steve Ilic’s red card against Melrose last week rules him out.
Antonello believes the Savoy may used Nick Murphy to mark their goalscoring English import Adam Burchell.
“They played together at Shepparton last year and it won’t surprise me if they use that knowledge to try and keep him quiet,” he said.
“We probably haven’t been at our best in recent weeks and have still been winning.”