IF last year’s two contests are anything to go by, Marong coach Corey Gregg is preparing for a Loddon Valley Football League battle to the wire against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine on Saturday.
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Less than a kick separated the two sides in both encounters last year - the Bears winning by three points in round seven and the Panthers prevailing by one point in round 16.
Gregg is hopeful Saturday’s game against the Bears at Serpentine will be the springboard for the Panthers to begin producing consistent football.
The Panthers are 3-3 and in sixth position, with the side yet to string together consecutive victories.
“It has been an inconsistent season so far and we just haven’t been able to put it together yet the way we would like,” Gregg said on Friday.
“The boys are working really hard on the track and if we can start clicking, I’m really confident we can start producing some good football and give ourselves a chance in every game.
“At this stage, things are going slow, but there’s a lot of improvement in us.”
One of the holes the Panthers have had to cover this year is that of reigning best and fairest Craig Morris, who suffered a season-ending knee injury in round one.
“He has been a massive loss and it puts a bit more attention on a few of us other midfielders,” Gregg said.
“Craig is able to break games open with his contested footy and long kicking, so we’re missing that, but at the same time, our midfield hasn’t been playing as well as it could be and we know that we need to start stepping up in there and winning a bit more footy.”
Despite the Panthers’ inconsistent start to the season, they are only one game behind the third-placed Bears (4-2).
“This is one of those eight-point games where we can edge a bit closer to the top three, which was our goal at the start of the year and still is,” Gregg said.
“If we can get ahead of the ledger and be 4-3 instead of 3-4, it will be a positive moving forward.”
The Panthers have named David Romer at centre half-back, with his availability on Saturday pending a clearance from Kyneton.
Should Romer play, it will be a timely inclusion into the defensive 50 for the Panthers given Matt Frecker’s knee injury and centre half-back Josh Griffin currently overseas.
