There are games that look predictable on paper. A side sitting second hosts a side that is yet to taste victory, and the storyline almost writes itself. Almost.
Saturday afternoon takes us to Broadmeadows for Round 17 of the Senol NPL Victoria Men. Hume City are this season’s surprise packet – a high-pressing, counter-attacking outfit under Nick Hegarty that has spent the season trading blows with Oakleigh at the top of the ladder.
It’s a different mission for Gully. Round 15 at Caroline Springs brought a clean sheet, and Round 16 at home against Avondale was highly competitive in defeat against tough opposition. Now comes an even greater test.
The week off came at a good time for both teams – for Hume, to rest some injuries and tired bodies that had built up over the last month. For Gully, it finally gives Andy Vargas some uninterrupted time on the training track to cement his style of football. A mini pre-season, if you will.
There is recent history to lean on. The reverse fixture at Green Gully Reserve finished 1-1, one of the few days all season Hume City have left points on the table. That ninety minutes told us we can stay with this calibre of side. Saturday asks whether the same is true on their patch.
No one expects Gully to win. Which makes it precisely the kind of afternoon where a season can turn.
