GSFL OPINION: Royals with goal kicking worries and Railways with Centennial Stadium demons to overcome

This is one we have been waiting for, a showdown between the two best teams this season. Royals and Railways will clash in a top-of-the-table battle that will decide who takes top spot and enters the finals series as premiership favourites. The Lions have won the past two premierships and started the season in red-hot form, downing the Tigers in their first encounter of 2021. The Tigers took time to find their way under new coach Mark Bayliss and then ended the Lions 32-game winning streak when the pair last met. That was a turning point for the Tigers who have now won their past nine games and enter round 12 on top of the ladder. This Sunday’s game will give us a great insight into how both teams are travelling ahead of their clash next month for much bigger stakes – a grand final berth. With only four games left in the regular season both sides will be keen to get their best side on the park and build towards a tilt at the flag. The case for the Lions is a curious one as they appear likely face the Tigers minus a couple of their match winners in Declan McNamara and Jayson Ford. McNamara won the Lions fairest and best award last year and Ford was electric in the finals series on his way to a deserved Alan Barnett Medal. Lions coach Andrew Ruck said that former WAFL star Steven Edwards will also miss the clash through work commitments. The other intriguing part for the Lions is who will kick their goals in the big clash. Rivah Bocian is their leading goal kicker in the league side this year with 21 majors but has spent the past fortnight in the reserves. Ruck-forward Stephen Beal has 18 majors but his form has been mixed and usual defender Hamish McMorran (12 goals) has spent periods up front but is normally tasked with the job of negating Tiger Matt Palfrey. The Tigers also enter the match with some questions marks, the biggest one being the venue they play at this weekend – Centennial Stadium. The wide expanses of Centennial have proven a problem for the Tigers, having lost their last five games at the ground against this week’s opponent. The Tigers last win over the road against the Lions came in round 13, 2018 which suggests they have some difficultly playing the ground. In the past couple of weeks the Tigers have done a great job recording wins without some key personnel on the park. But can they make a host of changes this week and continue their winning ways? Young duo Coen Jackman and Xavier Brenton-Reed will come back in from WAFL duties and it sounds increasingly likely that defender Mitch Green returns from a hamstring injury. Bayliss is not afraid to throw the magnets around and it had success in their most recent clash, as they came from 29 points down at half time to win a low-scoring affair. However the Tigers will still need to keep in check a couple of key Lions players, primarily captain Brayden Parker and midfield pair Michael McGlade and Cameron Allison. Brayden Parker has cut them up a number of times and McGlade and Allison are in wonderful form around the ball. Regardless of what weather is dished up, all is set for a fantastic battle between the two dominant clubs this season. The two Saturday fixtures will also have a large say on who finishes in third and four spot. It is last roll of the dice stuff for North Albany as their young squad take on an impressive Albany Sharks side that are showing they should be playing finals. Denmark-Walpole were much better last week but they have to start winning games and their clash with Mt Barker at McLean Park will be a cracker. The Bulls can force their way into the top four with a win while the Magpies can set themselves up if they can snap a four-game losing streak ahead of a clash with the Kangas next week.