GNFL Round 10 preview: Plenty at stake in Northampton’s clash with Rovers in game of the round

Northampton host Rovers in tomorrow’s GNFL match of the day.

The Rams will seek to win, retain second place and avenge a bad loss to Rovers earlier this season.

A Rovers win will gift them second spot but defeat would drop them to fourth if Brigades win their game. Since that loss to Rovers, Northampton have improved, highlighted by a 23-point win over Brigades and a two-point loss to Railways.

“We’ve been tinkering with how we want to play,” Norths player-coach Beau Walker said. “Learning a new system takes time and repetition to become habit.

“I prefer not to dwell on previous results, but we were competitive against Brigades and Railways and our best footy stacks up against any side. We just need to bring it for longer periods.”

Walker, a clever player, is having a grand season, while other standouts include Harry Taylor and Flynn Dillon.

“Wherever we play Harry (Taylor) he’s going to give us a great contest and do everything in his power to help us win,” Walker said.

“He’s selfless and a great role model.

“Flynn has been solid all year and at his best very difficult to stop.

“Just like all of our players, though, there’s areas where I challenge him to get better, but we were unlucky to lose him in the second half of the Railways game.

“Rovers have plenty of quality players and are the comp’s best side in recent times,” Walker said.

“They gave us a lesson last time, and we’ll need a whole team effort tomorrow.

“But it provides an important challenge to see where we’re at, and I'm looking forward to it.”

In other games, Chapman Valley meet Brigades at Mazzucchelli Oval. The Valley are the best of the bottom three but have not beaten Brigades in their past 29 home games.

Towns and Mullewa play at Country Builders Stadium. Towns won easily in round one but it depends which side is closest to fielding their best 22. Mullewa arguably have the edge in experience, even if much of it is creaking.