Ovens and Murray Football Netball League clubs are again getting behind former OMFL champion Terry Greaves who is undergoing treatment for metastatic melanoma.
Greaves is the driver of Terry Socks it to Cancer where home teams will wear bright pink socks and the away teams will wear yellow socks. Socks will also be sold at the games.
Held for the first time last year the fundraiser which had around 40 clubs involved raised $31,378.00. The Ovens and King and Tallangatta leagues will also be involved.
The May winners of the OMFNL Rising Stars have been announced with Nelson Bowey of Wodonga Raiders taking out the football award.
The netball winner was the goal-scoring sensation Christine Oguche from Lavington. Oguche has shot 199 goals so far at just under 84%.
A total of five nominees in both football and netball will qualify for the Rising Star of the Year Award to be presented at the Morris-Wilson Medal in September.
The local derby will be the match of the round at the Albury Sportsground where top-place Albury take on sixth-placed Lavington.
The Panthers side with the return of Macca Hallows and Nick Newton looks to be one of its strongest for the season – a game the Panthers have to win to keep alive finals chances.
Albury has lost two of its interleague representatives in co-captain Jim Grills and key defender Lucas Conlan.
Can Wodonga Raiders pull off their first win of the season when they are at home to Myrtleford, with Raiders having announced a big signing on Thursday?
Harley Bennell the former Gold Coast, Melbourne and Fremantle star has applied for a clearance from VFL club Port Melbourne to finish the season with Raiders.
Aged 30 Bennell has played 88 matches at the highest level and was originally Gold Coast’s no 2 draft pick, he has been troubled by calf injuries this season at Port Melbourne.
The home-ground advantage of the wide open spaces of Birallee Park may tip the game in the speedy Raiders against the Saints who have lost their early season spark.
Yarrawonga will welcome back the suspended Harry Wheeler but will still be without ruckman Lachie Howe and star midfielder Mark Whiley for its clash with Wodonga at the JC Lowe Oval.
Howe injured his back training with Blackburn last week and was badly missed in their loss to Rovers. Wodonga will be without suspended defender Tom Johnston and utility Matthew Soroczynski.
The Doggies after winning its first five games have dropped its last two and another loss to Yarrawonga will put their top three chances in serious doubt.
The battle between interleague teammates Yarrawonga star forward Leigh Williams and Wodonga key defender Charlie Morrison will have a huge impact on the result.
North Albury fresh from a week off and a last-start victory will play host to the inform Wangaratta Rovers in what should be a very entertaining contest.
While the Hoppers have blooded so much young talent this year, they have a former star returning in Kade Brown who last played seniors at North Albury in 2013.
The Rovers could not have been more impressive last week in rolling Yarrawonga – if Sam Murray can retain the same team focus and commitment, they can seriously threaten the top three.
The Hoppers are not likely to play finals but are very keen to make life tough for several sides inside and chasing that finals position.
Netball
Sixth-placed Albury has a wonderful chance in netball to push its finals chances when they take on fifth-placed Lavington who are one game ahead of them.
Lavington has shown its best game is as good as any other side to challenge Yarrawonga. The class of Christine Oguche should see them win a thriller.
North Albury will need a miracle second half of the season to push for finals but should get their second win against Rovers at the Paula Carey Courts.
The match of the round will be third-placed Myrtleford up against big improvers Wodonga Raiders with a top-three spot on offer for the winner.
The final match will see Yarrawonga take on eighth-placed Wodonga, with the Pigeons set to take the win and move two games clear in top position at the halfway point.
