Sport
30 July, 2026
PERRI IN DOUBT
WEDDERBURN’S most important forward Matt Perri is in doubt for this week’s top of the North Central ladder clash with Sea Lake Nandaly.
WEDDERBURN’S most important forward Matt Perri is in doubt for this week’s top of the North Central ladder clash with Sea Lake Nandaly.
A win for the unbeaten Redbacks would all but seal first spot entering the finals, but coach Tom Metherell is looking at the bigger picture.
“It doesn’t really matter if you go unbeaten through the season and lose in the finals,” he said.
“You want to win every week, but if blokes are not right, we won’t be risking them.”
Perri, who has an issue with ligaments in his thumb, will make the call himself late in the week on whether he plays against the Tigers.
He missed the win over Boort last week.
With Wedderburn having already sealed the double chance, Metherell’s in proceeding with caution.
Important midfielder Jackson McEwan may return this week after an ankle issue
The past three weeks have seen Wedderburn in cruise control.
Wins over Boort (26 points), Donald (29 points) and Birchip Watchem (44 points) have seen the Redbacks’ percentage slide from 291.72 to 240.31. By contrast, Sea Lake Nandaly’s percentage has jumped more than 30 per cent to 269.46.
The Tigers have beaten Donald by 74 points, Charlton by 185 points and St Arnaud by 70 points over the last three rounds.
Co-coaches Boyd Bailey and Wade Donnan are in stellar form, with forward Max Cahoon lead-ing the league goalkicking with 60 for the season despite spending plenty of time up the ground.
Last time Wedderburn and Sea Lake met, he was held to one goal and the team to just 6.8 as the Redbacks ran out with a 40-point win.
Perri kicked four that day of the Redbacks’ 12 goals.
He has booted 30 goals in eight games, with big bags of eight against Donald and seven against Charlton, but he has missed four matches.
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