Time Running Out for Fixture Teams to Gain on Frontrunners in Season 1

Despite some players returning some very impressive performances the leaderboards in both divisions of fixtures in open grade remain close at the top end leading into the conclusion of the first season for the year. The premierships will be won by the teams in front in both divisions at the conclusion of the nine rounds of fixtures just prior to the school holidays just prior to the Easter break.  

After fixtures last week in the top division the combination of Joel Coughlan and Ann-Louise Stewart hold a single point lead over Matthew Pettett and Monica Deeth while Dane Coughlan and Glen McDonald are next in line a few points off the pace and will now need some good results to bother the front-runners. Failing some incredible for and against results the other teams in the comp are probably looking at next season for their turn to impress.

The leaderboard in the second section is still more tightly bunched and it is just a tad too early to seriously consider which sides will end the season near the top of the ladder. Geoff Geddes and Helga Leitner currently share the first place with Warun Wilkinson and Oliver Wright which sees a slight change as a week ago the top spot was being shared by three sides.

Only one point in arrears the pairings of Pam Clarke and Jeffrey Jordan and Julien Wright and Patricia Green are next in line while Chris Leitner and Hilton Kane are a further notch behind and, in reality, any of these three sides have a realistic chance of upstaging the tied leaders of the comp with four bouts of fixtures remaining before the victor is declared.

In close encounters in the last round both Judd Carr and Jakob Baker put impressive wins on Nick Green. Carr came back after losing the first set to pick up the second and then having to do it all again after dropping the third. He won by a few points in the decider and this match will assist with his preparations for the state junior titles at Easter. Baker won the opening set when pitted against Green before losing both the second and third games. In a sound fight-back Baker took control in the fourth set and then won the decider by a few points.

In a classic match Rayden Smith displayed his best form for the year so far and looked to be in pole position a few times when taking on the current club men’s singles champion in Matthew Pettett. Smith, who would be the first to admit that he has been short on form so far this year, won the opening set to eight points before falling over the line in the second 14-12. Pettett then turned the tables and won the next two games 11-5, 11-4 putting himself in the box seat so long as he could keep the momentum in his favour.

However, Smith wrestled back the advantage early in the decider and looked likely to interfere with Pettet’s 100% record for the season so-far but this was not to be as Pettett came back late in the final game to win 11-9. This pair really know how to create a spectacle when they are playing well and pretty much know each other’s ‘moves’ as they              

were regular training partners for many years since being two of the state’s leading juniors.