Geelong Holiday Inn & Suites Match Preview: Royals Face Eagles Test on Tricky Turf
Small pitch, big stakes. If Essendon Royals want to keep knocking on the door of VPL2’s promotion places, they’ll need to negotiate the tight confines of Wilcox Field this Saturday as they face a scrappy Boroondara-Carey Eagles side.
Historically, Wilcox Field has been more like quicksand than a fortress for the Royals. Last season, a comfortable two-goal cushion dissolved into a bitter 3-2 defeat. The year before, another two-goal advantage vanished into thin air, the Royals forced to settle for a frustrating 2-2 draw.
But Mick Ferrante’s squad are a different beast in 2025, and fresh from four wins on the bounce—including last Friday’s hard-fought 2-1 win over Whittlesea—they’ll fancy their chances of rewriting recent history.
Boroondara, for their part, sit in a precarious 10th spot on the ladder, yet they’re just four points shy of a playoff berth. The Eagles have blown hot and cold all season, but a morale-boosting 2-1 victory against Box Hill last round proves they have plenty of fight.
Jacob Colosimo and Levi Tarbotton lead the charge for the Eagles, with five and four goals respectively, and both loom large as threats. However, discipline has been an issue, with Boroondara amassing a hefty 39 yellow cards and five reds this season alone. Expect a rugged contest.
Dean Clarke’s surprise absence on Friday night was a big miss for Essendon, but Maze Ali proved himself another worthy candidate for Ferrante’s stacked forward line, producing two cool finishes and showing plenty of pace to help the Royals to the win over Whittlesea.
Jordan Adeyemi, Dean Clarke, Julian Guzzardi and of course top scorer Graham Kelly prove that Essendon’s attacking arsenal is certainly potent enough to handle the tight spaces that await at Wilcox.
In midfield, Vince Lia returns to marshal the troops alongside the crafty Kelly, whose experience will be invaluable if the Royals are to avoid past mistakes.
Small ground, tight angles, and a determined Eagles outfit – Saturday shapes as another stern test of Essendon’s promotion credentials.
But if the Royals can navigate the familiar pitfalls of Wilcox Field, they’ll close out the first half of the campaign with momentum firmly on their side. Match Details:
Boroondara-Carey Eagles vs Essendon Royals SC
Wilcox Field – Carey Sports Complex
Saturday, 10 May
Kick-off 3:00 PM