RMFL preview: Indigenous Round brings extra colour to country footy
Commentators Shane Snell and Matt Hood share their tips as the River Murray Football League's clubs prepare to celebrate during round 13, 2023.

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Indigenous Round is here in the River Murray Football League, celebrating the players and volunteers of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage who have made the competition stronger and more entertaining over the years.
Eight of the nine clubs will wear special guernseys for the occasion, and Jervoisâ Ray Love has created both a special logo for the league and four painted footballs for the four matches.
Here are commentators Shane Snell and Matt Hoodâs tips for the week â and for the second week in a row, they donât agree on every result.
Tailem Bend v Coorong
In the feature match at Tailem Bendâs Jaensch Park, the Eagles will start as underdogs against the Cats â especially after they suffered more than one painful loss last week.
Yes, there was their five-point loss to Mannum; but losing their top two players â Aidan Coakley to a broken ankle and Scott Chandler to a broken nose â will hurt for the rest of the season.
Throw in the temporary absence of Daniel Perks to SA Country representative football this week and the home side will be up against it.
âTailem Bend must have run over a black cat last Friday â theyâve had no luck,â Snell said.
âCoakley is their number-one player, the backbone of the side, and theyâll really miss him.
The silver lining for fans is that theyâll get to hear both Coakley and Chandler call the action from the commentary box.
At any rate, Snell credited coach Nathan Stark for the effect heâd had on the club all season.
âHeâs right for Tailem Bend,â he said.
âWhoever steps up will do their best for him.
âThere are good signs for the future.â
Meanwhile, Coorong will still be missing ruckman Matt Hartman â âwe wonât see him til the week before finals at bestâ, Hood predicted.
But Clint Walker is getting close to a return from a knee injury.
- Mattâs tip: Coorong
- Shaneâs tip: Coorong
- Watch the game: Visit www.facebook.com/rivermurrayfl from 2.15pm on Saturday.
Mallee v Ramblers
Could this be Mallee Districtsâ best chance to get a win at home in their inaugural season?
They beat Ramblers for their only win so far, back in round four, and if they want to remember the words to their song theyâll need to try and get another one sometime.
Unfortunately, neither Hood nor Snell thought this would be their week.
âRamblers, last week, brought the heat and the pressure,â he said.
âEven though they havenât got a good array of weapons in the shed, they brought the effort.
âBoth these clubs will be playing pressure football, neither will give up ⌠but I think itâll be Ramblers by about five goals.â
The Storm had got a few players back from injury, while star Rooster Alex Pfeiffer will still be away this week, but Hood still backed the Murray Bridge side: âRamblers have shown a bit more this yearâ.
- Mattâs tip: Ramblers
- Shaneâs tip: Ramblers
Jervois v Mannum
Of our two commentators, only one tipped Jervois out at Pinnaroo last week, and Snell was quick to let Hood know about it.
There was no such disagreement ahead of this one, though.
âJervois are the real deal,â Hood said.
Ex-Essendon rookie Taite Silverlockâs willingness to play himself more this season had made a massive difference, he said.
Then there was the key man up forward.
âIf Mannum hadnât got (half-back) Michael OâMalley back, I would have put Josh Scott down for 10, but I think Mickey will keep him to seven,â Snell predicted.
âHeâs in red-hot form.
âThe injury he had might have been a blessing in disguise â heâs had a run but wasnât getting knocked about in games.â
- Mattâs tip: Jervois
- Shaneâs tip: Jervois
Southern Mallee v Imperials
Another week, another top-three showdown out at Pinnaroo, and itâs another split decision from our tipsters.
Snell predicted that the absence of three Suns in the SA Country squad â Josh Smithson, Rory OâDriscoll and Ben Moroney â would test their depth.
âThey taught Imps a lesson in round four, caught Imps on the back foot, but this time Imps will be more mindful of the task at hand,â he said.
âPrior to those omissions, Southern Mallee might have had a comfortable five- or six-goal win, but (the omissions) swing the pendulum back towards Imps.â
Hood, though, backed the Suns â âI donât believe theyâll lose two in a rowâ.
Itâs worth noting that the Blues will also be missing a player, Jack Penfold, to that SA Country squad.
Nonetheless, a big crowd will no doubt turn up to see these two juggernauts tussle.
Whoever loses will have a much harder time of winning a top-two spot at seasonâs end and a double chance in September.