Sport
31 July, 2026
MCDFNL Round 16 Football Preview — Trentham vs Natte Bealiba
A fourth placed Trentham will host an eighth place Natte Bealiba on Saturday, with both sides eager to land an all important win.
Trentham will enter the weekend’s clash as homeground favourites, having lost just three rounds for the season so far.
Natte on the other hand will enter as clear underdogs, losing nine games this season including their match against ladder leaders Carisbrook last weekend in a scrappy, pressure intensive game.
But as is often said in the sporting world — never bet against the underdogs.
When the two sides first met back in round four, it was Trentham who shot off the starting marks in the first quarter, slotting 6.5 to Natte’s three behinds to lead by 38 points.
That second quarter gave a glimpse of Natte’s prowess however, with the Swans booting 3.1 while holding the Saints to 2.2 in a much better show of competitiveness.
It’s that same energy the Swans will be looking to harness this weekend, particularly off the back of their loss to Carisbrook last week and Navarre the week before.
While things might look tough for the Swans, their recent performance, even in losses, highlights the depth of their ability to contain the opposition and limit their scoring opportunities.
The question is whether that will be enough to best a powerful Trentham outfit with a homeground advantage, a side that bested Carisbrook by 23 points just two weeks ago.
Jake Keogh and James Regan have been consistently electric for the Saints this season and are supported by a cast of talent including Marcus Elderfield, Joel Cowan and captain Joel Dovaston.
They’ll enter Saturday’s game rested after the bye, which may not bode well for a visiting Natte who are eager to avoid a third consecutive loss.
The Swans will look to the efforts of veteran players Kurt Mortlock, Emmet Smith, Brayden Mills and Trent Mortlock to hold the ship steady come Saturday.