Super League Round 16 Preview

Surprisingly though, only one club, Sydney University, have played their every game scheduled, meaning that for most clubs, there is still over a third of the season to complete.
So with twenty four points up for grabs for most, there will be plenty of movement yet, none more so than at the bottom of the competition ladder. Only six points separate the bottom six clubs which will mean some very nervous weeks over the next two months.
One of those clubs, Sydney Uni must be looking over their shoulder with some worry. In tenth spot, they only have St George and Dulwich Hill behind them but both these clubs have games in hand, St George with three. Uni face the very tough task on Saturday meeting Northern Tigers, still yet to lose, though the home ground advantage of Hensley Field should be of some assistance. Scoreless now in four, Uni will be up against the tightest defence in the league so a victory here would be one well savoured.
St George, after last weekend?s heroics, meet leaders Bankstown City FC. This will be the first time this season that the two teams have met, their washed out round five fixture still to be rescheduled. It continues the tough run of matches for the Saints, who will have met the top four during the past month, along with Spirit FC on Thursday night. But each result and performance has been worthy and it may be that they have turned the corner. The Lions will come to St George Stadium with two recent ex Saints in Peter Vassilis and Reuben Lagos, and they will want to impress at their old ground.
Mounties and Spirit will also meet on Saturday, the Mounties in fifth and five points ahead of Spirit, prior to Thursday. Depending on Thursday?s result, a win here for Spirit could see them overtake Mounties, or a loss may result in a drop further into the relegation zone. There is little room for error for either side. Mounties will be without defender Mark D?Alessandro, sent off last weekend, so it will be a reshuffled backline, looking to keep Spirit?s leading scorer Akwasi Agyei under control.
There are three games on Sunday, all very important of course. Granville Rage v Macarthur Rams will focus on the finals challenge with the Rams needing to pick themselves up after two straight losses, scoring none but conceding seven. That is half their season?s total in the past two games. Not something which would have been expected and with the Rage just three points behind, a quick return to form for the Rams is needed here. Granville gave it a go against the Tigers last weekend, a similar effort here may produce the required result.
Hills Brumbies face their third game in a week when Bankstown Berries come to visit. The Brumbies had a 2-2 draw with Dulwich Hill on Tuesday night, a valuable point which kept them four points clear of bottom. It was against the Berries that Hills had a famous victory back in round five, when a spectacular goal by Brad Robertson secured the points. Another performance like that and Bankstown Berries will need to be careful. The Berries are now in third, after leapfrogging Macarthur last weekend, their highest position for seven weeks, so they may still fancy a tilt for the top, should the top two falter. 
At Arlington Oval, Dulwich Hill and Fraser Park contest for the second time in just over two weeks. Last time out, it was a strong win to Dully by 4-1 away and they will appreciate home ground advantage this time, as they seek to replicate that result. They just failed to beat Hills on Tuesday, and while they picked up a point, it is getting to the stage where three points are needed to climb away from last. Fraser Park have struggled to score lately, while Dulwich Hill have conceded a few too many. This will be tight and tense, the rivalry always at its peak for this encounter.
Hills Brumbies v Dulwich Hill
Rescheduled Round One
3 July 2012
It was a dramatic end at Blacktown Olympic Park when Hills Brumbies and Dulwich Hill drew 2-2 with Dully having a last minute penalty saved, in what proved to be the final kick of the game.
It was the home side who had taken the lead through Brad Robertson, before Robbie Shields equalised to draw Dulwich Hill level, but a goal to Dragan Savic put Hills 2-1 up at the break.
When Shields got his second it seemed certain that the points would be shared but that was before Shields was brought down in the box with just seconds remaining. With a penalty awarded, it looked a golden chance for Dulwich Hill to take all three points, but a fine save from Harrick Sinpraseuth denied Shields.
The point draws Hills level with Fraser Park while Dulwich Hill remain bottom, but in a very contracted bottom half of the table.
Hills Brumbies 2 (Brad Robertson, Dragan Savic) v Dulwich Hill 2 (Robbie Shields 2)
Leading Goalscorers
13 –       Gosue Sama                 (Bankstown City FC)
11 –       Almir Dizdaric                (Granville Rage)
Dimitri Zakilas                (Bankstown Berries)
10 –       Robbie Shields  (Dulwich Hill)
9 –        Tom Spencer                 (Northern Tigers)
7 –        Max Glanville                 (Northern Tigers)
            Wassim Hijazi               (Fraser Park)
-By Peter Rowney