by Nicholas Duck

It's time for round seven of the West Gippsland Football Competition, as some of the top sides are looking to test themselves against the best while the struggling teams are looking to capture much-needed wins. Here's how this week's action is shaping up:
Saturday May 21
2pm start for all matches
Warragul Industrials vs Nar Nar Goon
Location: Western Park
The Dusties sit inside the top five and are on a roll in recent weeks as they now face a significant examination against the undefeated Nar Nar Goon.
After an indifferent first few weeks Warragul have now won their last three and appear a much stronger side, both defensively and offensively.
Forward Mason McGarrity has kicked 21 goals in his last three games and looms as the Dusties' best target up forward, and the biggest threat to Nar Nar Goon's perfect record.
The Goon are one of just three undefeated sides left in the competition, and have their own bag of tricks they'll be calling on to overcome their opponents.
A multi-pronged forward line often lets the Goon get creative, as when they have players capable of kicking multiple goals like Dermott Yawney, Troy McDermott and Mitchell Homfray it makes it difficult for their opposition to man up on all of them.
It must be noted though that despite Nar Nar Goon's perfect start to the season, they are yet to play against any of the teams around them at the top end of the ladder.
As such, a match against a surging Dusties side may give us a better indication of just where Nar Nar Goon is at relative to the rest of the league.
Koo wee rup vs Garfield
Location: Koo wee rup Recreation Reserve
Koo wee rup were brilliant for three quarters last week, taking it right up to the dominant Phillip Island until the champs pulled away in a blistering last quarter.
Despite the loss it was a performance that the Demons will take a lot of confidence out of, as they showed that despite their relatively youthful side their best is good enough to match it with the best.
They may not need to call upon such a high level this week, though, as they come up against Garfield, whose season has not given fans much reason to smile thus far.It's very much been a transitional year for the Stars, as their results on the field have shown. The team hasn't managed to win a match so far, and currently have an average losing margin of 84 points.
In simple terms Garfield just cannot find ways to score, as they have just once kicked more than four goals in a game.
Sporting a very different look to last year, there's still some hope the Stars can find a way to make everything click but the results are certainly piling up against them.
Koo wee rup's best will likely overwhelm Garfield, but the Demons have copped their own share of large losses and if they take this game for granted the Stars might just be able to surprise.
Bunyip vs Korumburra-Bena
Location: Bunyip Recreation Reserve
It's been a mixed bag for Bunyip so far this season as they find themselves on three wins and three losses coming into round seven.
The gap between Bunyip's best and their worst hasn't been too large, but last week against Inverloch-Kongwak they were found wanting against one of the top sides, which may be of some concern going forward.
This week, however, they will be liking their chances against Korumburra-Bena, who have found plenty of struggles in their own form.
The Giants have been soundly beaten in five of their six matches, their only win being against an extremely close one against a Garfield side that has struggled to keep up with anyone else.
Things were especially poor for the team last week, where they were completely demolished by Cora Lynn, who up until that point had not won a game.
Korumburra-Bena have, in truth, been ravaged by injuries and illness over a number of weeks which has certainly not helped their on-field performance, but it would take some effort to avoid another loss here.
Bunyip should bounce back in this one, and will probably want a big win if they want to keep in touch with the teams in the top five.
Kilcunda Bass vs Cora Lynn
Location: Bass Recreation Reserve
Cora Lynn claimed their first win of the year last week and will be hungry for more as they play away to a Kilcunda Bass side that has been having plenty of issues in recent times.
The Cobras were near-perfect in their massive win over Korumburra-Bena, as their forward line finally found their groove with Jaxon Briggs and Nathan Gardiner kicking eight goals between them.
It was a much-needed victory for the team, whose competitive first few weeks had been completely undone by three thrashings in a row.
Thrashings, unfortunately, are a thing that Cora Lynn's opponents this week are a little too familiar with.
It's been a tough season for Kilcunda Bass, a 97-point loss last week to Warragul Industrials being their latest misstep.
The Panthers have been competitive against sides around them on the ladder, but any higher and they've been prone to crumbling.
In theory, this should give Kilcunda Bass a lot of confidence, coming up against a team that has only won one game.
Cora Lynn are a better side than their ladder position would suggest, however, and if they still want to have an impact in 2022 they'll want to put this one down as a win.
Tooradin-Dalmore vs Inverloch-Kongwak
Location: Tooradin Recreation Reserve
This will quite possibly the match of the round, as two of the premiership contenders meet to test their credentials.
Toordin-Dalmore sit atop the ladder after six weeks and have been ruthless in each and every one of their wins, their closest win still being a comfortable 51-point victory.
The Seagulls have immense depth, particularly in their forward line, where they have multiple players capable of kicking a bag on a good day.
Last week it was Stewart Scanlon with eight, but it could easily be Brad Butler or Blake Grewar this week.
Inverloch-Kongwak have hardly been a slouch either, similarly thumping most teams they've crossed paths with.
Their one loss was against Phillip Island, though after leading early in the last quarter they could have easily, and probably should have, won that match.
This will be an excellent test for both sides, and will be a very telling match as to where they sit in the pecking order.
Phillip Island vs Dalyston
Location: Cowes Recreation Reserve
Six rounds in and to nobody's surprise, Phillip Island haven't lost a game.
The Bulldogs are doing exactly what they need to, racking up the wins and building nicely as the season goes on.
They didn't have it all their way last week against Koo wee rup but, as they have so often done over the last few years, they found another gear to get the job done and get it done handily.
Back at home this week they probably won't have those same issues though against Dalyston.
The Magpies started the year in a bright manner, remaining competitive in most of their games.
Their last few matches have painted a different picture though, as they've met three of the competition's stronger teams and been completely unable to keep up.
Dalyston have kicked one, two and two goals in their three last games respectively, displaying an inability to find ways to consistently score.
One guarantee when playing Phillip Island, especially at their home fortress, is that the Bulldogs are going to kick goals and likely a lot of them, meaning as an opposition team you have to keep up.
With that sort of goalkicking profile it seems almost impossible for Dalyston to do so, meaning the home side should be eyeing off a big win here.