by Rob Popplestone

The outcome of the round six match between Hill End and Mirboo North is expected to go a long way to shaping the top three or four positions on the Mid Gippsland football ladder.

In fact, the winner of this match might well lay claim to being a premiership favourite given the outcome will also guarantee the winner top spot on the ladder with a third of the season behind them.

There is a lot of football to go, and things can change very quickly, but on what we've seen there is no question these two clubs will play key roles in the fortunes of many other clubs.  But, for right now, it’s all about Hill End and Mirboo North.

Hill End v Mirboo North

The home ground and anticipated large local support for the Rovers will play a part in lifting the green and gold, but underestimate the Tigers at your own peril.

Mirboo North has already manufactured wins from seemingly impossible positions this season, and this contest will require some magic as well.

The likes of Benjamin Campbell and Hudson Kerr will need to continue to be dangerous for the visitors in front of goals while Clancy Bennett, Brayden Wilson and Lloyd Powell will be needing plenty of support.

The Rovers will hope Chase Saunders can find some goals.  The league’s leading goalkicker will cop plenty of attention despite not registering a major last week.

The dangerous midfield, which runs pretty deep, will also need to be closely checked, but whether the Tigers have enough to turn the game their way with be intriguing to watch.

It’s a flip of the coin match and I pick heads.  So, whose heads? I hear you say...I'll tell you after the match!

Stony Creek v Thorpdale

This match is as much about pride as it is anything else. But without pride in your performance and in your club, what have you got anyway?

Stony Creek is the only side who are yet to get a win and one of its best chances comes about this weekend.

Thorpdale, however, will see this as an equally good chance to record its second win in as many weeks after waiting for over 1000 days to record its first - and that’s not a misprint, the Blues last win came in 2018.

It is quite amazing how just one week of football can significantly change the outlook of a season.

A second win in as many weeks would have the Blues threatening the top six teams. From there, their future lies squarely in their own hands.

A lot has been said about the "competitiveness" of Thorpdale this year. As good as that is, coach Ray Pickering has always known, as his players now know, that there is nothing as important as winning.

The Blues sung their song with gusto last week and, now that they know the words, will be set on providing an encore this week.

You have to like the way Thorpdale has gone about its business. Pickering has his side up and about and ready to play against whoever stands in their way. This week it just happens to be a Stony Creek side with wobbly wheels.

Key target Matt Powell is performing well in front of goals, currently second on the league’s leading goalkicker list. He is being both well found and working hard with limited opportunities.

Lions coach Jay Acardi has been relatively pleased with his team’s efforts, even in their losses. He was also glowing in his praise for a couple of new faces making their way into the senior side last week.

If Stony Creek don't get the points, it will be a job to get the boys believing a winnable game is in the foreseeable future. For the home side, nothing, absolutely nothing, can be left on the field.

Fish Creek v Foster

Fish Creek suffered its first defeat of the season and the reality check might just have been the shake it needed.

The Kangaroos were shackled by Morwell East but expect the home side to play with a lot more freedom this week.

Foster is quickly gathering momentum and, although just beating a gallant Yinnar by just three points, they did two things.  They managed to get the all-important four premiership points and learned a couple of lessons along the way.

Skills will be improved continually as will team set ups, especially as the pressure builds.  As the bar is raised, good clubs rise to the occasion and Foster can be banked on to do just that this week.

The visitors have a few avenues to goal, none so impressive or with so much potential as young Zane Duursma.  But expect the teenager to get some close attention this week.

Brendan Neville, Will Mattingly, Jonathon Segat and Matthew Clark have been good and led the way in last week’s win.  They’ll have some tough opposition again against Fish Creek, who give themselves a real chance of taking the points.

With an anticipated log jam around the fifth to eighth places on the ladder towards finals time, games like this one are vital to keep away from that clutter.

MDU v Boolarra

The clash of the Demons, Meeniyan Dumbalk United taking on Boolarra, at MDU's home ground, is one that the home side cannot let slip if they want to be seriously considered as a contender rather than a pretender.

MDU threw everything they had at the top of the table Hill End side.  Although coming up short, they earned the respect of the Rovers for their never say die attitude.

On the other hand, Boolarra would have felt like it let one slip when losing to Newborough.  The Bulldogs just wanted it more and sometimes, when there is very little difference in ability and personnel, “just wanting it more” can be a determining factor.

That being said, it would be wrong of MDU to believe just turning up will get the points against lower ranked opponents.  The Boolarra side, if coach Tony Giardina can get them going. could cause a shock to put them back into the mix for a mid-range finish and question MDU's chances of finals.

There are crucial matches in a season.  Sometimes they are just moments within a game.  This is one of those matches that can put a season on track or have it fall off the rails.

Boolarra has always had the ability to go with a side, even the best side for a quarter or two.  But that desperately needs to be improved on, as soon as possible, otherwise this will be a season similar to those of recent years.

In round six, there is room for only one team of Demons.

Tarwin v Yinnar

This is possibly one of the more interesting matchups of the round, but for contrasting reasons.

You really feel Tarwin need to take the scalp of a side above them on the ladder, both for confidence of coach and team.  For Yinnar, you get the feeling they are only one more close loss from dropping the bundle and second guessing what they are capable of.

The Sharks have shown many good "patches" of what they can do.  Coach Mark Garnham has the sense those short periods of a game will quickly manifest to complete quarters, maybe even more.

The Magpies have been on the end of a couple of heart-breaking losses in the past three weeks, an after the siren two-point loss to Mirboo North, followed last week by a one-goal loss to another Tiger team in Foster.

These sorts of close losses have players and coach reflecting on what might have been - what passages of play, what decision making, what opportunities on goal could have been better.  They also come back to players’ minds in the inevitable close games laying ahead.

In short, they need to crush a side, and they will see Tarwin as a team they can bully into submission. 

That’s why Tarwin must hit the contest from the very first bounce and send a message to Yinnar, and the league, that 2021 is not over yet for the Sharks.

Toora v Newborough

Toora were taught a footballing lesson a fortnight ago by Hill End which was followed by the bye.  It probably came at the perfect time, offering two weeks to freshen up even at this early part of the season.

Most likely it was also an opportunity to forward scout this week’s opponent in Newborough and create a team that coach Luke Manders believes can get the Magpies their second victory of the season.

The Toora community should be there in number to support its side and get the first look at a "new" opposition.

Both teams have only one win apiece and will be keen to grab the four premiership points.

There has been a lot of shadow boxing by clubs as they learn about their new opponents in this 13-team competition, but now is the time to deliver some knock out punches.