by Nicholas Duck

It's round six of the West Gippsland Football Competition and as the ladder really starts to take shape, some teams will out to keep their good form rolling while others are looking to keep in touch with the upper end of the ladder. Here's how this week's matches are shaping up.
Saturday May 14
Warragul Industrials vs Kilcunda Bass
Time: 2pm
Location: Western Park
The Dusties are in fine form, having won their last two matches and will be keen to make it three in a row against the struggling Kilcunda Bass.
Away from home and against a solid Bunyip side last week, the Dusties found a way to get on top and show that they're a side to be taken seriously.
Indeed, Warragul appears a much more determined side since they were thoroughly outplayed by Tooradin-Dalmore on ANZAC Day, with their defensive lapses appearing much less frequently than they did earlier in the season.
This will mean they'll be feeling very confident at the moment, which almost certainly means trouble for Kilcunda Bass, who have been having some serious trouble in recent weeks.
The Panthers let a golden opportunity slip last round against Koo wee rup, and they are now on a three-game losing streak.
Given their one win this season was against Dalyston, Kilcunda Bass aren't one of the top teams in this year's competition, and the Dusties will be keen to remind them of this fact.
The Dusties' experience, coupled with their home ground advantage, should see them win this one as they try to move up the table in season 2022.
Cora Lynn vs Korumburra-Bena
Time: 2pm
Location Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve
Fresh off their first win of the year against Garfield last week, Korumburra-Bena find themselves playing another winless team in Cora Lynn this week.
In a wet and dour affair, the injury-plagued Giants managed to hold off the Stars to bring some much-needed joy into a season that had been bereft of it thus far.
Their opponents this week have been experiencing a lot of the same pain, as Cora Lynn have been one of the more disappointing sides in this year's competition.
The Cobras haven't won a game yet, and the early positive signs they exhibited in close losses to Phillip Island and Bunyip have all but disappeared in their recent matches, in which they have been routinely thumped by 10 goals or more.
This will mean the Cobras will be desperate, and the fact that they are certainly not a side totally lacking in talent will have Korumburra-Bena wary of this game.
The home ground advantage will also favour Cora Lynn, who will probably start as favourites and should win this one if they really want to make any sort of impact in this season.
Dalyston vs Nar Nar Goon
Time: 2pm
Location: Dalyston Recreation Reserve
Nar Nar Goon find themselves undefeated after five games and sitting pretty in second place on the ladder as they look to make it six in a row against Dalyston.
The Goon have looked a strong side so far this year, having won four of their five matches by over 50 points, largely thanks to a deep forward line that contains multiple players all capable of kicking a bag on any given week.
Dalyston, meanwhile, started this year in a competitive fashion but have been brought crashing back down to Earth in their last two games, where they have managed to kick just one and two goals respectively.
Put simply, the Magpies can't score against the more solid defences in the competition, and against a Nar Nar Goon backline that conceded just one goal against Cora Lynn last week they may find their scoring to be an issue once again.
It must be noted that the Goon haven't had to play any of the absolute top contenders yet, with their highest ranked opponent they've played being the fifth placed Bunyip.
This week shouldn't change that fact though, as the Goon should expect to win this game and win it well.
Garfield vs Tooradin-Dalmore
Time: 2pm
Location: Garfield Recreation Reserve
Garfield missed a massive opportunity last week to finally get their first win of the season, and things won't be getting any easier this week against Tooradin-Dalmore.
The Stars just haven't been a real factor this season, as their lack of scoring potency has meant they have been dismantled too often and too easily by their opponents.
Garfield has just once kicked more than four goals this season, and their tight four-point loss against Korumburra-Bena last week was the first time they lost by fewer than 50 points.
Even when they were against the similarly lowly Giants the Stars still only managed four goals, though it should be noted some poor weather conditions certainly played a role.
The bad news for Garfield keeps piling up, though, considering who they have to play in their match this week,
Tooradin-Dalmore this season have been everything Garfield has not.
They haven't lost a game, they play fast, attacking footy, and they are very good at it, having been held to under 100 just once this year.
The Seagulls are on top of the ladder as it stands, with a percentage over three hundred, and it is not hard to see why.
This all spells trouble for Garfield, who will no doubt be desperate to cause an upset but likely won't have the tools to do it.
Tooradin-Dalmore should keep their winning streak going, and it would take an absolutely Herculean effort from Garfield to stop it.
Inverloch-Kongwak vs Bunyip
Time: 2pm
Location: Inverloch Recreation Reserve
Following their first loss of the year, Inverloch-Kongwak will be looking to bounce back against a Bunyip side who will also be keen on their own form of redemption this week.
The Sea Eagles may have lost against Phillip Island last week but certainly didn't lose any admirers, having pushed the reigning premiers to the end, only succumbing late as they showed that their best is still good enough to win it all.
Still, having gone into the final term three goals up they would have been disappointed to kick just the one behind in the last quarter as they were overrun.
Bunyip, on the other hand, would also be disappointed with their efforts last week, as they fell to the Warragul Industrials in a match they would have been backing themselves in to win.
Having led at half time in wet conditions, Bunyip were outmuscled for longer in the second half as the Dusties kicked five goals to one to snatch the win.
Regardless, the Bulldogs have been highly competitive this year and still look to be a threatening side to any and every team in the competition.
An away trip to Inverloch-Kongwak may prove to be too much though, as the Sea Eagles have an average winning margin of 85 points on their home turf this season.
Still, this will be an interesting barometer game for Bunyip, and even if they don't win the way they go about the match will tell us a lot about where they sit in the pecking order.
Koo wee rup vs Phillip Island
Time: 2pm
Location: Koo wee rup Recreation Reserve
Koo wee rup are on a bit of a high this week after capturing their second win of the season last week but will be hard pressed to keep it going against Phillip Island.
Despite some terrible accuracy in front of goal the Demons managed to hold on against Kilcunda Bass by a goal as they showed that while they may not be in the upper echelon in the competition, they can still match and defeat the sides around them on the ladder.
Unfortunately for the Demons they're running straight into the king of that upper echelon this week, as Phillip Island are in red hot form.
The Bulldogs were on the ropes against Inverloch-Kongwak last week before they did as they always do, finding a way and seeing off another contender in fine style.
Koo wee rup, for all the pluckiness their youthful squad might have, simply don't have the higher gear that Phillip Island do, and a win here would unquestionably be the upset of the season.
Phillip Island are clear favourites to win this one, though Koo wee rup should be expected to at least put up some sort of fight.