by Rob Popplestone
With only three rounds remaining, ladder positions are still up for grabs and far from finalised in round 16 of Mid Gippsland football on Saturday.
Morwell East v Hill End
Morwell East look as though a finals spot has been locked away, but looks can sometimes be deceiving.
The Hawks are in sixth and where they need to be to play finals. However, if they happen to lose to Hill End this weekend, you get the feeling it will all come down to their round 18 clash with Yinnar in a few weeks.
Make no mistake, the Rovers will be keen to do what they did last week - break the heart of a team that has so much to play for.
"This week, the boys know exactly what's at stake," Morwell East coach Davon Soutar said. "We'll need our very best to keep our finals destiny in our own hands."
What stands in their way is a very good Hill End outfit who have been finding ways to win despite still performing at short of their best.
"Talent still isn't our issue," Hill End coach Mike Santo says. "It's concentration and a desire to work harder than the opponents. In saying that, it's really encouraging to lock in a finals spot with last week's win."
If Morwell East can find a way to win this weekend, a finals position will also be locked in. But, it's going to take one of their better performances of the year.
Newborough v Thorpdale
Newborough gave up second spot on the ladder last week when they were defeated by Foster. Someone has to pay the price for that result, and it's likely to be Thorpdale.
The Blues cannot take a trick this year. They sometimes show signs of what they are capable of but, more often than not, come up against teams on the rebound and with plenty to prove.
The Bulldogs, if they are the side many believe they are, will respond with a merciless performance against an out of sorts Thorpdale side.
"Sam (Davies) and Foster earned their win last week and have some serious firepower up forward now," Newborough coach Craig Skinner said. "They will be the most dangerous come finals. We expect Thorpdale to throw the kitchen sink at us this week, and look forward to the chance to respond."
The response from Thorpdale will be as interesting as that from Newborough. The Blues can play patches of good football, but that won't be good enough this weekend.
"We have shown some great passages of footy, but once again can't sustain it longer than a quarter," Thorpdale coach Ray Pickering said. "When we stick to the plan, we can more than hold our own."
This week is the perfect opportunity for the Blues to actually show what they can do when they play four quarters. They are up against a really good side, away from home and with only a few opportunities left.
Fish Creek v Foster
As good as Fish Creek have been, they will somehow need to be better than ever before to get over the top of an equally impressive Foster side.
The Tigers raised the bar and signalled they are genuine premiership contenders when defeating a good Newborough side on their home ground.
"It's nice for the playing group to see what our best looks like," Foster coach Sam Davies said. "Discipline and experience adds up. We are extremely keen to play Fishy away this week."
Fish Creek have also been in super form with a late run of wins at the back of the season. That is sure to be tested to its fullest on the weekend.
Fish Creek coach John Danckert said Foster seem to be the form side of the competition and "we look forward to taking them on our home deck".
The Kangaroos would like nothing more than to add the Tigers to their hit list. But, it goes without saying, they will need to be at their very best.
Foster would still have their sights set on a position a couple of rungs up the ladder. They know a top two finish means a clash for a direct route through to a grand final. At the moment, we still have eight clubs fighting for that.
Mirboo North v Boolarra
Just a fortnight ago, Mirboo North upset the finals aspirations of Yinnar against the odds.
That sort of effort will need to be replicated and improved on to get over a very good Boolarra outfit.
The Demons have answered every challenge confronted this season and the biggest mistake they could make is believing Mirboo North is not a challenge.
They have been good prior to the bye, but also knowing they could be even better.
Boolarra coach Tony Giardina signalled the clash would be "interesting".
With both teams coming off a bye, players and coaches are somewhat refreshed and ready to again.
Although their year is done, Mirboo North coach Josh Taylor said "we have three games left to build some momentum for next year".
"We have played around 10 to 12 guys each week under the age of 22," Taylor said. "So, it's really important for these guys to hopefully start seeing a few more wins and keep building confidence."
"Hopefully we can change the ladder up a bit and be the villains," he added.
Villains are exactly what they would be if they can get over the Demons this week.
A lot is riding on the last few weeks of the season for Boolarra. An unexpected loss would spell disaster for their current hold on second position.
Tarwin v Stony Creek
With a week off under their belt, expect Tarwin to be refreshed and ready to bounce back from their disappointing loss to Newborough just a fortnight ago.
The Sharks will be keen to sharpen up for their finals tilt with a strong and ruthless performance against Stony Creek.
All that said, the Lions have an ideal opportunity to not only take the scalp of the league leaders but also edge closer to an unlikely finals berth.
Stony Creek coach Jay Accardi says "the job gets a fair bit tougher" as they head to Tarwin.
The Sharks are well aware of the importance of this clash for the visitors.
"We had a hard earned rest last week," Tarwin coach Troy Hamming said. "Now we regroup and play Stony Creek who will have a full side in and playing to make finals, so it's a huge game for us. Last home game for the year."
Stony Creek have crept up the ladder with little fanfare but yet another victory against the well-credentialed Tarwin would have the Lions on the cusp of a finals berth. In many ways, it would be just reward for what has been an honest season.
BYE: MDU, Toora and Yinnar.