Tom Hayes
THREE clubs have the bye in the North Gippsland Football-Netball League today, meaning only four games will go ahead in Round 14 action.
Fates might be decided at the weekend, and at the very least the teams will know where they stand heading into the last month of the home-and-away season.
OFF the back of a huge win, Sale City are well within the hunt.
They often say its about finding form at the right time.
The Bulldogs knocked over then-first-placed Woodside last weekend (knocking them down into second place), a massive scalp in regard to their dream of reaching finals in 2024.
But the job is not over, as they will be looking to stay within touching distance of the top five when they travel to Rosedale.
The Blues sit equal on points with the Bulldogs, but find themselves in a deficit when it comes to percentage (over 60 per cent difference).
This being the case, Rosedale may need to find an extra win compared to others to avoid seeing themselves miss out on the top five. That appears to be a tricky feat, however.
With certain matchups this weekend, it will be difficult to see Sale City break into the top five with a win, but their run home suggests they won’t be far off.
The Bulldogs face Glengarry, Churchill, Yarram and Gormandale in the games following this weekend, potentially all winnable.
For Rosedale, this game is essentially make or break. A loss tomorrow will likely see the Blues bounce two games back of the top five.
With only three games left after this fixture, two of those against top-three placed sides, defeat could decide their fate in season 2024.
A win however against an in-form Sale City outfit could redefine their season and set them up with confidence for a tricky run home.
The Bulldogs will be favourites in this one as they hope to begin their run into finals on the right note.
WITH the current state of play, Woodside and Yallourn Yallourn North are set to face each other in the first week of finals.
This might well be a dress rehearsal for that Qualifying Final on August 24.
The Wildcats have found themselves in a slump, and after suffering their first two losses of the season consecutively, they’ve lost prime positioning and fallen into second place.
The Jets could see this match as opportunistic, ready to pounce on the side while they’re already down. However, they will have to do it the hard way on Woodside’s turf.
Eight points separate the two sides, but the result of this match could have a multitude of effects.
Woodside at home will find themselves favourites, and a win over the Jets will put a 12-point gap between second and third, generating a clear top two in the competition.
If YYN find themselves on the receiving end of a loss, it could be more damaging than they think.
With Heyfield a game behind them with a winnable game at the weekend, they could join them on eight wins after the round’s completion, which won’t be in the Jets’ best interest. They will be trying to avoid this as much as possible.
A win for YYN however will not only bring the two teams closer on the ladder, but will only make a potential Qualifying Final between the two all the more mouth-watering.
The fact that YYN also has a game in hand on Woodside means with a good run of form leading into finals, the Jets could eventually level their points with the Wildcats by the time the home-and-away season comes to a close.
It’s too close to call in this one, but you would expect Woodside to bounce back sooner rather than later.
YARRAM should get back on track.
After what has been a bumpy few weeks for the Demons, they will surely get back to winning ways when they welcome Gormandale to town.
The Demons slipped up twice in the last three games before the bye last week, both to surging counterparts Rosedale and Churchill. For a team comfortably in the top five, they wouldn’t have taken those defeats lightly.
Now currently one game safe within the top five, Yarram could have the chance to extend that gap, depending on if other results end in their favour.
With favouritism in mind, the Demons could reaffirm their position so much so that they could be equal on points with third-placed YYN at the conclusion of the round.
Losing is simply not an option here for the Demons.
Their only win in the last three game stretch came against 10th placed Glengarry, where their trumped their opponents by 73 points.
Something similar to that Round 11 performance could be in order again.
However, if Gormandale can really sink their teeth in, similarly to their start against Churchill just last week, they might just send a few early scares through the Demons outfit. Who knows what could happen from there.
THIS one is truly make or break.
Churchill host Heyfield at Gaskin Park with their season on the line.
If Churchill lose this one, there is almost no way back.
Currently sitting in eighth place with five wins, the Cougars are two games behind their fourth-placed opponents.
A win is essentially their only option, and if results go their way, they might just find themselves one game from the top five with four games to play, an equation much preferred to three games behind with four to play.
Churchill has found some form as of late, winning three on the trot, two of those after their Round 11 bye.
The Cougars will be filled with confidence entering this one, highlighting the fact that if they go down, they will need to win every remaining game, which appears to be unlikely considering they face Traralgon Tyers United, Sale City, YYN, and Cowwarr.
As for Heyfield, a chance to break into the double chance bracket is potentially up for grabs.
Last year, the Kangaroos made an almighty leap in the second half of the season to finish third, eventually making a Preliminary Final. Can history repeat itself?
The Kangaroos will be hoping for the Jets to drop their game against Woodside, allowing them to join them on eight wins for the season. With their percentages close too, anything is possible.
Heyfield don’t have the easiest run home per say, but big wins at this time of the season can really be a factor for the final two months of football.
They would much rather have the second chance up their sleeve, so they will be hard to beat tomorrow.
Recent history also suggests that Heyfield will have the upper hand. Churchill last beat Heyfield in Round 3, 2023 by 71 points.
Yet since the resurgence of Heyfield, the Kangaroos have since beaten Churchill convincingly on three occasions. Heyfield won by 40 points in Round 14 last year, and also by 61 points in the Semi Final. The Roos also claimed a Cougar scalp earlier this year, prevailing by 85 points in Round 3.
TTU, Cowwarr, and Glengarry have the bye.
