at Bungaree, Saturday, 2.30pm

GLEN Phelps is poised to return to a Buninyong side that seizes up another Central Highlands Football League heavyweight.

Phelps has been struggling with a hamstring injury for the past few weeks and hasn’t played since the Bombers’ win over Smythesdale on June 20, but is back to boost the team on Saturday.

Because of his fitness issues, the forward has missed a large part of the golden run in Buninyong’s season, which has included eight-straight triumphs.

Buninyong joint-coach Jarrod Morgan told The Courier Phelps, who has booted 40 goals in nine matches this year, was a “massive in” for the side.

“Him being out has given us some more avenues to goal and slipping him back in, (he) won’t necessarily be the key focus,” Morgan said.

“When he comes in it just gives us another dangerous forward option, I suppose."

Phelps’ brother Mark will miss this weekend’s encounter unavailable and is among two changes to the Buninyong side that held Creswick goalless last weekend.

Morgan admitted it was another vitally important match for his boys, which are now third on the ladder and four points clear of fifth-placed Gordon with three home and away matches to play.

He said the side would probably need to win all of its games against Bungaree, Ballan and Clunes to secure a top four spot and double chance in finals.

Meanwhile, the Demons are fronting from a defeat for just the second time in 2015.

Coach Heath Pyke and his men were humbled by Beaufort on Saturday, but still hold top spot on the table by percentage over Springbank and the Bombers.

“It’s another test against a finals contender. The result for us definitely carries some significant bearing on the outcome of the year and potential ladder positions and finals preparations, to a certain degree,” he said.

Defender Luke Mangan is the significant out for the Demons after suffering concussion early in the game against Beaufort.

He is one of two named changes to the outfit that went down to the Crows.

PREDICTION: Bungaree to bounce back

BALLAN (6th) v BEAUFORT (7th)

at Ballan, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Ballan 7.11 (53) d Beaufort 6.6 (42), round 11, 2014 

BALLAN: With finals in the bag, the Blues can now realistically start contemplating a spot in the top four.

Ballan, sixth and only two points behind fourth-placed Waubra, is on the hunt for an eighth-straight victory when it meets Beaufort this weekend.

Coach Mark Williams said the club's home ground was "not in the best condition", but was looking forward to the return of defender David Ismail, who missed last weekend's win over Dunnstown.

BEAUFORT: Graintech Crows coach Dale Power and his boys are up and about after landing arguably their best win of the season.

Beaufort toppled reigning premiers Bungaree to move into seventh position on the ladder last weekend, but face a difficult road trip here.

Just one change to the team that beat the Demons was named, with important defender Jake Ewart back in after an ankle injury.

PREDICTION: Beaufort in a flip of the coin

CLUNES (12th) v DUNNSTOWN (13th)

at Clunes, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Clunes 10.7 (67) d Dunnstown 8.6 (54), round 4, 2014

CLUNES: Magpie top-liner Jayden Hind has been slapped with a one-match ban for language used in the team's win over Smythesdale last weekend.

Hind will now miss Clunes' tilt at a fourth-straight victory against Dunnstown this Saturday.

Onballer Josh Lee is set to return after being absent for the win over the Bulldogs, while Saturday's home encounter will double as joint-coach Jason Hill's 200th senior match for the club.

DUNNSTOWN: Daville Building Surveying Towners coach Justin Abrams is set to recall tall forward Aaron Brennan after a spell in the reserves last weekend.

Abrams said he dropped Brennan because he "just needs to work harder", but has named him for this Saturday.

In other selection news, Abrams said assistant coach Scott Henning and key backman Daniel McGrath were unavailable, while last season's best and fairest Kayle Mullane is ready to return after pulling out of the loss to Ballan with illness.

PREDICTION: Dunnstown by 20 points

CRESWICK (9th) v HEPBURN (8th)

at Creswick, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Hepburn 22.16 (148) d Creswick 5.7 (37), round 14, 2014

CRESWICK: The Wickers, you'd expect, will come out firing after an embarrassing result against Buninyong in round 14.

Creswick was held goalless by the Bombers in a 102-point drubbing, which left coach Damian Lubeek determined to put the squad through a tough training run during the week.

Lubeek said versatile half back Alex Code is set to miss with a hamstring injury, while confirming onballer Simon Hepworth and defender Chris McLean would return to the line-up.

HEPBURN: The Burras could possibly get back onballer Dan O'Halloran for the trip to meet Creswick.

O'Halloran has made a quick recovery after suffering a knee injury and undergoing surgery following the win over Rokewood-Corindhap on June 20.

Coach Clive Raak said O'Halloran had even wanted to play last weekend in the loss to Gordon and revealed utility Jason Ferraro is poised to return after missing against the Eagles due to a wedding.

PREDICTION: Hepburn in a low-scoring scrap

DAYLESFORD (15th) v ROKEWOOD-CORINDHAP (16th)

at Daylesford, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Daylesford 10.14 (74) d Rokewood-Corindhap 4.8 (32), round 3, 2014

DAYLESFORD: It has been a season to forget for the Bulldogs, which are set to miss finals for the first time since joining the Central Highlands Football League.

However, finishing off the year in good style is always the aim for any bottom-end team. And Daylesford has a good chance to do that with a favourable draw in the run home.

Last weekend's success against Carngham-Linton can certainly be backed up with victories over Rokewood-Corindhap, Smythesdale and Dunnstown before the year ends.

The main injury news surrounds Matthew Bolton, who is reported to have a broken cheekbone and will miss this encounter.

ROKEWOOD-CORINDHAP: The Emerald Grain Grasshoppers will be eyeing off this game for a long-awaited victory.

Rokewood-Corindhap has not prevailed since round five, but has been ultra-competitive in a number of fixtures leading into the winnable game against Daylesford.

PREDICTION: Daylesford... just

GORDON (5th) v SKIPTON (16th)

at Gordon, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Gordon 18.11 (119) d Skipton 11.10 (76), round 9, 2014 

GORDON: Watts brothers Angus and Hamish are set to miss the Hyundai Eagles' home fixture with Skipton.

Coach Corey Grills said the boys have a wedding to attend this weekend and would come out of the team that beat Hepburn.

That result was important for the side, which is now fifth on the table and two points behind Waubra in the hunt for a top four berth.

Forward Jye Cousins, who booted five goals against the Burras, is unlikely to play because of illness this Saturday.

SKIPTON: Key duo Matt Rea and Michael Slater are out for the Emus' difficult assignment with Gordon.

Rea (groin) and Slater (back) were hurt during last round's narrow loss to Newlyn.

Skipton slipped to 16th on the ladder following that result and now has a couple of difficult clashes with the Eagles and Waubra on the horizon before a final-round fixture against Carngham-Linton.

PREDICTION: Gordon easily

LEARMONTH (11th) v SMYTHESDALE (18th)

at Learmonth, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Learmonth 51.20 (326) d Smythesdale 3.2 (20), round 6, 2014

LEARMONTH: Hotondo Homes Lakies coach Brenton Powell will celebrate his 150th senior game for the club on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Learmonth will be without ruckman Ryan Barnes, who has been left out of the side with a knee injury.

SMYTHESDALE: The Bulldogs are fielding some of their strongest teams as the 2015 campaign draws to a close.

And coach Stephen Frys is upbeat about his side's performance last week, despite going down by 77 points to Clunes.

The Bulldogs won a rare quarter and actually led the match at the first change before being overrun by the Magpies.

Onballer Tom Nankivell got through his first match back from a broken leg last round, but is out because of work on Saturday, while the important Steve Smith will return from a heavy knock to the spleen that kept him out against the Magpies.

PREDICTION: Learmonth

NEWLYN (10th) v WAUBRA (4th)

at Newlyn, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Waubra 22.13 (145) d Newlyn 12.4 (76), round 7, 2014

NEWLYN: The Cats have named key backman Jacob Perkins to return from injury.

Perkins, lured from East Point for this campaign, has not played for Newlyn since the game against Ballan in mid-June.

Other key ins this weekend include forward Matt Cosgrave and backman Daniel Hammond from respective hamstring issues.

The Cats snuck home in a thriller against Skipton on Saturday for their sixth win of 2015.

WAUBRA: Recruit Julian Sambell is poised to make his senior debut with the Roos this weekend.

Sambell, who landed at the club from Tatyoon this season, gets the call-up after a good year in the reserves.

He is one of two named changes to the Waubra side that went down to Springbank last outing, with coach Grant Luscombe reporting forward Rhys Brown is out with a stress fracture in his foot.

PREDICTION: Waubra by 29 points

SPRINGBANK (2nd) v CARNGHAM-LINTON (17th)

at Wallace, Saturday, 2.30pm

LAST TIME THEY MET: Springbank 18.13 (121) d Carngham Linton 8.8 (56), round 13, 2014

SPRINGBANK: GJ Gardner Tigers coach Terry Simpson says Paul McMahon may return to the side, despite missing just one game through a quadriceps injury.

McMahon was absent for Springbank's win over Waubra at the weekend and the Tigers named him at selection on Thursday night.

Among the selections news, midfielder James Millikan is rested, while defender Peter Lewis returns to the side that landed an eighth-straight victory and jumped to second place on the ladder last Saturday.

CARNGHAM-LINTON: Saints coach Glenn Treacy knows this is a tough assignment and he will have to do it without a couple of important figures.

Treacy said midfielder Brad McDonald would miss after hurting a knee in the loss to Daylesford, as would defender Josh White with groin soreness.

After the trip to Wallace, Carngham-Linton eyes Newlyn and Skipton before the end of the campaign.

PREDICTION: Springbank to make it nine games unbeaten