DARLEY (3rd) v REDAN (1st)
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at Darley Park, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME THEY MET: Redan 17.19 (121) d Darley 13.10 (88), round 3, 2015.
DARLEY: In the eyes of Devils' coach Jarrod Edwards, finals start this week.
A somewhat unexpected loss to East Point last week means Darley is all of a sudden fighting Lake Wendouree for the coveted third spot.
A win would be almost certainly be enough to lock it in for the Devils, given their far superior percentage over the Lakers.
"I think of it as our first final - that's how we are viewing it," Edwards said.
"In a way it's a bit of a nothing game for Redan because they will still finish top two. I'd like to think our guys are going to come out a hell of a lot hungrier than Redan."
Shane O'Bree will come back in and Richard Knight will play his first senior game this year, while Ryan Closter and Darren Leonard will remain on the sidelines.
Edwards said there were a few sore bodies he would not risk if it was not such an important game, but remained tight-lipped on their identities.
REDAN: In reality, the outcome of this match means next to nothing for the Lions in terms of the season.
But just try telling coach Eammon Gill that.
Redan is guaranteed to finish in the top two and a near-certainty to claim top spot, but Gill says that is no reason to take the foot off the pedal.
And you only have to look at the names coming back into the side to prove that.
Brenton Riordan, Leigh Ryall, Nathan Blomeley and Dean Mathews all come into the side, in a show of strength from the maroon and gold.
However, bigger bodies Matthew Cullinan (ankle) and Brandon Green (knee) will miss out.
"You want to win every game you play in, there's no doubt," Gill said.
"Last time we went down to Darley (2013) they beat us and they beat us last year as well."
PREDICTION: Almost impossible to split, but Redan just too good.
MELTON (9th) v SUNBURY (6th)
at MacPherson Park, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME THEY MET: Sunbury 12.10 (82) d Melton 6.9 (45), round 5, 2015.
MELTON: Rocked by suspensions and injuries, the end of the season couldn't come quicker for the Bloods.
Melton will be without Jamie Rawlings and Mitch Brockwell to round out the season, who are both suspended following a fiery match against North Ballarat City.
Coach Brad Murphy said it would be a battle to produce enough senior numbers this week, with the under-18.5's and reserves taking priority as they prepare for finals.
Murphy will also sit this week out, managing just a few minutes in the goalsquare before sucumbing to a knee injury last week.
"I wish we could fast forward the clock a few months to the next pre-season to be honest," he said.
"We're doing it pretty hard at the moment, it's been a year to forget."
SUNBURY: The Lions' remarkable streak of consecutive finals appearances will extend to 19 years should they do as expected and knock off the struggling Melton side on Saturday.
Sitting equal with Bacchus Marsh on wins but with an insurmountable percentage difference, all Sunbury requires is to claim the four points and sixth spot is theirs.
Coach Rick Horwood has maintained all week that his side cannot afford to think that way - playing just for a win and looking towards finals is a dangerous concoction.
Given their ability to pull off a stunning 16-goal victory over Lake Wendouree in the final round of the season last year to sneak into finals, the Lions know all too well what it takes to qualify for the top six in the final round of the year.
Dylan Tarczon and Tom Donoghue come into the side, while Jack Sheahan has been named as emergency.
PREDICTION: No way Sunbury will drop this one.
BACCHUS MARSH (7th) v SEBASTOPOL (11th)
at Maddingley Park, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME THEY MET: Bacchus Marsh 15.11 (101) d Sebastopol 5.7 (37), round 2, 2015.
BACCHUS MARSH: After a season that promised so much, it seems only a miracle can save Bacchus Marsh now.
The Cobras' fate is now out of their own hands, forced to rely on Sunbury collapsing against the lowly Melton if they are to make finals.
And that is only if they manage to beat Sebastopol this week.
In what looms as coach Cam Richardson's last game in charge, Bacchus Marsh's only option is to knock off the Burra and pray to the gods that the Bloods pull off a massive upset over the Lions.
A second half collapse saw Cobras drop six out of their last seven games, having sat in fifth position after round nine.
SEBASTOPOL: At one stage it looked as though the Burras could've been blessed with the presence of four North Ballarat Roosters-listed players this week.
However, the Roosters have wrapped Matt Austin and James Keeble in cotton wool for the bye, although they have cleard livewire forward Michael Powell to play his first game since round 10.
Powell will add an extra scoring to dimension to the Sebastopol side, which will be hurt by the loss of Tyler O'Sullivan-Kirchner, who came off in the first minute last week with a shoulder injury.
Coach Shane Snibson said he would grant a second senior game to 15-year-old Ben Hutt, who was admirable in his debut last week.
"We've shown considerable improvement on the sides we have played twice this year," he said.
"Bacchus Marsh got us by 10 goals last time but we give ourselves a real shot this time."
PREDICTION: Bacchus Marsh, but not with a great deal of ease.
MELTON SOUTH (10th) v EAST POINT (5th)
at Melton Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME THEY MET: East Point 10.19 (79) d Melton South 10.8 (68), round 9, 2015.
MELTON SOUTH: It has been a long and arduous year for the Panthers, but coach Mark Pedersen is more than satisfied with the direction his club is heading.
Melton South, boasting one of the youngest lists in the league, has won two-and-a-half games for the season, which Pedersen said was roughly what he expected when he came to the club late last year.
"I think everyone's pretty happy to see the end of the year really," he said.
"But in saying that, I really do think we've made a lot of inroads. Off-field we are rapt with how everything is going."
Pedersen anticipated a number of high profile signings in the off-season, which he said would give his side a realistic chance of finals in 2016.
EAST POINT: Can't move up, can't move down - East Point is locked in to finish fifth on the ladder.
It is somewhat of a meaningless game for the Roos, but coach Glenn Wilkins isn't taking his foot off the pedal by resting any players.
In fact, veteran ruckman Paul Kodorenko will come back in to play his first match since round nine.
A win this week would mean East Point would ride a massive wave of momentum in the finals, with five wins out of its last six games to round out the home and away season.
"We're really up and about at the moment, we're probably playing the best footy we have all year," Wilkins said.
"The guys are feeling really fresh so there's not really any need to rest too many guys."
PREDICTION: East Point, even with nothing on the line.