at Sunbury,  Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST TIME: East Point 15.11 (101) d Sunbury 14.14 (98), round 3, 2015

EAST Point and Sunbury go into battle in the Ballarat Football League at Sunbury on Saturday carrying similar scars.

Each is on the rebound from a stinging loss to the all-conquering Lake Wendouree.

One key difference is that while East Point is still feeling the pain of six days ago, Sunbury has had a bye to get over a reality check.

The Kangaroos are not going to find this assignment much easier either, with the loss of key figures.

Jono Lanyon and Nick Weightman will play with North Ballarat Roosters in the VFL, while VFL-listed Xavier Vearing is sidelined after again injuring an ankle.

What hurts most though is confirmation that Luke Faull has a torn a posterior cruciate ligament and will miss the rest of the season.

This opens the door for Andrew Stevenson and experienced Brad Whittaker to return. Whittaker has worked his back from two hamstring strains after four appearances in the reserves. Ben Lusby is also back from the Roosters.

As indifferent as the season has been for the seventh-placed East Point, its finals hopes are well and truly alive – so there is still much to play for.

And coach Glenn Wilkinson has no doubt the Kangaroos’ best is up with the best. It is just a matter producing their best, but so far those moments have at has been few and far between.

Wilkinson said getting early scoreboard pressure on Sunbury would be critical. When the Roos defeated Bacchus Marsh in round three, they opened up with 9.1. In the loss to Lake Wendouree they threw away chances in front of goal with 0.5 in the first term.

Sunbury coach Rick Horwood says the Lions’ bye came at a perfect time, providing an opportunity to freshen up. He said with so much at stake he expected East Point to come as if this was a final for what was also a the start of a crucial block of five weeks for the second-placed Lions.

Sunbury named Geelong VFL player Josh Guthrie for his first game of the season.

PREDICTION: Sunbury

BALLARAT v NORTH BALLARAT CITY

at Alfredton, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST TIME: North Ballarat 9.17 (71) d Ballarat8.5 (53), round 13, 2015

BALLARAT (9th): yet another difficult one for the Swans. They do get lively midfielder Lachlan Cassidy from North Ballarat Roosters for the first time, but on the debit side will be without one of their few big men in Hayden Hughes.. Ballarat fought back hard against Melton, but as has happened across the competition all too often it paid the price for a sluggish start. This will stretch them.

NORTH BALLARAT CITY (4th): City know the importance of games of this nature, with no option but to win to stay comfortably inside the top six - especially with games coming up against Sunbury, Redan and Lake Wendouree. Ryan Luke, Ben Simpson, ruckman Lou Campana, youngster Geoff Lovett and Daniel Kilpatrick are inclusions, but it does lose BFL representatives Ryan Hobbs and Jarryd Graham.

PREDICTION: North Ballarat

DARLEY v MELTON

at Darley, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST TIME: Darley 21.18 (144) d Melton 5.12 (42), round 7, 2015

DARLEY (8th) : this is a game the hurting Devils must win. Lose and they drop two games behind Melton and it will be hard road back to the top six. As well as some confidence, Darley has lost Jake Ancrum (suspended) and Harvey Inglis with a season-ending torn medial ligament. As coach Jarrod Edwards says, this is a "massive" game in which they must make a better start.

MELTON (6th): with four wins already in the bag, coach Brad Murphy believes seven might be enough to play finals making this 50-50 game all the more important. And what does he think of their chances? "We're pretty confident." Getting Mitch Brockwell back is big plus after a hard time with injuries. Dillon Sharp is also recalled for the biggest game of the Bloods' season.

PREDICTION: Darley

MELTON SOUTH v LAKE WENDOUREE

at Melton Rec Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST TIME: Lake Wendouree 26.15 (171) d Melton South 8.7 (55), round 11, 2015

MELTON SOUTH (11th): the Panthers have done it tough, but nothing like what they will face against the merciless Lakers. Coach Mark Pederson has been encouraged by that way his young outfit has been playing out games, but is frustrated it cannot produce the same when the game is being shaped. LAKE WENDOUREE (1st): Nathan Pring (ankle) is a disappointing loss for the next few weeks, given his creativity in attack. Scott Carey, Angus Kirby and Ash Simpson are all unavailable, and the hard-working Bailey Edwards returns to the Roosters. However, depth is something the Lakers have plenty of with ruckman Tanner Robertson returning.

PREDICTION: Lake Wendouree

REDAN v SEBASTOPOL

at City Oval, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST TIME: Redan 35.15 (225) d Sebastopol 4.2 (26), round 10, 2015

REDAN (5th): Redan has been building momentum and is eager to keep this going in its first home game in almost a month. The Lions welcome back Jarret Giampaolo after missing two games, but coach Eammon Gill said Brenton Riordan (calf), Nick Sullivan (foot) and Damien Horbury (hamstring) could not be considered for selection. Horbury had only been back the one week after quad trouble.

SEBASTOPOL (10th): An unchanged Burra will hit the ground still on a high after upsetting Darley, but this will be a different ball game. Coach Shane Snibson will have reinforced this and Sebastopol will quickly learn that given that Redan is a team on the up.The Burra works hard in defence, but will need to find something extra in attack to help Michael Powell and Toby Hutt to stay with the Lions.

PREDICTION: Redan