at Gordon, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Buninyong 9.11 (65) d Gordon 5.9 (39), round 12, 2015

BUNINYONG joint-coach Jarrod Morgan says he isn’t placing any pressure on star onballer Sam Turner to make a comeback from concussion.

Turner has missed the Bombers’ past two matches – wins against Beaufort and Dunnstown – after suffering a knock in the clash against Smythesdale in round nine. This followed an earlier incident in the interleague clash during late May.

Morgan said Turner had been given the green light following head scans, and while he hasn’t been named in the side to take on Gordon this weekend, remained “really confident” his good mate would play again in 2016.

“It’s totally up to him and the doctors. I’ve got to go off that. I’m not trying to put any pressure either way,” Morgan said.

Midfielder Alec Wiltshire is the key absentee for the ladder-leaders’ clash with Gordon after being knocked unconscious in the win over Beaufort. He has been replaced in the team by winger/small forward Keelan Fejo, who returns from an ankle injury.

The Eagles are fronting from their second loss of the season – and first since round one – at the hands of Springbank last weekend.

Selectors made three changes to the side, with Josh Lee, Blake Luscott and James Murphy named to come in for Nicholas Wood, Gerard Clifford and Matt Raworth.

Prediction: Gordon

Hepburn v Beaufort

at Hepburn, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Hepburn 10.7 (67) d Beaufort 9.9 (63), round 12, 2015

HEPBURN’S time to stand up is now.

The Burras sit comfortably inside the top four, with just one defeat from the opening 11 rounds.

But, in reality, the spa country powerhouse hasn’t had a great deal of serious opposition.

Hepburn has played just three of the top eight sides, with the results including a loss to Springbank and wins over Waubra and Dunnstown.

Burras coach Jason Olver knows how important the next six games – starting this weekend against Beaufort – will be in terms of a top four finish.

Following the Crows, Hepburn has meetings with Buninyong, Gordon, Creswick, Bungaree and Ballan.

“We tried to map out our season knowing that our harder sides are going to be in the last seven rounds of the season,” he said.

“You can’t afford to drop too many games against higher ranked sides and now we are in the mix of playing those sides.”

Tall Steve Carman is a key out for the Burras with further surgery required to fix a windpipe problem he sustained against Newlyn in round five.

Meanwhile, Beaufort will be desperate to arrest a form slump which has seen it drop the past three matches against Buninyong, Gordon and Dunnstown.

This has all but spelled an end to the Crows’ top four hopes.

Prediction: Beaufort

Clunes v Carngham-Linton

at Clunes, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Clunes 14.11 (95) d Carngham-Linton 7.8 (50), round 12, 2015

IT HAS been a long, hard slog for Clunes and Carngham-Linton in 2016, but one of the two teams are set to break their duck on Saturday.

It is a mini final of sorts for the league battlers, which have gone through the opening 11 rounds – 22 matches between them – without success.

Clunes vice-captain Jason Yole said the winner this weekend would be the team that makes the least mistakes.

“I’m confident that if we execute our skills to the best of our ability that we will come away with the points,” he said.

“I have no doubt we will be cracking in at 110 per cent all day but it will be a matter of whether or not we can execute.”

Yole said the hosts would be without stand-in coach Ryan Hudson-Morgan, who remains sidelined with a hamstring injury.

Meanwhile, Carngham-Linton is set to get back the important Jacob Dawson from a groin issue, but coach Aaron Braekmans is likely to miss with a hamstring strain picked up in last weekend’s loss to Ballan.

Saints president Sam Richardson didn’t believe the club had gone winless throughout a season since its inaugural years in 1969 and 1970 and knows this is one of the few chances left to break the drought.

“It would be certainly nice to get a win if we could to not have that hanging over our head,” he said.

Prediction: Clunes

Ballan v Rokewood-Corindhap

at Ballan, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Ballan 10.10 (70) d R-C 7.10 (52), round 12, 2015

Ballan (9th): The Blues are within percentage of a top eight berth and can really keep the pressure on Dunnstown with another victory here. Ballan, which has won three of its past four matches, gets back gun onballer Jason McNamara from a calf injury for this clash.

Rokewood-Corindhap (14th): The Grasshoppers are battling with defeats in their past six outings. This week, defender Jonty Wall is unavailable, but the side gets back key onballer Jason Hutchins from a hamstring injury.

Prediction: Ballan

Bungaree v Smythesdale

at Bungaree, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Bungaree 34.17 (221) d Smythesdale 1.1 (7), round 12, 2015

Bungaree (4th): The Demons are back in the top four after the big win over Rokewood-Corindhap and should chalk up another here. Key forward Christian Elliott is unavailable again this weekend, leaving the attacking end a little bare with both Shaun Finlayson and Luke Mirtschin still overseas.

Smythesdale (15th): The Bulldogs have been battling since their strong start to the season and coach Stephen Frys and the boys will be looking to a round 14 clash with Clunes to register a third win for 2016.

Prediction: Bungaree

Creswick v Dunnstown

at Creswick, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Creswick 10.7 (67) d Dunnstown 7.11 (53), round 12, 2015

Creswick (11th): Just a couple of weeks after Tim Rieniets' 300th game, Clint Robinson brings up his 200th open-age match for the Wickers this Saturday. Robinson's milestone will coincide with the return of coach Damian Lubeek, who has been away for the past four matches.

Dunnstown (8th): After being left heartbroken by a two-point loss to powerhouse Hepburn, the Towners are now just percentage clear of ninth-placed Ballan. Sam Cameron, Angus Thompson, Tim O'Shea and Riley Adams are the inclusions for this weekend.

Prediction: Dunnstown

Daylesford v Skipton

at Daylesford, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Daylesford 9.13 (67) d Skipton 4.6 (30), round 12, 2015

Daylesford (10th): The Bulldogs will get back star Michael Cummings from a week off, but coach Marcus Goonan has signalled that he will give another four players time to freshen-up. The three Thomas' - Thurwood, Powell and Button - as well as Jesse Browne are all set for a spell on the sidelines.

Skipton (16th): The Emus' first victory of the season was quickly overshadowed by a 91-point thumping at the hands of Learmonth last weekend. The final-round battle with bottom side Carngham-Linton appears the team's last realistic chance for success.

Prediction: Daylesford

Springbank v Newlyn

at Wallace, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Springbank 8.14 (62) d Newlyn 4.1 (25), round 12, 2015

Springbank (3rd): The Tigers will be without key figures Nick Couch and Joel Maher for the game against Newlyn. Couch has a back complaint, while Maher is set to miss for the next month while overseas.

Newlyn (12th): The Cats get back onballer David Richardson this weekend, but will be missing midfielder Calvin Pane (overseas) and defender Daniel Hammond (hamstring). Newlyn is looking to atone for its loss to Daylesford last round, which coach Kal Young described as the worst in his coaching career.

Prediction: Springbank

Learmonth v Waubra

at Learmonth, Saturday, 2.30pm

Last time: Waubra 18.9 (117) d Learmonth 5.10 (40), round 12, 2015

Learmonth (13th): Ruckman Ryan Barnes and clever defender Jacob Werts are back to bolster the Lakies for the clash with neighbours Waubra. Barnes was unavailable for last weekend's win over Skipton, while Werts missed through an ankle injury.

Waubra (5th): Top onballer Tom Nijam didn't come up for the Roos' win over Clunes last weekend, but is back for the club's attempt at retaining the Basil Clark/Tom Ford Cup. Midfielder Tim Mullane is another of the important inclusions for Saturday.

Prediction: Waubra