EAST POINT (8th) v MELTON (6TH)
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at Eastern Oval, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME: Melton 11.12 (78) d East Point 9.7 (61), round 5
EAST Point has walked a thin line throughout the Ballarat Football League season.
The Kangaroos have come up well short in the win column and for most of the campaign has been on the outside looking in when it comes to the top six.
As rocky as the road has been though, East Point can still fulfill its first objective and play finals.
It has been locked in an ongoing three-way battle with Melton and Darley for the one remaining spot in the top six - with the trio shuffling around depending on who manages to scramble a win.
Chances are running out and East Point for the second week in row faces a must-win assignment to stay in the hunt.
This time it is against Melton at the Eastern Oval. A win to the Bloods will not guarantee it a finals berth, but it will end East Point's hopes. A Kangaroos victory will see the struggle for sixth tighter than ever going into the last round.
East regains Nick Weightman, but loses Luke Faull to a one-match suspension.
Coach Glenn Wilkins says the Kangaroos are excited by the challenge. He is confident that if East Point can reproduce the type of form which gave it an upset win over Bacchus Marsh early in the season it can get the job done.
Wilkinson said there had been some good signs against Ballarat.
He said Kangaroos were a much different combination to that which lost to Melton earlier in the year, with about eight changes to the line-up. Additions include Jono Lanyon, Hayden Walters, Brad Whittaker and Weightman - all capable of having major influences.
Melton coach Brad Murphy is rightly bullish about the Bloods' chances after taking a lot out of their six-point loss to Bacchus Marsh - one which he said got away. He said with a little more composure late they could have won.
Melton loses Riley Walker to suspension, but is looking to play Northern Blues VFL-listed Lachlan Hickey and Dyson Stevens.
PREDICTION: East Point
MELTON SOUTH v DARLEY
at Melton Recreation Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME: Darley 24.17 (161) d Melton South 6.13 (49), round 7 (played as season opener)
MELTON SOUTH (11th): just when it looked liked things could not get worse for the Panthers they have for their last game of the season. Justin White (broken foot) and consistent Daniel Hillier (hip) are out. The winless Melton South finished powerfully with an eight-goal last quarter against Sunbury, with coach Mark Pederson encouraged by the effort. Now though he admits their depth will be tested to the limit.
DARLEY (7th): when the Devils thrashed Melton South in the season opener it looked like business as usual for the reigning premier. That could not have proved to be further from the truth. They have staggered to six wins, but remarkably can still play finals. Victory here keeps them right in the race. If they play as well as they did for almost three quarters against North Ballarat City, the Devils will get the points. They have shown faith in players with an unchanged line-up.
PREDICTION: Darley
BALLARAT v BACCHUS MARSH
at Alfredton, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME: Bacchus Marsh 28.14 (182) d Ballarat 8.3 (51), round 5
BALLARAT (9th): turn back the clock a year and this is the round the Swans had an upset win over Bacchus Marsh to sink the Cobras' finals hopes. While the visitors are firmly entrenched in the top six, Ballarat would undoubtedly like to repeat history. The Swans have earned a pass mark this season, but a win here looks well beyond them going on last time they met. Ballarat just does not have the depth even with VFL-listed Liam Youl (hamstring) and Lachie Cassidy (Roosters) back.
BACCHUS MARSH (2nd): Jarrah Maksymow returns from suspension and Simon Lafranchi is available again after work commitments as the Cobras look to bounce back from what coach Travis Hodgson describes as a "flat" performance in falling over the line against Melton. He said the Cobras needed to get back to the structures which had put them in the top two. If they do they should be far too accomplished for Ballarat.
PREDICTION: Bacchus Marsh
SUNBURY v NORTH BALLARAT CITY
at Clarke Oval, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME: North Ballarat City 17.13 (115) d Sunbury 15.9 (99), round 11
SUNBURY (3rd): third position is yet again on the line. The Lions, which will be without Grant Valles (finger) but regain goalkicker Jack Landt, hold down the much sought after spot on percentage and if they win this should lock in third with their last round against Darley, so there will be some sense of a finals atmosphere. Sunbury began like a shot out of a gun last time they met, but faded badly. It did the same against Melton South despite still winning easily and will need to guard against this.
NORTH BALLARAT CITY (4th): This is one of City's most important games of the season. Coach Jordyn Burke said while his players had shown they could run out games strongly, they needed to lift early. He said City might have got away with playing two or three top quarters in the past, but this was not enough in matches of this stature at this time of year. "We're ready for the challenge." Watch out again for Derrick Micallef in attack.
PREDICTION: Sunbury
LAKE WENDOUREE v SEBASTOPOL
at Wendouree Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm
LAST TIME: Lake Wendouree 16.26 (122) d Sebastopol 7.8 (50), round 6
LAKE WENDOUREE (1st): while it will not impact on the outcome, Lakers will be disappointed to be without Nick Peters owing to a one-match suspension. He was rubbed out after the match review panel charged him after high contact on Redan's Nick Sullivan. The Lakers have also lost another match-winner in Steve Clifton (cheek) and tall Tanner Robertson (ankle). In a plus though, Ben Hayes (hamstring) is finally back after an extended lay-off, while Ash Simpson (neck) returns after an overseas trip. Getting them back is perfect timing in the lead up to finals. Rebels-listed Tanna Blackney-Noter also gets a call up.
SEBASTOPOL (10th): this is going to be a tough one even with the inclusion of Daniel Cox (Roosters) for his second game. It is never easy at this time of the season when finals are out of the question. What players do have though is the incentive to show coach Shane Snibson that they have the qualities to be integral in helping the Burra improve even further next year.
PREDICTION: Lake Wendouree