at CE Brown Reserve, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: preliminary final, 2016 - Sunbury 14.22 (106) d Lake Wendouree 9.14 (68)

LAKE WENDOUREE (2nd)

Tim Malone has had just the start to his coaching career at Lake Wendouree he would have hoped for on his return to the Ballarat Football League.

The Lakers’ premiership player has made the most of a favourable draw to be unbeaten after four rounds.

Malone is first to admit Lake Wendouree is still some way off where it will need to be later in the season, but all it can do is win and it has delivered.

Just as it needed in the dying minutes of the opening round to get over Redan, Lake Wendouree is going to have to find something extra against Sunbury at Wendouree on Saturday.

Malone said he was certainly cautious, emphasising Lakers could not afford any lapses against the likes of Sunbury.  

Lakers get back young ruckman Arthur Armstrong after injury and midfielder Bailey Edwards from the North Ballarat Roosters.

SUNBURY (6th):

Uncertainty still surrounds Sunbury.

The Lions have no doubt they are better than their two wins – both at home –  in five games. How good are they though?

Sunbury gets the opportunity to answer this question against the Lakers in its first trip to Ballarat of the season.

Sunbury coach  Ben Jordan said it would have been great to have picked up another win along the way.

He believes if the Lions can take the same intensity and accountability that they produced in a one-point loss to Darley and win over East Point they stand a really good chance against Lake Wendouree.

Unfortunately for Sunbury, it goes into the game without leading goalkicker Ben Said, who took a set one-match suspension after being cited by the match review panel for high contact in an incident off the ball against East Point.

Said kicked six goals in that game to take his season tally to 17 and equal second in the BFL goalkicking.

While it loses Said, Sunbury does regain key defender Adam Short (hamstring) and picks up Werribee VFL-listed ruckman Jayden Eales.

PREDICTION: Lake Wendouree

MELTON v BACCHUS MARSH

at MacPherson Park, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 16, 2016 - Bacchus Marsh 13.14 (92) d Melton 13.8 (86)

MELTON (9th): if ever the Bloods had a chance to produce a major upset, this is it. 

Coach Brad Murphy will put his best side for the year on the park with the expected inclusion of seven VFL and TAC Cup-listed players.

Mark Orr (Coburg), Brock Kennedy, Billy Crofts, Jordyn Cotter (Werribee), Dyson Stevens (Northern Blues), Blake Souter and Brock McGregor (Western Jets) are all set to bolster an injury-hit line-up.

Crofts has not played since breaking a hand pre-season. Dillon Sharp is also back from injury.    

BACCHUS MARSH (5th): keeping up with a theme across the competition, Port Melbourne VFL-listed Dillon Viojo-Rainbow will debut. 

Drafted by Carlton in the 2014 AFL national draft via the Western Jets, the former Bacchus Marsh junior was delisted at the end of last season. 

Blake Graham (Western Jets) will also make his senior debut. Jacob Wheelahan (North Ballarat Roosters) returns, but there will be no Trent Angwin (hamstring) and Ryley Struhldreier (hamstring).

PREDICTION: Bacchus Marsh

BALLARAT v SEBASTOPOL

at Alfredton, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 13, 2016 - Ballarat 16.11 (107) d Sebastopol 13.7 (85) 

BALLARAT (8th): coach Shane Hutchinson goes head-to-head with his brother-in-law, Sebastopol coach Shane Snibson. 

An injury-free Swans are keen to get back on the winners' list.

Hutchinson said the effort and pressure was there against Redan, but they had been outclassed.

He said it would be important to maintain the intensity had been showing.

SEBASTOPOL (10th): Brett Goodes (calf) will unfortunately miss again, especially disappointing given the Burra wears a special indigenous round jumper.

After losses to three of the big guns, Sebastopol will rightly see this as a realistic winning chance.

Key forward Michel Powell and tall Tyler O'Sullivan-Kirchner are expected back, which is a huge boost. 

PREDICTION: Ballarat

DARLEY v MELTON SOUTH

at Darley Park, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 17, 2016 - Darley 19.19 (133) d Melton South 18.13 (121) 

DARLEY (1st): coach Heath Scotland believes greater speed and midfield depth will be linchpins in remaining unbeaten.

The Devils will also focus of reducing opportunites for Brendan Fevola and former Darley player Mitch Banner - the Panthers' main avenues to goal.

Key forward Kyle Docherty is back from suspension, but Leigh Spiteri (groin) has to sit out another week. 

Dan Roy (groin) is expected to be okay, but Lachie Herring (hip) did not come up.

Geelong VFL-listed and Darley premiership player Jake Edwards is named as an emergency and is a chance to play ahead of Matt Inglis (shoulder).  

MELTON SOUTH (3rd): the Panthers are desperate to claim their first major scalp and joint coach Sean Triplett believes with better efficiency they can achieve this.

He said they were getting more than enough of the ball via clearances and stoppages, but continued to let themselves down with poor disposal. 

Tayte Pears (ankle) is doubtful as is Brendan Hooper (finger) and Tom Derickx (finger). Mozzie El Houli (shoulder) will miss.

PREDICTION: Darley

NORTH BALLARAT CITY v EAST POINT

at Eureka Stadium, Saturday, 2.15pm

LAST MET: round 15, 2016 - North Ballarat City 24.10 (154) d East Point 7.9 (51)

NORTH BALLARAT CITY (7th): it seems an age since City played, but a two-week break has given it time to re-assess on the back of two losses.

With a 1-2 record, City needs to win this given the tough three weeks ahead it has. Coach Jordyn Burke said everyone was itching to get back into action and get some momentum going.

Sam Bromley-Lynch (knee) will be a welcome addition, while Daniel Kilpatrick (tooth) is also back to boost the ranks.

Tom Hotchin steps up from the under-18.5s to make his senior debut.

EAST POINT (11th): the Kangaroos continue to search for their first win. 

Coach Jake Bridges will be looking to discover the same factors which allowed Ballarat, which East drew with, to run over North Ballarat.

East Point can run the ball well when on song, but will need to find something extra in its defensive make-up.

PREDICTION: North City