Big stakes for old rivals, Tiger changes, stand-in coach | CHFL Rd14 game-by-game previews, selection latest

The Emus are targeting a double chance in the finals, while the Grasshoppers are chasing a finals berth.

For either to achieve their objective, so much relies on getting the points in this contest.

Losses will not completely destroy their hopes, but they will make it potentially extremely difficult.

Skipton and Rokewood-Corindhap are as strong as they have been all season.

Getting Mitch Gilbert back last time they played two rounds ago was the last piece in the puzzle for the Emus, although Alex McLean (ill) will miss his first game of the year.

The Grasshoppers are making no secret of the fact that they will have the best combination they had all year on the park after a constant run of multiple injuries.

They are boosted by the return of number one ruckman Ed Denouden, key defender Joel Bragagnolo, high forward Matthieu Brehaut, midfielder Josh Morgan and marking forward Ryan Aikman, who has recovered from a broken collarbone.

With Rokewood-Corindhap seventh and teetering on the edge of the top eight, joint coach Brad Macgowan is unequivocal in declaring this is the biggest game he and fellow coach Shaune Moloney have overseen at the club.

Creswick's upset win over Waubra last round markedly improved the Grasshoppers' hopes of getting to a first CHFL finals series.

Now they have to capitalise on it.

Waubra continues to be right on their tail, but they will be in the box seat to stay in the top eight with a win.

Skipton is also fired up as it continues to have its eyes set on a top four finish.

Right now the Emus look to be locked in a battle with Springbank for that, with each on three losses.

If Skipton gets over the Grasshoppers, Springbank awaits it in round 15.

Emus joint coach Sam Willian said achieving that objective was now in the hands of the Emus.

"Win our last four and we're in the top four. That starts with Rokewood-Corindhap.

"We all have a strong vision of where we want to end up and we're not looking any further ahead than this weekend.

"It looks like they're in pretty good shape. They play their ground really well and we haven't played well away, but I'll back our boys in."

Willian said he no doubt the encounter would have all the hallmarks of a final.

"It'll be on."

Excitement is building at Learmonth as playing finals gets closer.

Disappointingly though, defender Nick Martin will not be part of any finals series after being ruled out for the rest of the season.

The worst case scenario for him has been confirmed after he suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung in a ruck contest in the Lakies' demolition of Ballan.

Despite his absence, Learmonth should be far too accomplished for Daylesford.

It has regained coach Nick Willox, who has been resting with hamstring soreness.

While finals have been out of the question for sometime, Daylesford is only two games outside the top eight to reinforce how the competition is tightening up.

The Bulldogs have taken some heavy hits against top eight sides though and they will be eager to ensure that does not happen again here.

They will need to ensure the likes of Chris Peart, Xavier Walsh and Tom Sullivan get plenty of the football, and they are disciplined with ball use in the back half where Learmonth can be so potent.

Daylesford coach Hamish Jarrad said despite the scoreline the Bulldogs' pressure against Dunnstown had been as good as it had been all season and he would be looking for similar output again - hopefully resulting in a much more competitive contest.

Trent Nesbitt (calf) will miss the game.

Is this the week Waubra moves into the top eight?

Maybe, but it is no certainty.

So tight is the percentage between the Roos (100.34) and Buninyong (99.19), if both win - and that appears almost certain - the Bombers could leapfrog them.

Of course, if Bungaree defeats Gordon, both Waubra and Buninyong will still be on the outer.

All Waubra can focus on is bouncing back after unexpectedly losing to Creswick.

The rest will look after itself.

Ballan has dropped the ball since getting wins against Carngham-Linton and Creswick, and then having a bye.

The Blues have suffered heavy losses to Daylesford, Dunnstown and Learmonth.

They have shown they are capable of better and only need to look at last time they played at Smythesdale (against Skipton) to confirm that.

This is Ballan's second home game at the Woady Yaloak Recreation Reserve - a big ground which lends itself to a free-flowing brand of football.

Ruckman Trent Laurie is back for the Blues, which will make a significant difference.

Creswick returns home walking tall - undoubtedly still on a high after knocking over Waubra.

There will be a significant difference about this week's assignment, with coach Dean Romeril absent.

He is away for several weeks and former coach Ryan Knowles is stepping up to the plate to oversee a settled line-up

Knowles has a real opportunity to lead the Wickers to back-to-back victories, as long as they can continue in the same vein that they showed against waubra.

Newlyn has battled for consistency and a growing long-term injury has not helped.

The Cats have managed to put together two wins on their past three starts and it could easily have also beaten Bungaree in that stretch.

Their season record and form suggests there should not be much between these sides.

Buninyong is a hot favourite to make its five wins in a row.

The Bombers were fortunate in the end to hold out Bungaree last round.

As far as the scoreboard is concerned, they were in control for most of the day in a low-scoring affair.

Buninyong is not a high scoring outfit, with its biggest total being 90 points against Newlyn way back in round four.

This is not going to be helped by the return of Joel Ottavi to Williamstown in the VFL. Harli Givvens is also out, but Nick Shell returns for just his fourth appearance of the season.

He was off the scene from round five until having a run in the reserves against Bungaree.

Carngham-Linton has not been doing too badly on the scoreboard.

The Saints have not looked like winning, but they have certainly been positive in attack.

Coach Clayton Scoble said they would also focusing on defensive pressure.

The Saints are importantly not suffering any new injuries.

Bungaree continues its fight to stay in top eight and faces a massive task to achieve that end against Gordon at Bungaree.

Gordon will claim top position with a win, being the only side with just one loss to its name.

The Eagles regain Mathew Stokes, Billy Griffiths and Brad Hallam, while Adam Toohey (knee), Chevy Elliott (hamstring) and Jaymes Gorman (hamstring) miss.

Gordon has re-asserted itself since losing to Skipton and as long as it gets over the Demons the minor premiership will be in their keeping.

Bungaree has match-winner Andrew Milroy back after two weeks out, but has lost Alex Ross (hand) and Ben Dodd (heavy knock), who just cannot take a trick in his first season at the club.

The Demons are not done yet, but coming up just short of Buninyong did hurt.

Coach Ryan Waight said the door remained slightly open, but to get into the finals they needed a big scalp, with Hepburn, Clunes and Skipton to follow Gordon.

"We'll throw caution to the wind. The challenge against (Gordon) is to be good defensively again. Our back six have stood up well all year.

"It's going to be a good test for our young guys. The desire and the effort is there. It's just a matter of seeing how far that can take us this week," Waight said.

If Bungaree loses, Waubra (ninth) and Buninyong (10th) are waiting to pounce.

Hepburn is ticking over just as it wants.

The Burras are enjoying an injury-free run and have secured the results they needed - wins over Skipton and Springbank - to move into the top four.

They have one or two players who might be able to work their way back into calculations after playing little part in the season so far, but coach Mitch Banner's priority right now is to keep his team intact and continue to work on fine tuning their game.

For Beaufort, the injury news keeps getting worse.

Tim Haase returns after being unavailable with Felix Oliver, but out goes Brayden Northern (toe), Brody Thoams (concussion) and Ash Davies.

In addition, joint coach Brendan Howard reports that Richard Zelencich (foot stress fracture) is out for the rest of the season.

Can Clunes continue the rot for the Tigers?

Magpies coach Luke Davidson would like to think so, but he knows all too well beating Springbank is going to be easier said than done - even with a line-up strengthened by the return of Alex Bowd and Callum Newton.

"They're a good side. We're going to have to bring plenty of pressure."

Clunes is either going to catch the Tigers still out of sorts after three consecutive losses or on the rebound and fired up to recapture their best form.

The Magpies have had a frustrating season.

Their win-loss ratio does reflect the improvement they have made, with them continually pushing better performed teams, but not being able to get the points.

Clunes has finished in striking distance of Learmonth, Waubra, Newlyn and Rokewood-Corindhap.

Then for record, they defeated Buninyong, which has since beaten Springbank.

This assignment might again be just out of reach, not helped by the loss of Dom Makur.

What Clunes does run into is a Springbank with several changes.

Key forward Stephen Staunton is back with Joel Maher, Colin Vaughan for his third senior game of the season and Terry Maher, who has not played since round one.

However, ruckman Pat Glanford, Chris Quinlan and Justin Simpson are all notable absentees.