YINNAR is flying high after consecutive wins over Trafalgar and Boolarra, but faces another great challenge when it comes up against Mirboo North this weekend in round 14 of Mid Gippsland football.
After its most recent win over rivals Trafalgar, Mirboo North will prepare itself for another big match.
Mirboo North coach Troy Hamilton said his players were enjoying playing together and the side would continue doing their best to hold onto top spot.
Yinnar overtook Trafalgar to land in third position last week, but is in danger of losing it if Trafalgar defeats Thorpdale and the Magpies fail to win.
Hill End v Yarragon
After a good performance led to Yarragon easily beating Morwell East, the Panthers will hope to put in an equally strong performance against Hill End.
Yarragon coach Anthony Pavey said the side would focus less on the scoreboard and more on their own performance and “see what happens from there”.
Hill End was not as ready to give up on a finals chance, and with it still mathematically possible, there is always hope.
That hope would be all but extinguished if the Hillmen lose this weekend, so the pressure will be on to perform.
Newborough v Yallourn Yallourn North
Yallourn Yallourn North faces a tough battle when it meets Newborough this weekend.
Newborough is sitting in second position, with four points and a healthy percentage between it and the other teams rounding out the top five.
The Bulldogs will want to ensure they beat the sides on the lower half of the ladder, beginning with the Bombers this weekend.
The Bombers have has slipped back to 10th place after Yarragon recorded a victory last weekend.
YYN holds a slightly better percentage than the Panthers and this should only strengthen its desire to remain competitive with Bulldogs, so it can reclaim ninth spot with a win before the season’s end.
Trafalgar v Thorpdale
Following two consecutive losses, Trafalgar will be hoping to return to the winner’s list when it meets Thorpdale.
Trafalgar coach Chris Kyriacou said he was disappointed the Bloods had dropped “right back in the pack”, but thought the set-back could prove good for the young side.
“We’ve got a lot to work on, but we know premierships aren’t won in July,” Kyriacou said.
“Hopefully we can get on track before finals and just keep working hard.”
Thorpdale played well for a half against Newborough last week, and must maintain a four-quarter effort if it hopes to knock off the Bloods.
Morwell East v Boolarra
Following a big loss to bottom-placed Yarragon last week Morwell East will hope to redeem itself when it faces Boolarra this weekend.
The Hawks are not in their best form and Boolarra coach Tony Giardina said neither were the Demons.
Giardina said he was annoyed at his side’s inconsistency, which would only play well in patches, and hoped experienced recruit Nick Hider could provide stability.
“We’re hoping that his experience will guide the young players and steady them out there,” Giardina said.
“We haven’t really played four quarters of footy all year.
“We play really good in patches, then let the opposition in the game, or overtake us.”
Morwell East will have to keep a close eye on Hider, a Sale City premiership coach, and ensure he has as little impact as possible on the game.
