FINALS positions will be on the line in round 16 of the Gippsland League this weekend.
Traralgon must beat Drouin to keep alive its chances of finishing third and carry a second chance into the finals.
“If we can get ourselves back on the winner’s board we are back in the mix,” Maroons coach Paul McCulloch said.
“We are certainly not locked into the final five at all and that’s probably the position we have been in all year… we are still in striking rate of third but mathematically we can still drop out of it (the five).
“So we have just got to keep fronting up week by week and see what happens and we can’t look too far ahead. Finals was the goal, top three was the goal but we have just got to take it one week at a time, the old clich .”
Traralgon has won its past six against Drouin and the Hawks have won at Traralgon just once since joining the competition in 2005.
The Maroons slipped to fourth after last week’s loss to Maffra, but the Eagles could give those points back with a tough opponent in Sale this weekend.
Sale v Maffra
SUNDAY’S battle of the birds will highlight round 16.
Maffra is the only team this year to have beaten the relentless reigning premier.
“Sale at Sale is going to be a big ask (but) we are at full strength so we will get our game plan going for that one,” Eagles coach Hayden Burgiel said.
Despite Maffra’s dominance of the competition in the past decade it has had trouble beating Sale on the road; the Eagles have not tasted success at on Magpie turf since 2009.
However, Burgiel has a plan to rectify that statistic.
“I think we match up a lot better with them now, I think having Darren Sheen at full forward, a lot of sides get scared by him so if we can get him a couple of early goals and get them focused on Sheen then we will go a long way to winning the game,” he said.
A loss this week could see Maffra drop as low as fifth on the ladder.
Morwell v Leongatha
Second placed Morwell will take on Leongatha which, after a season impacted by injury and illness, has finally found some form.
The Parrots have won their past four including wins over top five sides Wonthaggi and Maffra.
The visitor will be eager to get one back on the Tigers, who fought off a late comeback earlier in the year to beat the Parrots by 10-points.
Morwell has been back to its best in recent weeks and holds a two game buffer on second spot behind the flag favourite Sale.
Moe v Warragul
WITH just four points on its season ladder tally, Moe will be eyeing off a second win when it takes on Warragul this weekend.
The Lions came agonisingly close to victory over the Gulls in round seven, falling just two points short.
It was the turning point for Moe which went on to find some form.
The Lions tested several sides before eventually producing a win over Drouin, however it has since suffered heavy defeats to four of the top five teams.
Round seven was not the first time Moe and Warragul have produced a heart-stopper; just five points separated them in their round 16 encounter last year.
Bairnsdale v Wonthaggi
A WIN over Bairnsdale on Saturday will cement Wonthaggi’s spot in the final five.
The Power broke a four game losing streak against Moe last round, however it must pick up where it left off this weekend.
“It is a big game for us, obviously they (Bairnsdale) will be trying to get into the five,” Power coach Rob Railton said.
“After the last month I’m not looking too far ahead. It was good to have the split round and the rest which means we will get some players back from injury.”
Wonthaggi is fifth, two games and significant percentage points clear of Leongatha and Bairnsdale.
However, if it does not win on Saturday and the gap is reduced to one game, the Power will face must win matches on the road against Maffra and Drouin.
Lurking just outside the five, Bairnsdale has a better run home.
It is highly favoured to beat Warragul at home and Moe on the road.
