by Rob Popplestone
If you have a chance, have a quick look at the MGFNL ladder and absorb just how close and competitive the competition is.
With so little separating so many teams, every supporter from every local community should be cheering from the sidelines on Saturday, doing "their'' bit for their local football club.
Thorpdale v Mirboo North
Thorpdale are unlikely to let this one slip.
The Blues, hosting a side in rebuild mode and still with work to do, need victory at all costs.
One expected loss from here will make life a lot harder to make finals than it needs to be.
"We look forward to welcoming our close neighbour Mirboo at home this week," Thorpdale co-coach Ray Pickering said. "Always an important day for both clubs, chasing the Bright/St Ellen Cup. Hopefully we can get our hands on it!"
Whilst that's not the only silverware on the mind of the Blues, it remains important this weekend.
Mirboo North might not be expected to get the points, but they will be learning on the way.
"Heading over to Thorpdale after a week's rest," Mirboo North coach Damian Turner said. "We have recognised some specific areas for improvement and are looking forward to putting these into practice."
"Thorpdale will no doubt be looking to bounce back hard and, on their home deck, is always a tough task," Turner added. "Looking forward to the challenge."
Many challenges remain for the Tigers, but slowly and surely you expect they will be overcome. Rewards may be a season or two away.
For their opponents, the Blues' needs are a lot more pressing. A weekend win is the first of a few still needed to achieve their season 2024 goals.
MDU v Hill End
MDU will win this weekend. But, deep into the season, it is not so much if you win but how you win that is the priority for coaches.
The Demons are expected to be a player in the finals, and deservingly so. To do so, they have to approach the winless Hill End like they are a genuine threat to them. If not, a loss of premiership points or a loss of form can prove to be as costly as each other.
"Last week poor skill errors and missed chances cost us in the end," MDU coach Nathan Allen said. "This week, we host Hill End. Hopefully we can take our chances when we have momentum and turn it into scores."
The Demons still need to find more - easier said than done. Their opposition this week are enjoying every week, even in losses. At the end of the day, isn't sport about that?
"We love playing at MDU, it's a beautiful ground," Hill End coach Ambu Uliando said. "They are a quality outfit and won't give us any easy possessions. But we will keep trucking and doing our best."
Hill End might be holding up the league's ladder, but they are just one win from the second to bottom Mirboo North. There is little doubt that the Hillsmen would see reeling in the Tigers as something to hang their season on.
To do that, however, they need a win either this week or next, or maybe the one after.
Newborough v Stony Creek
Stony Creek have been good, and in some cases very good. However, they will need to be great this weekend to overcome the challenge of a Newborough side coming off a loss and ready to bounce back on their home deck.
The Bulldogs are well aware of the danger Stony Creek poses and the improvements they themselves need to make.
"We brought effort last week, but couldn't execute," Newborough coach Craig Skinner said. "The next stop is Stony Creek."
The Lions sit ninth on the MGFNL ladder, just two wins shy of their fifth placed opponents. A win - on the back of a round 10 victory - would have the visitors believing much more might be possible.
"We have struggled throughout the year to finish games, but I was really happy with our last quarter last week," Stony Creek coach Chris Verboon said. "We had blokes stand up when it counted. Now we head to Newborough. Both teams are in similar spots, so it should be another tight contest."
You would not want to be tipping against the Bulldogs at The Kennel, especially off a loss. But, you also get the feeling that the Lions are capable of winning one against the odds at some stage.
Tarwin v Morwell East
This clash looms as another that will start to sort out the ladder positions.
Tarwin, who sit in eight position, play host to the fourth placed and in-form Morwell East.
The Hawks have been genuine for much of the season, and deservedly sit just the single win from the top of the table. Their victory over Thorpdale in round 10 will act as a perfect platform from which to attack Tarwin.
"Last week was a great effort again by our boys," Morwell East coach Paul Henry said. "Tarwin away this week though is another big game in an important block of games."
That is the key for any club. Not so much to secure a win here or there, but rather string together a block of three - or even more - to move from pretender to contender in the space of a month.
With two months of home and away football to go, there is plenty of time for every side to surge further forward.
"Last week we ran the game out really well, and we will be looking to take some of that confidence into this week against another top team in Morwell East," Tarwin coach Jason Kennedy said. "The boys are looking forward to the challenge back at home."
The Sharks are sure to draw a big crowd for what looms as, quite possibly, their biggest and most important clash of the season. A win will have many in the competition looking over their shoulder at what more Tarwin might be able to offer.
Fish Creek v Foster
Destined to be one of the clashes of the MGFNL season, the reigning premiers host an in-form and dangerous Foster side.
Up for grabs are bragging rights, four premiership points and top spot on the ladder.
"Exciting game this week and one that we pencil in the calendar every year against Foster," Fish Creek coach Jarrod Walker said. "We know each other's game pretty well, so will be a good test and a great game."
As good as the Tigers have been, there is no question even better will be required against a team that shows very little, if any, weaknesses.
The fact that Foster needs to do it on the Kangaroos' home ground poses an even bigger problem.
"We have a massive two weeks coming up against the top two teams; it'll give us a sense of where we are at," Foster coach Sam Davies said. "Fish Creek away is the start. They're the benchmark and obviously the favourites to go back-to-back. We just want to compete at their home deck."
Foster will want a win either this weekend or the next to ensure they stay in the top three. Two losses in succession is likely to send them backwards to a clump of clubs, and the Tigers will be keen to avoid that scenario.
Yinnar v Boolarra
The talk of the league - outside the meeting of the MGFNL and NGFNL leagues recently, which is a story for another time - is the improvement of Yinnar this season.
Led and coached by the respected and former champion player Sam McCulloch, the Magpies look to be the real deal. They are one of a few that can take it up to any in the league, a challenge that includes this week's opponent.
"Last week we played some good footy and it was good to come away with a hard fought win," McCulloch said. "Looking forward to our next challenge and excited to play against our arch rivals in Boolarra."
Boolarra appear very close to taking the next step. More times than not, they have put themselves in positions to win games, only to fall agonisingly close.
If they can fine tune just a few things, results will not be too far behind.
"This week we take on Yinnar, which will be another big challenge in itself," Boolarra coach Brendan Mason said. "Been a long time since we have beaten them, so the boys will be ready to go."
Yinnar will start favourites, and rightly so. But, as this season has already proven, results don't always unfold as expected.
Bye: Toora.