by Nicholas Duck
After 13 rounds, it appears the top six is just about set in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition.
While you can never rule out something crazy happening in the last five weeks, it appears the only question remaining will be just who will finish where and who will get a coveted double chance as the teams all contending jostle for positions. Still, the season is still well and truly on, with some local sides winning this week to keep the heat on the teams at the very top.

Bunyip vs Nar Nar Goon
Bunyip's finals chances look just about gone after their fifth loss in six games, this time to Nar Nar Goon.
The Bulldogs were outgunned from the opening bounce, lacking the firepower of their opponents as they sunk to a 4.5 (29) to 11.16 (82) defeat.
The margin could have been a lot worse if not for some inaccuracy on the behalf of Nar Nar Goon. In fact, the game could have been well over by quarter time as the Goon booted 4.7 in the first term alone.
But, despite leaving the door open for Bunyip to potentially work their way back into the game, this never occurred as the scoring struggles that have defined Bunyip's last few weeks once again came to the fore.
Aaron Paxton kicked three for Bunyip while Ashleigh Allen contributed one, but you're just not going to win games of footy with only two goalkickers for an entire match.
By contrast, Nar Nar Goon had eight players all hit the scoreboard, led by Troy McDermott with three.
Bunyip's midfield can stand toe-to-toe with some of the stronger sides in the competition, but when they struggle to finish their work so often it's not difficult to see why they sit in seventh.
With just five rounds remaining, the Bulldogs are two wins behind sixth-placed Cora Lynn leaving them still a mathematical possibility of finals. But barring some serious upsets, it seems like their year is just about done.
William Papley, Ryan Quirk, Brent Heus, Nathan Allen, Jye Keath and Aaron Paxton were solid for Bunyip.
Matthew Homfray, Dean Kelly, Flynn Parker, Trent Armour, Brent Hughes and Mitchell Homfray were Nar Nar Goon's best.
Garfield vs Warragul Industrials
Well, you can just about lock it in. Barring a total disaster, the Warragul Industrials are going to be playing finals in 2022.
Now three wins clear inside the top six, the Dusties are looking strong after claiming their eighth win of the season against Garfield.
The Dusties set themselves up for victory with a 10 goal to three blast in the first half, before grinding out the second half to run out 13.18 (96) to 5.4 (34) winners.
Todd Beck was the standout, driving the Dusties forward through half back and the middle, as well as sneaking forward for two goals. He would be one of five players to top score for the side with two goals, as the Dusties spread the load evenly to thump the Stars.
For Garfield, the end of the season seemingly can't come fast enough. Having now gone winless in all of their 13 games played this year, coach Paul Carbis would be turning his attention to the off-season and the potential recruiting spree the club will need to become competitive again.
Looking at the Stars' run home, they play a number of clubs around the bottom of the ladder. But it would take some effort for them to capture a win this season.
Similarly to their opponents, the Stars spread the load on the scoreboard but, as has been the case through the season, their lack of a genuine consistent target up forward left them unable to seriously challenge the Dusties once they conceded a lead.
A home game against Dalyston next week awaits the Dusties, who will look to stretch their win streak to three as they look to build some solid form heading into finals.
Todd Beck, Will Gibson, Kane Oldham, Matthew Herbert, Bailey Beck and Travis Ogden were named as the Dusties' best.
Garfield's better players were Zac Soutar, Jack Barnes, Liam Bow, Nicholas Lang, Jake Thomas and Jack Tenace-Greenall.
Dalyston vs Koo wee rup
Koo wee rup broke their four-game losing streak, easily accounting for Dalyston away from home.
The Demons hardly looked troubled for most of the day, dominating both in the midfield and up forward as they bullocked and bashed their way to a much needed 14.11 (95) to 6.3 (39) win.
Jason Wells continued his stellar season with five goals, while Nathan Voss was a constant threat to the Dalyston defenders, who were overwhelmed from the beginning of the game.
By half time, the home side had managed just two goals to Koo wee rup's 6.8, leaving the game just about settled by that point.
Dalyston showed a greater endeavour in the second half, but they are one of a few teams who have been worn down as the season has gone on. Aside from their heavenly day with Shaun Burgoyne, it's been rough going for a Magpies side that has seriously struggled to maintain competitiveness for a long time.
For the Demons, their fifth win will be a sweet taste, and though finals are off the table for this year, a charge up the ladder in years to come isn't too hard to imagine with the weapons and young talent they have at their disposal.
Nathan Voss, Luke McMaster, Ethan McDonald, Travis Bindley, Jason Wells and Cosi Anagnostou were the better players for Koo wee rup.
Dalyston's stronger performers were Clay Tait, Curtis Murfett, Louis Armstrong, Lachy Ireland, Jack Paravicini and Matthew Howell.
Inverloch-Kongwak vs Korumburra-Bena
Sometimes a good side just needs to get the job done, and that's exactly what Inverloch-Kongwak did over the weekend against a surprisingly spirited Korumburra-Bena.
The Sea Eagles were put through their paces for much of the day. But, just as an upset seemed on the cards, they broke away late to put the Giants to the sword 14.11 (95) to 8.5 (53).
The final margin certainly didn't tell the full story of the match though, as Korumburra-Bena put on what was their most solid performance in a long while to push their opponents much further than many fans would have guessed.
After conceding four goals to one in the first term, it appeared that Inverloch-Kongwak would do exactly as expected and run away to an easy win against a team that has already had its fair share of massive losses.
Korumburra-Bena had different ideas though, and over the course of the next two quarters outscored the Sea Eagles by four goals to two to reduce the margin to just 10 points at three quarter time.
Paul Fermanis was a strong conduit for the Giants, kicking four goals to once again be his side's shining light up forward.
And while it seemed, briefly, like Korumburra-Bena's spirit might be enough, they unfortunately ran out of petrol tickets in the final term, conceding eight goals to three to see the game slip away from them.
Such is the strength of Inverloch-Kongwak that they can have an off-day as they did here and still win comfortably in the end through their sheer talent, particularly up forward as Tristan Van Driel and Toby Mahoney kicked four and three goals respectively.
Still, this was a much better effort from Korumburra-Bena, and one they can build upon as the season draws to a close.
Paul Fermanis, Matthew Lello, Kodie Walker, Zach Walker, Daniel Brown and Troy Brown were named as Korumburra-Bena's best.
Lachlan Scott, Corey Casey, Lachlan Johnson, Lewis Rankin, Todd Mackie and Jarvis Pryor were all excellent for Inverloch-Kongwak.
Phillip Island vs Cora Lynn
Cora Lynn's impressive win streak came to an end as they were demolished by a hungry-looking Phillip Island.
Where encounters between these two sides have given us some truly legendary battles over the years, it wasn't to be in this match as the Bulldogs overcame some inaccurate kicking for goal to triumph 14.18 (102) to 6.7 (43).
As the game began, if you'd told someone totally unfamiliar with the teams that Cora Lynn were the side that had won seven straight, they may not have believed you. Phillip Island totally bullied the Cobras around the ball for much of the opening quarter, clearly not intimidated by the immense form of their opponents prior to this week.
They couldn't finish their work though, kicking a shocking 10 behinds to go with three goals to lead by just 21 at quarter time despite having 11 more scoring shots.
The Bulldogs nearly came to regret it too, as Cora Lynn adjusted to draw within two points early in the second term. This would be as close as they got though, as the champs did their thing and pushed the margin back out, before putting on a defensive masterclass to keep the away team to just one goal for the entirety of the second half.
Cora Lynn spearhead Nathan Gardiner was kept to just two goals for the day, making it the first game since round five that he kicked fewer than three goals.
At the other end, Cameron Brown and Jack Taylor kicked three each. Taylor, in particular, was outstanding for Phillip Island.
The loss leaves Cora Lynn sitting in sixth, but their two-win buffer over the teams below them means they should still be a factor come finals time, though some improvement will be needed if they are to make a significant impact.
Jack Taylor, Jaymie Youle, Kai Mackenzie, Damien Holmes, Billy Taylor and Jordy Patullo all played well for Phillip Island.
Cora Lynn’s better players were Luke Ryan, William Thomas, Nathan Gardiner, Robert Hill, Cory Machaya and Lachlyn Peluso.
Tooradin-Dalmore vs Kilcunda Bass
The runaway train known as Tooradin-Dalmore showed no signs of slowing down this week, their latest victim being Kilcunda Bass.
While the fact that Kilcunda Bass were coming into this game on a four-game winning streak may have presented intimidation for most sides, the unbeaten Seagulls were unbowed, thoroughly dismantling their opponents 15.16 (106) to 4.8 (32).
In a forward line already seeming deeper than some oceanic trenches, this week it was Julian Suarez’s turn to star with five goals, while Brady Egan booted four.
In truth, though Kilcunda Bass had some nice plays and even periods of time where they challenged the Seagulls, they at no point looked truly in the match, particularly since they went goalless in the first term and totally scoreless in the third.
And while their four-win streak was a solid patch for them, all four of those wins were against sides in the bottom half of the ladder. Playing the top-of-the-table Tooradin-Dalmore was always going to be a very different story.
For the Seagulls, their march towards a potentially perfect season continued, as the question of just who can beat them rings louder with every passing week.
Brady Egan, Liam Adams, Julian Suarez, Adam Galea, Brad Lenders and Steven Robb were all outstanding for Tooradin-Dalmore.
Nathan Foote, Christopher McKay, Benjamin Eddy, Taylor Gibson, Dale Gawley and Anthony Daraio all played well for Kilcunda Bass.
Next week’s games (home team named first):
Cora Lynn vs Kilcunda Bass;
Garfield vs Koo wee rup;
Inverloch-Kongwak vs Tooradin-Dalmore;
Korumburra-Bena vs Bunyip;
Phillip Island vs Nar Nar Goon; and
Warragul Industrials vs Dalyston.