It's round nine and we're officially at the halfway point of the season.
While some teams are already looking set to go for finals footy, others will need to get moving if they want to feature in action.
Warragul Industrials vs Garfield
Warragul Industrials are in need of a win this week to keep in touch with the top six as they square off against Garfield.
The Dusties have shown some solid footy this year but have consistently been found wanting against the upper echelon of the competition, with all five of their losses coming against teams in the top six.
Scoring has been the main issue - they've found it difficult to penetrate the well-organised defences of sides like Inverloch-Kongwak or Phillip Island.
It's left them in a precarious position, especially since they still have six games this year against teams currently in the top six.
Currently sitting in eighth and six points behind sixth, they need to make their chances count.
That all begins this week as they welcome the Stars to Western Park.
Garfield have shown some solid improvement from last season, showing in patches that they can go toe-to-toe with more than a handful of teams.
It's been their footy outside those patches that has brought them undone and they remain well behind the pace of the top teams.
On paper this looks to be a Dusties win, but the Stars aren't a team to be taken lightly.
In the race for finals, however, Warragul Industrials should be looking at this match as a non-negotiable.
Lose and finals becomes that much more difficult.
Phillip Island vs Cora Lynn
Cora Lynn heads over to Phillip Island for another test against one of the best.
At six wins and two losses there are plenty of reasons to be happy if you're a Cobras fan, but it's yet to be seen if they can truly challenge for this year's flag.
They were a level below Tooradin-Dalmore earlier this season, while their other loss - to a resurgent Dalyston - was a bit of a shock.
Cora Lynn's main weapons are well-known by now, chief among them full forward Nathan Gardiner.
Gardiner currently sits at the top of the league goalkicking, his nearest challenger a casual 18 goals behind him and third place 27 behind.
He's formed a solid combination with the returning Ryan Gillis, creating a forward line that can cause plenty of havoc.
And come havoc will be needed if they are to upset the steady hand of the Phillip Island backline.
To nobody's surprise the Bulldogs are once again one of the standard bearers of the competition.
With six wins, one loss and one draw they're sitting third and will be a team to watch out for come finals time.
The result here will tell us more about these sides.
Should Cora Lynn win, it may just be them officially announcing themselves as premiership contenders.
Other games
Bunyip makes the most difficult trip in West Gippsland right now when they travel to face the undefeated Inverloch-Kongwak.
It's been a painful few weeks for the Bulldogs, with three consecutive triple digit losses.
Against the might of Inverloch-Kongwak it's difficult to see this week being much different.
Dalyston will host Tooradin-Dalmore in a top six battle.
The Magpies have been a much more capable outfit this season than in years gone by, currently sitting fifth on the ladder.
The top teams have proven a step too far for them though, with sizeable losses to Phillip Island and Inverloch-Kongwak.
The reigning premiers will be another test, and it will be up to Dalyston to make a better account of themselves.
Two of the bottom sides get a chance for some respite as Korumburra Bena plays Koo wee rup.
It's been a lean season for both clubs, both of them with just the one win to this point.
Koo wee rup will be the favourite despite being on a seven-game losing streak thanks to looking the more competitive side in their losses, but both teams will be desperate for four points.
Finally, Nar Nar Goon and Kilcunda Bass meet in a match that has major consequences for the top six.
With just two points separating the Goon in sixth and the Panthers in seventh, the winner here will end the round in the top six.
Nar Nar Goon look the more likely of the two.