by Nicholas Duck
It's a massive week in the West Gippsland Football Netball Competition this week.
First and second face off, while the fifth through eighth all play one another as the race for the top six continues to heat up.
Warragul Industrials vs Dalyston
Safe to say there's a fair bit at stake at Western Park this week.
Having just worked their way into the top six, Warragul Industrials are now staring down a clash with the team they replaced in Dalyston.
With the top five looking pretty difficult to displace, the Dusties appear destined for a fight for sixth position.
They managed to see off fellow top six threat Kilcunda Bass last week, and a win here could see them create a gap between themselves and the rest.
It's been a strange year for the Dusties. Their best has looked quite scintillating, but they haven't been able to maintain the rage when they've met the best.
Injuries and missing players haven't helped the cause, but now that they're in the top six, they at least have their destiny in their own hands.
Dalyston are in need of a turn in form, and fast.
They've lost four of the last five games, with all four of those defeats being by 70 points or more.
It's looked like the Dalyston of old at times, rather than the team that bravely knocked off Cora Lynn away from home a month ago.
With a significantly worse percentage than Warragul Industrials, losing against them could send them spiralling.
It's all on the line for both teams - win and your finals chances increase massively, lose and you could be left chasing the pack for the rest of the year.
Bunyip vs Koo wee rup
There might be a sense of relief going around at Bunyip.
Finally, after five weeks straight of playing the top five teams on the ladder, the Bulldogs face a side in the bottom six.
It might not sound like much, but for the winless Bulldogs, who have lost their past five games by 100 points or more, it might just be a blessing.
Bunyip have faced a tougher year than most this season, fielding one of the most inexperienced and youthful sides the competition has seen in its short history.
They've shown flashes of competitiveness, but in general it's been a slog.
Koo wee rup will be feeling better about themselves right now as they come into this match off the back of two straight wins.
Those wins have come against 11th and 10th on the ladder respectively, but given the Demons had lost seven consecutive games prior to that, they'll be enjoying the good times.
Coming into this game as warm favourites won't hurt either.
They should win this one, but they'll be wary of the fact Bunyip might look at this one as a chance for an upset.
Garfield vs Phillip Island
Garfield face one of the toughest assignments West Gippsland has when Phillip Island comes to town.
The Stars are an improved unit this year, having already won more games than last season and reducing their losing margins to teams around them on the ladder.
Match-ups against top teams has still proven an issue, however.
Garfield has struggled when they've met the upper echelon, with the likes of Tooradin-Dalmore, Inverloch-Kongwak and Nar Nar Goon getting a hold of them by significant margins.
And unfortunately for them, Phillip Island belongs comfortably in that category.
The Bulldogs are in ferocious form - they're on a six-game win streak, and are fresh off destroying Korumburra Bena by 188 points last week.
Phillip Island simply don't know how to take it easy when they play lower sides, which spells trouble for Garfield.
The Stars will be earnest in their efforts as they have been all year, but it's going to take something special to avoid a big defeat here.
Other games
The top two face off with one another in what promises to be the biggest game of the year thus far.
Tooradin-Dalmore and Inverloch-Kongwak have both been the standard bearers this year.
Nobody can doubt the Seagulls, as the reigning premiers have gone about their business this season as expected.
The Sea Eagles have been the frontrunners, however, and are yet to drop a game this season.
Home ground advantage might favour the Seagulls, but they'll remember how they were dismantled by Phillip Island there earlier in the year.
Flag favouritism is up for grabs, let's see who takes it.
Cora Lynn hosts Kilcunda Bass in another interesting game for the top six.
The Cobras are coming off two straight losses and suddenly are just one game clear in fifth.
Kilcunda Bass missed a chance to break into the six last week, but a win here would put them right back into contention.
On paper the Cobras should get it done, but if things go the other way things may just get hectic.
Finally, Nar Nar Goon travels to Korumburra Bena.
The Goon are on a roll with four straight wins, while the Giants are in the midst of another rather torrid year.
A percentage booster is on the cards here for Nar Nar Goon.