by Nicholas Duck
It's round 15 of the West Gippsland Football Competition and with the top six looking just about set, it's all about momentum and positioning as the best sides look to improve their standings with finals fast approaching. Here's how this week's games are shaping up.
Saturday July 23
2:00pm start for all matches.
Nar Nar Goon vs Warragul Industrials
Location: Nar Nar Goon Recreation Reserve
It's fourth vs fifth in what looms as the match of the round and a potential finals-shaping match-up.
Nar Nar Goon fell brutally short of what would have been a famous victory against Phillip Island, and as a result remain stuck in fourth position. Regardless, it's been a very good year thus far for the club, but as things stand they appear to be just a rung below the truly dominant teams.
For the Warragul Industrials, it's been a bit of a similar story at times, but their victory over the aforementioned Phillip Island a month ago would still be in their minds and would have them confident of challenging just about anyone on their day.
With four rounds to go, a maiden West Gippsland finals berth look just about sealed for the Dusties, but a win here would send a message to the rest of the competition that they mean business. It would also give them a chance to make their way u[ the ladder even further, leaving them in a better position come the end of the home and away season.
When these sides last met the Dusties looked like they were going to claim victory before a late Goon flurry saw them get over the line, and with home ground advantage this time it's hard to go past them.
Nar Nar Goon to win, but don't be surprised if the Dusties spring a trap here.
Cora Lynn vs Garfield
Location: Cora Lynn Recreation Reserve
Garfield's search for their first win continues this week against Cora Lynn.
It's been a tough year for the Stars, whose new-look squad has struggled to make things click in any sort of meaningful way. Of their 14 losses this year, just two of them have been by fewer than 40 points.
It means that at this point, a totally winless season is not just on the cards for the club, but seems like the most likely outcome, given the side's scoring woes. In 10 of their matches the Stars have been held to five goals or fewer, showing their lack of potency up forward.
Potency hasn't been too much of an issue in recent times for Cora Lynn, however, who have lost just one of their past nine games.
Despite a slow start to the season, the Cobras have clicked into gear, led by star forward Nathan Gardiner, and currently sit two games clear in sixth position.
That doesn't mean they can take the foot off the pedal though, and will be looking at this game as an opportunity to build some momentum in the backend of the season going into finals.
Cora Lynn to win.
Dalyston vs Phillip Island
Location: Dalyston Recreation Reserve
Phillip Island, having survived a brutally tough challenge last week, will be looking to make it three straight this week as they travel to Dalyston.
The perennial champs were made to work for the four points against fellow top four side Nar Nar Goon, but as they have so often done over the last few years they found a way when it most mattered.
The win was an important one too, pushing them a game clear of Inverloch-Kongwak and two clear of the Goon in the race for second, as first place appears to have been sealed up by Tooradin-Dalmore.
They should find things a little easier this week though.
Dalyston's season has been another tough one for a club that has endured their fair share of tough years. The Magpies showed some promise early in the year, but aside from a Shaun Burgoyne cameo bringing some much-needed joy things have become a slog.
They've lost their past four games, with the smallest margin in that time being 51 points. And given the last time they met the Bulldogs they conceded a whopping 207 points, it's difficult to see them coming close here.
Phillip Island should win this one, and win it well.
Kilcunda Bass vs Inverloch-Kongwak
Location: Bass Recreation Reserve
Kilcunda Bass have come crashing back down to earth in recent weeks. After a four-game winning streak had the club up and about, significant losses to Tooradin-Dalmore and Cora Lynn in the last two weeks would have dented their confidence just a bit.
Like many of the teams out of the finals race, Panthers have been a solid side against the sides around them on the table but have struggled immensely against the sides at the top of the table.
Unfortunately for them, it doesn't get easier this week against an Inverloch-Kongwak that will be looking to bounce back.
The Sea Eagles had an opportunity to measure themselves against the best last week, and would have been disappointed to have fallen so short. As every other side has been this year, they were swept aside by Tooradin-Dalmore, leaving them stuck in third position.
Inverloch-Kongwak will still have intentions of being a major player come finals time, but their repeated failures against the top two teams leaves them with plenty to ponder.
Still, if they've displayed a talent for anything this year, it's demolishing the sides below them, and that's exactly what they should be expecting to do here.
Koo wee rup vs Korumburra-Bena
Location: Koo wee rup Recreation Reserve
Koo wee rup will be looking to win three games in a row for the first time this year as they meet Korumburra-Bena at home.
It's been a year of solid development for the Demons, who for a while looked to be a potential challenger for the top six before a series of losses sent them spiralling. They're still in the race, but only faintly, and can't afford a single mistake from here on out and will have to hope that some unlikely results go their way.
Big wins over bottom-dwellers Dalyston and Garfield were a great start, and luckily for Koo wee rup they get to face another this week.
Korumburra-Bena have had a year to forget, having been the victim of more thrashings than just about any side. They currently have an even worse percentage than Garfield, with their slim victory against the Stars earlier this year being the thing that may save them from the wooden spoon.
Outside of a precious few matches, the Giants have just been blown away by most sides in the competition, and though Koo wee rup sits just three places above them on the table, it's difficult to see them getting a second win here.
Koo wee rup should get the job done.
Tooradin-Dalmore vs Bunyip
Location: Tooradin Recreation Reserve
Bunyip's extremely faint finals hopes go on the line this week, and unfortunately for them they face the toughest challenge the competition has to offer in an away trip to face Tooradin-Dalmore.
The Bulldogs looked the goods early in the year and for various stretches of time found themselves entrenched in the top six, but after just two wins from their last seven games they've seen their finals spot slip from their grasp. Now sitting two games below sixth, they can't afford any more slip-ups and even then will rely on other results going their way.
Even then, to stay alive they'll have to pull off the upset of the season this week.
It's round 15 and Tooradin-Dalmore is yet to taste the sting of defeat, and have rarely even come close.
They possess some devastatingly good talent on every line, and with one hand on the minor premiership are in pole position to take home even more silverware this year.
It all makes for a daunting proposition for Bunyip, and though they'll likely play with some desperation given the context of their own season, this looks to be a bridge too far.
Tooradin-Dalmore to win.