Buneep (Bunyip) will wear a special Indigenous guernsey this Sunday for their match against Yayung Warra (Longwarry). Pictured is the Bunyeep team running out with their juniors last year in their Indigenous guernsey.
Round eight of Ellinbank and District football will see a taste of Sunday football, with Buneep hosting Yayung Warra.
This week's round coincides with National Reconciliation Week.
The 2025 theme 'Bridging Now to Next' reflects ongoing connection between past, present and future, with the two clubs coming together for a Marngrook weekend of football and netball.
Both Buneep and Yayung Warra will wear locally designed indigenous playing tops that reflect each club's unique area and storyline.
The clubs also play off for the prestigious Heyden-Berryman shield, which is played in honour of two club legends.
NEERIM-NEERIM SOUTH host Lang Lang in a top four clash to headline the round's action on Saturday.
The Cats have taken all before them, while Lang Lang has built into the season nicely with five wins from their past six games.
Last week's close loss to Buln Buln snapped a five-game winning streak for the Tigers, who will look to bounce back with a competitive effort against the competition yardstick.
The Cats sit some 153.6 percentage points ahead of anyone else. While other defences have also been reasonably miserly, the Cats' forward firepower has proven a difference.
A return of 1,052 points across the first seven rounds is more than 200 points north of their nearest rival.
ELLINBANK meet Yarragon in a key contest between two mid-table teams looking to vie for a position in the top five.
After a promising start to the season, Ellinbank have endured a difficult month to drop their past four games to sides in the top four and drop out of the five in the process.
Yarragon remain in the mix, having picked up the points in games against lower ranked opponents and running fourth-placed Lang Lang within 12 points.
The concern for the Panthers in their chase for the top five will be percentage, which took big hits in losses to Longwarry and Neerim-Neerim South.
This week's contest will be another strong indicator of how much Yarragon have improved.
EIGHTH-PLACED Catani will look to remain in touch when they travel to play Nilma-Darnum.
The Blues have demonstrated improved form under new coach Ray Pickering to have their ledger at 3-4.
They've shown enough to be in the mix to pick up wins over the mid-ranked and lower teams and should be rewarded with a higher finish on the ladder.
The Bombers, on the other hand, appear to have fallen away after last year's spike, and will be hoping this contest can spark a return to that form.
BULN BULN will look to maintain its position in the top five, having advanced after last week's come from behind victory over Lang Lang.
The Lyrebirds host Nyora, who have been more competitive under new coach Daryl Swinburne.
With Yarragon, Ellinbank and Catani on their heels, this one is too important for Buln Buln to drop.
TRAFALGAR should continue its strong form when it hosts Poowong.
Expect one-way traffic in a contest between second and 12th on the ladder, with the Bloods far stronger on paper.
