by Davyd Reid
FIRST will meet third, while fourth will play fifth, in what shapes as another competitive round of Ellinbank District football on Saturday.
Ellinbank and Poowong will face off in round 12, with the match carrying plenty of intrigue.
While the Eagles have rebounded to improve their record to 7-3 and re-establish themselves in the top five, they have had fluctuations with injury and form. Last week's match seeing Nyora finish strongly.
They will host a Magpies side who charged back into the top five with an upset win over Trafalgar last week; a result sure to give them plenty of confidence.
Buln Buln will test themselves against Neerim-Neerim South.
While the Cats sit three games clear ahead of the chasing pack, the Lyrebirds will take confidence from the last time they met in round one. It was a match they could have potentially won had they made the most of their opportunities.
Sixth-placed Longwarry will host ninth-placed Nyora in an important match for the Crows.
While the Crows have proven difficult to beat at home, it won't come easy against a Saints side that finished strongly against Ellinbank last week in what looms as a danger game.
Victory could see the Crows back into the top five, pending the Ellinbank and Poowong result, while a loss will put the home side well and truly among the pack vying for the lower reaches of the five.
Lang Lang will travel to Catani in another match that will be important for the Tigers' finals ambitions.
Having scored an impressive victory at Longwarry last week to square the ledger at 5-5, another win is vital for the Tigers to keep in touch.
It also presents an opportunity to improve percentage, the Tigers facing a 36.5 percentage point deficit to the fifth-placed Poowong.
Yarragon will need to account for Nilma-Darnum to keep its faint finals hopes alive.
The Panthers sit two games and percentage outside the five as teams turn for the run home.