Minor premier up for grabs

BAREENA has signalled its burning intent to rebound from last week’s loss to Ocean Grove when it hosts Eastern Park in the final round of the home-and-away season today.

Each of today’s five Premier matches has a compelling storyline relating to premiership chances, finals berths, relegation and nostalgia.

Bareena chairman of selectors Dan Priddle said: “a consistent performance across four teams is what it takes to win games and we need to be better at that if we are any chance of earning that top-two position heading into finals.”

Eastern Park, seventh, is in an interesting position heading into Round 18, with the club’s second side in danger of relegation.

The question is, do they field their best side to take on Bareena? Or do a number of players step back to bolster the Division 2 side’s chances of saving relegation?

The other battle for the double chance will be when Queenscliff hosts Ocean Grove in the grand final rematch. The loser faces an elimination final against either Sebastopol or Victoria.

Ocean Grove carries good form into the clash after backto-back wins against Sebastopol and Bareena.

Skipper Tony Joel said his side was up for the test.

“We started our finals series two weeks ago — every game for us is like we are playing in elimination final,” he said. “We are ready for the challenge.”

Two significant matches will be contested in Ballarat.

Sebastopol, fourth, faces fifth-placed Victoria on the Sebastopol greens.

The reward for the winner is the elimination final in Geelong against one of the top three Geelong sides.

“We have played seven games at home and only dropped two, we are confident we can get the job done on our own surface,” Sebastopol skipper Rob Baker said.

Victoria also knows the importance of this week’s battle — and its away form has not been great. “We have only won one game away from home but the good thing for us is all the pressure is on Sebas,” Victoria president Paul Tudorovic said.

Webbcona will host BMS in a clash that determines which side will remain in the competition in 2018-19 and save relegation. BMS has been in this position in past years but for Webbcona it would be its first time out of this competition since its inception if it was to go down.

City of Geelong might just go out with a bang this week, playing its final game at the Drumcondra venue against Lara.