Battle narrows
The battle for the final two top-five positions in Mininera and District Football League has become a three-horse race.
After SMW Rovers lost on Saturday, extinguishing their chances of getting into the top five, it is now between Lismore-derrinallum, Moyston-willaura and Tatyoon to slug it out to see who continues playing next week.
Wickliffe-lake Bolac sits firmly atop the ladder with Penshurst and Glenthompson-dunkeld completing the top three.
The match of the round on Saturday will be between Moyston-willaura and Lismore-derrinallum and a Moyston-willaura victory could see the Pumas snatch a finals berth. Both teams are coming off wins, with the Pumas beating Caramut by 112 points, and the Demons snatching a narrow two-point victory over SMW Rovers.
The Demons got off to a slow start, trailing the Bulldogs at quarter time eight points to 33, but a better second quarter saw them hold the Bulldogs to just one point while adding a couple of goals themselves.
The Demons took the lead at three-quarter time and then held off any further Rovers advances to come away with the win.
Austin Corkiss and James Boag did the damage up forward, booting three goals each, while Todd Lamont’s dominance in the ruck and across half back saw him named best on ground.
One more victory this week for the reigning premiers will see their season continue on to next week’s finals.
The Pumas will be up and about after a big win over the Swans and keen to do their best to snatch a finals spot. Moyston-willaura came out firing to take a commanding lead in the first quarter. This set the tone for the day, the Pumas convincingly winning every quarter. A 10-goalto-three-point second half sealed the deal.
Harrison Cronin kicked eight goals to lead the charge along with Nick Corbett, kicking three. Josh Bywater, Sam Seres and Ryan Nellthorp were best players.
Tatyoon finishes off its home-and-away season by hosting SMW Rovers. Tatyoon has been in a recent slump, losing its past three games – but so too have the Bulldogs, who are struggling to beat anyone above them on the ladder.
Glenthompson-dunkeld got the jump on Tatyoon early last week and led all day, with Tatyoon going down by seven points.
Matthew Smith, Jack Fraser and Nathan Mahoney were best players and a four-goal haul from Steven Butler kept the Hawks in the game.
SMW Rovers came out all guns blazing in a do-or-die match against Lismore-derrinallum and kicked five goals in the first quarter.
Despite having plenty of the ball the Bulldogs failed to capitalise when it counted and the Demons slowly reeled in their opponents.
One last goal from former team-mate Tim Glasson sealed the Bulldogs’ fate.
Kal Young, Tyler Mason and James Costigan were best for the Bulldogs.
In other games, Hawkesdale-macarthur hosts Woorndoo-mortlake, Wickliffe-lake Bolac is one win over Great Western away from a perfect home-and-away season, Caramut takes on Ararat in a battle for the wooden spoon and Glenthompson-dunkeld and Penshurst play in a preview of the first round of finals.