TWO rounds remain to claim a Mininera and District Football League finals spot with only four teams assured of a place so far.

Ladder leading Tatyoon, Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, Woorndoo-Mortlake and Penshurst are set to continue playing after the home and away season, but Glenthompson-Dunkeld, Ararat Eagles and Hawkesdale-Macarthur are all battling it out for the final spot in the top five.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur kept its season alive last round with a come-from-behind victory against Glenthompson-Dunkeld to leave the Eagles only one win out of the top five, while Ararat missed the opportunity to shore up a top five place by losing to Great Western

The Eagles face a now or never scenario against Woorndoo-Mortlake at Hawkesdale Recreation Reserve today when they host the Tigers with their season on the line.

The Tigers held a training exercise against the battling Caramut last weekend, but if the Eagles want to win the flag this season, then the side must win six games in a row starting today.

The Eagles also require Ararat and Glenthompson-Dunkeld to lose at least one of their remaining matches to have any hope of claiming the flag.

Other games

PENSHURST has a road trip north to Alexandra Oval for a meeting with Ararat, where the home side will be desperate to claim the points and stay in the hunt for the finals.

After dropping the game against Great Western last Saturday, Ararat has made the path to the finals that much harder and must win both remaining matches and hope that Glenthompson-Dunkeld drops a game to have a realistic chance of making the five.

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD is on the road to the Lismore Recreation Reserve to cement its finals spot with a victory against Lismore-Derrinallum.

The Rams faded badly in the final term last Saturday against Hawkesdale-Macarthur, and cannot afford for this to happen again.

The Demons were spanked by the Bombers last Saturday after kicking only three behinds after half time, but with the game being held at home they will put up a much better showing.

SMW ROVERS hosts Great Western at Mininera Recreation Reserve this afternoon and both teams are only playing for pride and the four premiership points on offer as neither can reach the final five.

The Bulldogs had a massive 181-point win against Moyston-Willaura last week, while the Lions overran Ararat in the second half to claim victory at home in an upset.

Tatyoon will easily account for the battling Caramut, as will Wickliffe-Lake Bolac against Moyston-Willaura, but whether each of these teams will user the opportunity to freshen up players before the finals remains to be seen.

FOLLOWERS of the Mininera and District Netball Association will gain a preview of the finals this weekend when four of the current top four teams face-off in round 15 action today.

Penshurst travel to play Ararat at Alexandra Oval where the fifth-placed Bombers tackle the second-placed Eagles, knowing a loss could see them fall from the top five if Lismore-Derrinallum knock off Glenthompson-Dunkeld.

While the Eagles are assured of finals and will more than likely finish second, the Bombers are not situated as well, with the Demons breathing down their neck.

The Bombers and the Demons staged a huge battle last Saturday, with the Bombers taking the points and opening a four-point gap on the ladder from the Demons.

Ararat had a training run against Great Western with an 82-20 win, and the Eagles will be looking to carry this form into this game today.

Other games

HAWKESDALE Recreation Reserve is the venue for the battle between third-placed Woorndoo-Mortlake and fourth-placed Hawkesdale-Macarthur, where each of the teams is locked together on the premiership ladder but divided by nearly 50 percent.

Whichever team wins the game will finish either second or third depending on other results, but the loser may possibly miss out on the five.

LISMORE-DERRINALLUM must defeat Glenthompson-Dunkeld at Lismore Recreation Reserve if it wants to keep its finals hopes alive.

The loss last Saturday to Penshurst hurt the Demons, who are now a win shy of fifth spot, with the home side having to win every game from hereon to claim the premiership.

The Rams had won five games on the trot from rounds eight onwards to have those teams above them sit up and take notice, but losses in the last two games have seen the Rams’ finals charge come to a halt.

Even in those losses, the Rams were well in the contest and scored freely so the Demons cannot afford to take the visitors lightly.

SMW ROVERS will take care of business against Great Western at Mininera Recreation Reserve this afternoon and add another mark to its win column.

The Bulldogs at home will be far too strong for the struggling Lions, who were thrashed last Saturday by Ararat,while SMW Rovers were pushed all the way against Moyston-Willaura before winning 44-28.

TATYOON will continue to be undefeated when it travels to Caramut this afternoon, as the Swans has their sights set firmly on 2024, while the Hawks eye off yet another finals campaign.