WITH only six rounds remaining until the 2024 Mininera and District Football League finals, there are seven teams that can still reach the playoffs as the competition reaches the winter school holidays bye.

Wickliffe-Lake Bolac and Penshurst are assured of playing and finishing in the top two on the ladder, but the Magpies have now assumed flag favouritism after they defeated Penshurst on their own home ground last week to remain undefeated after 10 games.

It was a shock loss for the Bombers who had cruised through the season without being tested at any stage as its smallest victory was by 54 points and it will have given the whole squad a wakeup call that the players will mull over during the bye.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur, Woorndoo-Mortlake, and Ararat Eagles are all equal on seven wins but separated by 10 percentage points on the ladder.

This leaves Lismore-Derrinallum and reigning premiers Tatyoon with any chance of forcing their way into the finals.

The Demons are only one victory away from the top five, but the Hawks are six points adrift of fifth place with their form not great after being thrashed by Ararat Eagles last weekend.

Lismore-Derrinallum has the first three rounds after the bye against teams well below it on the ladder and should win all three which may be enough to claim fifth place.

Tatyoon has a horror draw the first two games back after the bye with two away games, one against Wickliffe-Lake Bolac and the second against Woorndoo-Mortlake with a loss in either of these games ending the hopes of the Hawks defending their hard-won premiership.

Glenthompson-Dunkeld, Great Western, SMW Rovers, Moyston-Willaura, and Caramut can all start planning for 2025 or start promoting the youth within their ranks into the top grade to give these youngsters a taste of what is to come next season.

Netball

SEVEN teams can still reach the finals of the Mininera and District Netball Association A grade competition with six rounds remaining in the 2024 season.

All teams have a bye this weekend for the winter school holidays but there will be many teams that will be deep in planning to reach the top five when the competition resumes on 13 July.

Ararat Eagles remain undefeated after a great victory against Tatyoon away from home last Saturday and they will finish atop the ladder and have assumed flag favouritism, while Tatyoon as reigning premiers will have been stung by that single loss and will finish second without further loss in the last six games.

Woorndoo-Mortlake and Hawkesdale-Macarthur occupy the next two rungs of the premiership ladder with each having 32 points, but less than two percentage points separates the teams which will make the finals with one of these missing the double chance by finishing fourth.

Then it becomes interesting with Glenthompson-Dunkeld, Penshurst, and Lismore-Derrinallum all in contention for the fifth spot.

Realistically the Demons would need the Rams and the Bombers to lose two of the remaining six games to get in, while they must win every game.

With that scenario unlikely, it appears to be a race between the Rams and the Bombers for that finals berth with Glenthompson-Dunkeld favoured to claim the position as it has four games against lowly opposition while Penshurst has only three and must defeat two of the top three teams to have any chance of leapfrogging the Rams.

SMW Rovers, Moyston-Willaura, Caramut, Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, and Great Western will be planning for 2025 season already.