TEAMS are turning the corner into the home straight of the race for a spot in the finals of the Mininera and District Football League with six rounds remaining in 2024 home and away season.

Today marks that point in the season where each team will have played the rest of the competition once, and the seven teams that are still in contention for a spot in the finals all have games that will test them after having the week off for the winter bye.

Ararat Eagles v Hawkesdale-Macarthur

HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR travels up the highway to Alexandra Oval to tackle Ararat Eagles in a must win game for both teams.

Hawkesdale-Macarthur is currently third on the ladder, equal on points with both Woorndoo-Mortlake and Ararat Eagles with only percentage separating the three.

A loss here to the visitors and wins to Woorndoo-Mortlake, Ararat Eagles and Lismore-Derrinallum would see Hawkesdale-Macarthur fall to the sixth rung of the premiership ladder, so closely contested is the competition.

Playing coach, Xavier McCartney has Hawkesdale-Macarthur playing a very good brand of football, but he knows that his squad cannot afford to lose concentration, as Ararat will pounce on any such lapse.

The team will have to battle even harder with several players expected to miss the game through injury.

“We do have a few out this week, but I’m very confident that with the squad we have in we can overcome the injuries and be very competitive,” McCartney said.

 “The Ararat team are even spread across the ground and have a good couple of midfielders, but we know we have to be at our best to beat them, especially on their home deck.

“The boys trained last week and are starting to really build the base of fitness to where we need to be, especially for the last six games of the home and away season and hopefully into the finals.

“We know we have a tough draw so need to be at our best.”

Woorndoo-Mortlake v Penshurst

PENSHURST makes the road trip to Wilsons DC Farron Oval looking for redemption after suffering its first loss of the season in the last round.

The Bombers have had to sit with the stale taste of defeat in their mouths for the last two weeks due to the bye weekend, and no doubt the players will be itching to get on the park to regain their winning form.

Woorndoo-Mortlake is not going to lie down and allow its visitors to ride roughshod over it as the Tigers are in a fight for the double chance for the finals and they desperately want victory too.

The home side must use their home ground advantage to gain an edge over the Bombers, otherwise the Tigers may well drop to sixth depending on other results.

Glenthompson-Dunkeld v SMW Rovers

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD is hosting SMW Rovers at Glenthompson Recreation Reserve knowing that it cannot match last season for the number of wins even if it wins every remaining game.

This means that finals are now off the table for the Rams who had to battle through player unavailability for much of the season which cruelled the chances of featuring in the top five.

With three wins and a draw to its credit, Glenthompson-Dunkeld is 14 premiership points adrift of fifth place and will now be looking towards 2025.

The Bulldogs will be seeking to join the Rams on three wins for the season, and victory on the road will give the squad confidence they can win more of the remaining games.

If the Rams finally have their best possible team on the paddock, then they will be no match for the Bulldogs and will win comfortably, but if the home side is still awaiting the return of players, then the teams will be much closer.

Other games

WICKLIFFE-LAKE BOLAC sprung somewhat of a surprise by defeating Penshurst in the last round before the bye and it now sits atop the premiership ladder on its own, undefeated.

Today the Magpies host Tatyoon which remains in contention to defend its premiership of last season, but the Hawks cannot afford to drop a game between now and round 16.

The visitors will have to increase their intensity if they want to defeat the Pies at Lake Bolac Recreation Reserve.

LISMORE-DERRINALLUM hosts Great Western at Lismore Recreation Reserve today knowing that the Lions may well cause the Demons problems as they search to stay in touch with the top five.

While Lions cannot reach finals, they can still upset those that can, and they may be a bogey team in these last six rounds.

MOYSTON-WILLAURA hosts Caramut at Moyston Recreation Reserve knowing that the winner of the game will avoid the wooden spoon.

Both teams have yet to post victory this season and unless the game is a draw then one will claim the most unwanted ‘trophy’ available.

Netball

GLENTHOMPSON-DUNKELD can cement its place in the Mininera and District Netball Association A grade top five when they host SMW Rovers at Glenthompson Recreation Reserve today.

The Rams are currently fifth on the ladder while the Bulldogs hold down eighth place, but the home side has won double the number of games that the visitors have won.

Added incentive for the home side is that victory today and a loss for Penshurst against the undefeated Ararat Eagles will see the Bombers fall eight points behind the Rams and all but halt the Penshurst finals push.

Key for the home side today is Jane Robertson who has made the attacking goal circle her own this season with an average of seven goals per quarter in the nine games she has played.

She has also passed 30 goals in a match in six of those games and is the focal point for the Rams up front.

Robertson must be stopped if the Bulldogs are to claim an unlikely victory, but that is easier said than done as the home side also has the defensive end of the court wrapped up too.

Elise Thurman, Eleanor Dixon, Clare McKay, and Nicki Lowe have the back court all sewn up and through sheer pressure on the ball they produce turnover ball throughout the game.

Woorndoo-Mortlake v Penshurst

THE old cliché of ‘one week at a time’ is never more apt for Penshurst as the Bombers make the trip to Woorndoo Recreation Reserve today to tackle third placed Woorndoo-Mortlake.

While the Bombers cannot afford to look ahead, the draw does the side no favours as they must play Woorndoo-Mortlake, Ararat Eagles, Hawkesdale-Macarthur, and Tatyoon (all teams above them on the ladder) in the final six games to earn a place in the top five.

On paper, the Bombers don’t seem to stand a chance of reaching the finals, but thankfully games are not played on paper and the Penshurst squad is under no illusions as to what is required for the rest of the season to achieve their goal.

If they can do it, it will be the greatest comeback since Lazarus.

Ararat Eagles v Hawkesdale-Macarthur

HAWKESDALE-MACARTHUR has an easier draw in the run home, but this game against Ararat Eagles at Alexandra Oval is the toughest game of the last six and one the squad must believe they can win.

The home side sits atop the premiership ladder, undefeated, and is riding high after its demolition of the previously undefeated Tatyoon in the final round before the bye.

Playing coach Josie Barker has her Hawkesdale-Macarthur squad playing good netball, but this game will show the squad just how far they have come this season, or how far behind the best, they are.

Olivia Twaddle under the hoop has been incredible but she will no doubt be defended to the point of being out of the contest by the Ararat Eagles back court players and the visitors may have to find another path to goal.

Barker and Victoria North shared the centre and wing attack roles against Glenthompson-Dunkeld, and they will possibly do so again as the side seeks a way to get the ball to Twaddle.

The shared roles worked against the Rams as the side doubled the score of their opposition, but it remains to be seen if it works against the flag favourites.

Other games

TATYOON will quickly get back on the winners list against Wickliffe-Lake Bolac when the Hawks travel to lake Bolac Recreation Reserve today.

The visitors suffered a shock loss to Ararat Eagles in the round before the bye and losing isn’t something that sits well the Hawks, while the Magpies have only two wins to their credit in this their return season to the competition.

MOYSTON-WILLAURA hosts Caramut at Moyston Recreation Reserve looking for its opening victory of the season.

The Pumas are at the bottom of the ladder while the Swans are only two places above them so it should be a good game.

LISMORE-DARRINALLUM should win three of its remaining six games, but that won’t be enough for the Demons to sneak into the finals.

They host Great Western at Lismore Recreation Reserve this afternoon and it is a game the home side should win.