BENALLA (11th) v TATURA (12th)
The Saints haven’t tasted success since the last time these two teams met in Round 6 on May 9. Their biggest score during that 10-week period has been 65 points.
Tatura sits on the bottom rung of the ladder and will see this as its best chance to get a win on the board. The Bulldogs do, however, have to overcome a team that includes some significant star power, the seventh-ranked player in the competition, Mark Marriott, a pair of top-20 disposal winners (Chris Welsh and David Mennen), and an enthusiastic group of youngsters who can turn it on when required.
Tatura brothers Harry and Charlie Murdoch had their best games last week in the big loss to United, and if Finn Radley can cap off a great season with another intercept-marking masterclass, maybe this will be closer than when the teams last played.
Prediction: Benalla by 17 points.
Last time they met: Benalla won by 32 points
KYABRAM (4th) v SHEPP BEARS (1st)
A Kyabram win and a Seymour loss could see the teams swap positions on the ladder and potentially leave four teams within two premiership points of one another at the end of the round.
A loss, however, could see the Bombers drop to sixth on the ladder and make the final-round match against Euroa a must-win to reach the finals.
The Bears have not lost since Round 8 (May 30) and sit one game clear on top of the ladder.
They too could be dethroned if they lost to both of last year’s grand finalists in the final two home-and-away rounds. Echuca will start favourite in both of its remaining games but has the desperate Cats and Demons to overcome.
Prediction: Bears by 11 points in a tight one.
Last time they met: Shepparton won by 66 points
MOOROOPNA (5th) v MANSFIELD (9th)
Mooroopna sits fifth on the ladder after an amazing run of five wins from its past six games, with the only blemish a two-point loss to the ladder leader. The Cats have snuck up on everyone and, with Mansfield now out of finals contention, only one team enters this match with genuine momentum.
A win this weekend will probably be enough for the Cats to play finals, with United (7th) facing Echuca this weekend and Rochester (8th) taking on the Bears in the final round.
The interest will lie in how Mansfield handles the in-form Jack Johnston at full-forward and whether the Betson brothers can continue their outstanding form.
Prediction: Mooroopna by six points and all but a guaranteed finals berth.
Last time they met: Mansfield won by 78 points in Round 6
ROCHESTER (8th) v EUROA (10th)
Rochester must beat Euroa and the Bears in consecutive weeks to make the finals, and even that may not be enough. The loss to the Shepparton Swans on the weekend was a significant body blow, but the Tigers remain only four points outside the top six.
If they win their final two games, they will finish on 40 points, but they will also need Mooroopna and Kyabram to lose both of their remaining matches. While that could happen, it is an outside chance at best, with the Bombers facing Euroa in the final round and Mooroopna being the form team of the competition.
Rochester by 31 points to keep its faint finals hopes alive.
Last time they met: Rochester won by 24 points
SEYMOUR (3rd) v SHEPP SWANS (6th)
A win for the never-say-die Swans could lift them from sixth back into fourth if the Bombers and Cats are unable to register wins this weekend. A loss, however, would likely see them fall out of the top six again and leave a final-round clash against Benalla to determine their fate.
Seymour has played most of the season without key forward Riley Mason and has struggled to kick big scores. The Lions have a strong defence and midfield, but this is one occasion where I am going with the lower-ranked team.
Prediction: Swans by four points.
Last time they met: The Swans won by eight points in Round 6
SHEPP UNITED (7th) v ECHUCA (2nd)
United sits seventh on the ladder and needs not only to beat Echuca this weekend but also Mansfield next weekend to have any chance of making the finals, and even that might not be enough.
The Demons are only two points outside the top six and will be relying on Seymour beating the Swans, Mansfield defeating the Cats and the Bears toppling the Bombers, all of which could easily happen. With that perfect storm, and an upset win of their own, they would rejoin the top six before needing to defeat Mansfield in the final round to hold their place in the playoffs.
Prediction: Echuca by 27 points.
Last time they met: Echuca won by 37 points
