Cracker games will help shape pecking order

THE top five in Loddon Valley football is already settled and undefeated ladder leader Marong unlikely to be dislodged.

Pyramid Hil has the front running to take one of the double-chance spots and on Saturday comes up against another contender Bears Lagoon Serpentine.

The Bulldogs held on by 18 points at home earlier in the season and will be equally challenged at the Bears’ den.

While Serpentine will be without Darcy Poulter for the rest of the season following an ACL injury, the depth and versatility from Brohm, Andrew Gladman, Dowl- ing and of course coach Laird will create headaches for the Bulldogs who will need some goalfront accuracy to avoid a close call or worse.

A loss for Serpentine will have it fending off Inglewood and Bridgewater for the double-chance third spot.

These two meet on Saturday and for the Blues, a chance to reset season momentum after tough enbcounters to start the second half of the season.

The Blues were clearly the better back in April, winning by 33 points. They have continued to improve and mature while the Mean Machine has been challenged by teams lower down the ladder.

Inglewood has shown some admirable tackling strength to achieve defensive turnovers in recent clashes against Marong and Serpentine. That could prove a major difference in fending off the Mean Machine.

Steadily improving Mitiamo could lift itself off the bottom if the Superoos take the points over Maiden Gully. At home, they are a strong chance.

And Marong will skip to another big win, this time over Newbridge.

Sea Lake Nandaly

Donald

Boort

Nullawil 12, Birchip Watchem 12, Wycheproof Narraport 4, Wedderburn

Charlton 24, St Arnaud

- Charlton:

McGeown, M. Olive, C. Markham, H. Sait 2, W. Baird, M. Fitzpatrick, M. Boyle, I. Bourke, J. Roberts, A. Soulsby, J. Monaghan. Wedderburn: W. Cunningham, R. Whyman.

BEST - Charlton: C. Markham, E. Fitzpatrick, W. Baird, E. Soulsby, A. Soulsby, J. Monaghan. Wedderburn: D. Caruana, T. Blair, T. Lowe, D. Tansley.

GOALS - Boort: B. Whykes 6, M. Beattie 2, A. Cockerell, L. Baker, R. Wagner, B. Arnold, E. Rothacker.

BEST - Sea Lake Nandaly: L. McInerney, F. Warne, T. Griffiths, B. Allan, I. Durie, S. Barbary. Boort: B. Arnold, M. Beattie, B. Whykes, L. Hall.

Ladder: St Arnaud 32, Boort 30, Birchip Watchem 26, Sea Lake Nandaly 22, Wycheproof Narraport 16, Donald 12, Charlton 12, Nullawil 10, Wedderburn 0.

Afl Central Victoria

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GOALS - Marong: L. Hale 5, Z. Conroy, K. Terrill 4, J. Curnow, Z. Justice, L. Rielley, B. Rodgers, D Tannock 2, J. Bird, K. Harris, D. Packer.

BEST - Bridgewater: Cale Woodhatch, Cooper Orton, Mitchell Whitton, Tarrant Pidoto, Ryan Smith, Liam Morse-McNabb. Marong: Lochie Hale, Kai Terrill, Kane Harris, Josh Curnow, Liam Rielley, Harry Mannix.

Pyramid Hill 0.0 1.4 1.6 5.6 (36) East Loddon 3.2 6.3 10.10 16.12 (108)

GOALS - Pyramid Hill: B. Gibson, L. Stubbs 2, H. Goodes. East Loddon: A. Addlem, J. Diss, M. Hocking 3, M. Green, J. Ketterer 2, J. Addlem, N. Ramskill, J. Rasmussen.

BEST - Pyramid Hill: Riley Hutton, Xavier Emmerson, Harrison Goodes, Jacob Clough-Fidler, Connor McCoy, Harley Barnett. East Loddon: Jaxon Addlem, Noah Ramskill, Joseph Ketterer, Mark Green, Harvey White

This week: Bridgewater v East Loddon at Bridgewater. Pyramid Hill v Inglewood at Serpentine.

AFL Central Victoria had planned a QEO Bendigo feature round this weekend. However, that has not progressed.

League manager Michael Hartley says the final series will most likely align with Loddon Valley league finals.