A bumper Round 13 of Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division is set to unfold with a number of crucial clashes taking place on Saturday.
Keilor versus Aberfeldie headlines a title card of big games with even bigger ramifications on the weekend.
Aberfeldie took the chocolates earlier in the season at Clifton Park and may well see this as an opportunity to go 10 points clear atop of the Strathmore Community Bank Premier Division ladder and go one step closer to this year's minor premiership.
Lucas Rocci has found his niche up forward in recent week's for Adam Marcon's side having kicked 16 goals in his last three games for Abers.
A bag of seven last week against Avondale Heights to go alongside his haul of six against Maribyrnong Park in Round 10 proving the Werribee VFL listed product's versatility in all areas of the ground.
Kyle Reimers and Nick Meese returned to the Abers' line up last week after missing the Round 11 game against Essendon Doutta Stars and immediately had an impact with both named among the bests in the win over Avondale Heights.
They are just some of the many names Mick McGuane will need a plan for if his Blues are to get the win.
Keilor were able to steady last week getting a comprehensive victory over Maribyrnong Park in style at Monk Oval.
Nick O'Kearney produced one of his best efforts for the season while Matt Clark continued his hot form with five goals as the key forward keeps a three-goal buffer over Pascoe Vale's Matthew Watson in the division's goal kicking race.
As most good mathematicians will tell you, five does not fit into four, and that is the current predicament for a number of clubs in Premier Division.
Strathmore will travel to Overland Reserve to take on East Keilor in a game that will see fourth play fifth.
As spots tighten up within the top four of the Premier Division, its highly likely the loser of this game will find themselves outside of the finals standings come 5pm Saturday.
It would be a welcomed return for the Mores who have sat below fourth place since Round 2 this season.
Matt Horne's side have now won six of their last seven matches, a one-point loss to Aberfeldie the only blemish in that time.
However, for Tim Bongetti this game presents the chance to go two games clear of the nipping Mores and another game closer to a historic finals appearance in the EDFL's top division.
At the other end of the ladder both Avondale Heights and Essendon Doutta Stars will be striving to put some distance between themselves and tenth place.
Douttas got the win first time around but this Avondale Heights team is a much stronger proposition compared to their early season showings.
Having knocked off local rivals Maribyrnong Park a fortnight ago and some competitive efforts against the division's better teams would have Patrick Byrne bullish about his team's chances at Canning Reserve.
Dinny Cleary is producing some of his best football and Jackson Robb continues to have a knack for finding the goals from midfield.
Douttas will equally be champing at the bit for a third win of this season.
If Paul Barnard's boys can get the victory in this one, you'd almost be comfortable enough to say they will be safe in Premier Division for another season.
Glenroy trails the two foes playing off at Canning Reserve and has a battle of its own at home against Maribyrnong Park.
The Roys almost pulled off one of the upsets of the season at Monk Oval earlier this year and will take plenty of confidence out of that result into this game.
Ross Terranova's team is well down on its usual troops this season and Marby had its fair share of exclusions that day, including senior coach Brad Swain at home with Covid.
With the Roys suffering a number of blowout results in the last few weeks, keeping this one competitive would be a win of sorts.
And finally Pascoe Vale will host Greenvale at Raeburn Reserve.
Depending on how results fall on Saturday the Panthers could find themselves inside the top two by 5pm Saturday if they get the win at home.
The Nena and Pasadena Match of the Day van returns to Rookie Me Division One for a blockbuster at Lakeside Oval.
Its been a long awaited return for the kebab van to head to the Nest in the North amidst cancelled and postponed seasons but what a fixture to come back on.
Roxburgh Park and Westmeadows will go head-to-head in a game that means everything for both teams' finals hopes.
The Magpies currently sit inside the top four with a handy 8-4 record, two games clear of the Tigers in sixth place.
A loss for Mo Kaakour's team could almost see Westy ruled out of finals contention being three games off the pace with five games to play in the home-and-away season.
Where the Tigers will look to take advantage in this one will be up forward.
Between the likes of Omar Saad, George Nabbout, Jayden Ranno, Mo Yassine and Mitch Church, the Tigers have plenty of avenues in the front half and sport the division's third best offence to this point in the season.
It will be a good test for Roxy and its back six whose attacking mentality has seen the backline get a little leaky for the Magpies.
Having gone 5-1 in games where they've scored more than 80 points, the vast spread of goal kickers at Roxy may well relish a shoot out.
In another crucial game in this division, West Coburg play host to Tullamarine at Shore Reserve.
In a battle of second and third, only five points separated these two teams earlier in the year.
The Burgers were short of their best personnel that day and may well be a few short again on the weekend but as many have found, the Shoretress can be one of the most daunting away trips in this competition no matter the opposition who take the park.
And while the Demons are a team littered with quality, it's hard to look past the influence Shaun McKernan is having in this competition.
The Tullamarine junior has been named in the best in all 11 of his games and leads the division's goal kicking with 44 majors.
You'd expect Dale May to lean on the likes of Liam Bowkett and Dane Lucas to try quall McKernan's influence.
At Eric Boardman Reserve, the Sunbury Kangaroos will be celebrating the 10-year reunion of its 2012 RDFNL premiership and the crowd will be right behind the home side.
Craigieburn will go in as favourites but the Roos have been plucky on occasion this season and might just get up and about to take it to the Eagles in search of a maiden victory for 2022.
Hansen Reserve sees Airport West play host to Moonee Valley on Saturday.
The Fog have been more than valiant the past two weeks going down to Tullamarine and West Coburg by one and six points respectively.
That kind of grit and determination proves the Valley are far better than their 1-11 record suggests but still lack that deciding factor to get over the line when the game is up for grabs.
Airport West will be an all mighty task and after having three ruled out at the tribunal during the week, it makes for an even tougher prospect for Ian Denny's team.
And at Shark Park, a shark-off will occur with Hillside playing host to Rupertswood.
With Rupo teetering just outside the Division One top four, Skip Bray's team has far more on the line in this one but Charlie Denaro will be eyeing the game off as a chance for his young and developing side to take a scalp in this season.
A split round in Strathmore Community Bank Division Two sees just the two games played this weekend.
At JP Fawkner Reserve, Coburg Districts have a massive opportunity to make a statement to the competition against the ladder leaders, Oak Park.
The Districts returned to the top four for the first time since Round 1 following its victory over Hadfield in a run that has seen Tom Gleeson's side win five of its last six games in this competition.
The return of Gleeson himself is just one of the factors that have seen the Lions turn their season around after slumping to 1-4 early in the year.
The last time these two teams met the Kangaroos had their way with the opposition, coming away with a 98-point victory at Cole Reserve.
But with the Districts much closer to full strength and momentum at their backs, they'll fancy themselves a chance in this game with Todd Clark's side still going in favourites.
Hadfield were displaced from the top four last round following its loss to Coburg Districts, its fourth defeat in a row.
However, the Hawks will get a good chance to respond and put some pressure back on the top four as they make the short trip across Sydney Road to face local rivals the Northern Saints at Charles Mutton Reserve.
For the second time this season, the Saints came agonisingly close to pinching a win off Burnside Heights as Tamer Abdallah's side went down by four points.
While the Saints are all but ruled out of finals calculations now, a chance to stifle their opposition's finals aspirations may be a mini grand final for the home side.
THIS WEEKEND’S FIXTURES
GLENROY v MARIBYRNONG PARK
Saturday 2:15pm at Sewell Reserve
PASCOE VALE v GREENVALE
Saturday 2:15pm at Raeburn Reserve
KEILOR v ABERFELDIE
Saturday 2:15pm at Joe Brown Oval
EAST KEILOR v STRATHMORE
Saturday 2:15pm at Overland Reserve
AVONDALE HEIGHTS v ESSENDON DOUTTA STARS
Saturday 2:15pm at Canning Reserve
ROXBURGH PARK v WESTMEADOWS
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Saturday 2:15pm at Lakeside Oval
SUNBURY KANGAROOS v CRAIGIEBURN
Saturday 2:15pm at Eric Boardman Reserve - Oval 1
AIRPORT WEST v MOONEE VALLEY
Saturday 2:15pm at Hansen Reserve
HILLSIDE v RUPERTSWOOD
Saturday 2:15pm at Hillside Reserve
WEST COBURG v TULLAMARINE
Saturday 2:15pm at Shore Reserve
NORTHERN SAINTS v HADFIELD
Saturday 2:15pm at Charles Mutton Reserve
OAK PARK v COBURG DISTRICTS
Saturday 2:15pm at JP Fawkner Reserve
