Five teams, three finals places up for grabs … that’s the equation going into the final home-and-away round in division 1 of the Northern Football League on Saturday.
Positions three to seven are separated by one game and percentage after the weekend’s matches, with Montmorency, Macleod, West Preston Lakeside, Bundoora and Lower Plenty still in the mix.
Reigning premier Bundoora will have to beat Eltham and hope other results go its way.
The Bulls are in sixth place, two points behind fifth-placed West Preston Lakeside, which faces third-placed Montmorency.
It was a fight for the Bulls at the weekend, but they stayed in the mix with victory over Northcote Park 19.9 (123) to 16.15 (111).
It looked like a case of how far for the Bulls in the first half as they kicked out to a 39-point half-time lead.
Northcote Park reduced the margin to one point in the third quarter before the Bulls kicked five goals to three in the final term.
Star forwards Cameron Cloke (6 goals) and Gary Moorcroft (4) led from the front, while Brendan Carlyon was best on ground.
Whittlesea’s fate has officially been sealed and the Eagles are to be relegated after an 8.25 (133) to 12.10 (82) loss against Montmorency on Saturday.
Despite the loss, Whittlesea’s Riley Dyson was one of the best on the field with three goals.
In division 3, top sides Thomastown and Reservoir had convincing wins in the final round of the season, beating Heidelberg West and South Morang respectively.
They will meet in the opening week of the finals, while South Morang will take on Watsonia in the other semi-final.
