Will the reigning premier play finals football this year?
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Fifth place, currently held by Wickliffe-Lake Bolac, is up for grabs after Tatyoon came away with the points last weekend and the opportunity to build their percentage from games to be played.
Reigning premier Wickliffe-Lake Bolac has the toughest draw from the final five games, while Tatyoon appears to have an easier run.
In last week's game between the two sides, played in freezing conditions, Tatyoon was in control from the first bounce, extending its lead in each term to run away to a 19-point win.
Tatyoon's Mitch Cronin controlled game during the first half and the Magpies gave Hawks Mitch Cronin, Jade Blandford, John Antonio and David Brady too much latitude around the ground. Good players for the Magpies were Jaye Kenna, Nick and Andrew Chirnside, with Harley Hunter carrying out the heavy lifting.
This week, ladder-leading Penshurst will play the Magpies, who inflicted their only loss for the season at their last meeting. The Magpies need points from this game.
It will mean closing down the Bombers' Tim Barton, Ben Hunt and Aaron Glare - key playmakers who are all having a top season.
REUNION
Penshurst has held a 40-year reunion to celebrate the 1979 premiership win over Dunkeld. The match is part of MDFL folklore, with players receiving undue attention all over the ground in a chaotic first half. Some players were hospitalised.
Unfortunately there was only one central umpire - it was the last time a single umpire managed matches. Police arrived during the second quarter and advised the executive that until they spoke to players at half-time, play would not continue.
After a long break, the president asked the players to play football and they did. The second half was great football, with Neville Osborne kicking four goals.
The Bombers celebrated a much remembered game, with all but four players from the game attending. From the match, one player was given a 17-week suspension and another copped nine weeks.
JUNIOR REVIEW
Draft recommendations for a document titled AFL Western District South West Junior Review have been released. From a football perspective it is a much-needed report, but criticism can be levelled to the review panel being all AFL appointees - no independents representing community football. Netball, one of the key areas keeping community football clubs alive, hardly rates a mention. Community football should come from the bottom up, not from the top down.
SELECTIONS
Wickliffe-Lake Bolac v Penshurst; Moyston Willaura v Woorndoo Mortlake; SMW Rovers v Caramut; Glen Dunkeld v Lismore Derrinallum; Great Western v Ararat Eagles; Hawkesdale Macarthur v Tatyoon