Ararat will take on the Southern Mallee Giants this weekend

The two Wimmera League teams will clash in Beulah this weekend for round 15, and forward Tyler Cronin said the Giants should not be underestimated.

"Looking at their last month, I think they've improved since the last time we played them," he said.

"Playing them away from home is going to be harder as well."

Last time the sides met the Rats won by a lead of 15 points.

"They'll be better than what they were last time," Cronin said.

Cronin said the Rats had their eyes on a top three spot on the ladder as finals loom.

"At this stage we just want to lock in a top three spot and get a double chance," he said.

"That's as far as I've looked forward anyway. If we win two or three of the last four we lock in the top three spot and get us a double chance in finals. "

Ararat is currently sitting on the second wrung of the ladder and the Southern Mallee Giants are sitting at fourth.

This is Cronin's second consecutive year playing with the Rats' senior side, though he's played with the club before when not playing for Tatyoon.

"It's been on and off," he said. "This is the fourth year I would have played with them (Ararat). I played one year in the under 14s and one year in 2015, then went back to Tatty for two years before I came back in 2018."

In all that time the only physical issues Cronin has had was some problems with his hamstrings, but he said overall his health and fitness was "all good."

It was a couple of things that brought Cronin back from Tatyoon to play with Ararat.

"I've come back to have another go at the higher league," he said.

"When they appointed Fish (seniors coach Shane Fisher) I had a couple of chats with him about where he saw the club in a couple of years time.

"He's very motivated and determined, and pushes all of us to be on the same page as him."

Cronin said Fisher brought professionalism, structure and forward planning to the team.

Cronin also said as a painter by day, he had to balance his work life with football.

"Balancing work and footy training - it can be a bit challenging," he said.

"You've got the physical work loads of work and football training that you've got to balance."

But Cronin said he gets a lot of satisfaction out of fulfilling his role in the team.

"I've always played that small forward role," he said.

"I just enjoy it - knowing what my role is and playing that role."

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