Ararat will host cross-town rivals V.R.I with a close match expected. The home team will give itself a big show of knocking off one of the favourites for this year's flag and the outcome for both sides is very important on their ladder position.

Landsborough are at home against the top of the ladder Stawell and will find it hard to get a win against a team with plenty of depth. Stawell should win but will not want to give the borough boys a sniff or they may get rolled.

In the last game and, this week's match of the round, Stawell Golf will venture down to Aradale, who have been very competitive in all of their matches this year but have been unable to get a win on the board. Stawell Golf will need to be at their best to get the win at Aradale on one of the best greens in the competition

Ararat Green will be home to the Lake Bolac Red side this week, in a match where the home side should win. There will be three teams at home this week so someone will be pushed onto the old green which may suit the visiting side. Ararat V.R.I are drawn to play Aradale and may also transfer its match to Ararat as well so there should be a big raffle at afternoon tea this week. Aradale have been showing better form over the last few weeks and should get the points.

The two Stawell teams will go head to head at Stawell. Trying to pick a winner is hard, with star bowlers in both sides. Stawell Golf Blue are back at home this week against the top Ararat side Gold, this should be a cracker of a match with both teams on the edge of the top four. In the last match Stawell Golf Gold will also be home and will play the Lake Bolac Black side, these two teams sit second and third on the ladder, so this could become a mini final preview for later on in the year.

On Sunday the Grampians Bowls Division will hold their state triples competition. In section 1 Robert Hodgetts, Adrian Troeth, Andrew Sharp and Gary Blackman will do battle in sectional play. In section 2 Peter Browne, Don Austerberry, Brian Adamson and Stan Meale will go head to head. The matches are two bowl triples of 15 ends sectional play and the final will be 18 ends knockout.

In last week's State fours held at Landsborough it was Neil Coates, Don Austerberry, Barry Weary and Robin Austerberry winning their section in fine form winning all three matches comfortably. In the other section it was a lot tighter finding a winner. The Stawell Golf side, led by Bruce Blenheim, fell at the final hurdle to let Peter Ohms, Jack "Shorty" Veale and Billy Waterson through on shots up with two wins.