Two important games for GFNL

Leopold will need a win to ensure it remains in the Five.

Leopold must win at home against Geelong West this Saturday to ensure it stays in the top five of the GFNL ladder, with only three rounds remaining before the finals.

Fourth to sixth places are only separated on percentage, with both South Barwon (fourth) and St Josephs (sixth) favourites to take wins, against Grovedale and Bell Park respectively.

But Leopold senior coach Gary Hocking said the team is focussed on the match, rather than any implications on the ladder position.

“We’re aware of what’s going on with the ladder and where all that is, but all we can do is just focus on this game,” Hocking said.

“We’ve just got to play our best footy or near enough to our best footy and they (Giants) have been certainly playing some really good footy and they’re in good form, so it will be a great game.”

The Lions are expecting the return of players Brock Williamson and Mitch Burgess, and are hoping the home ground advantage will see them through.

“We’ve just got to keep trying to tick the box every week, just try and get a W every week, and that will hopefully keep us in good stead and we get an opportunity to play finals again,” Hocking said.

St Mary’s is likely to remain at the top of the table, coming up against Lara, but a win for Newtown & Chilwell against Colac could see the Eagles nudge the Tigers off second place on percentage.

At the other end of the table, St Albans is coming off its first win in almost four years (see story: Supersaints break hoodoo) and has something to prove at home against North Shore, to show it can win again.

But North Shore senior coach Darren Winter is confident the Seagulls will hold their own against the Supersaints.

“Obviously the season hasn’t gone the way we would like, with the win-loss ratio, but I think it’s pretty even, so I think it should be a very even contest on Saturday,” Winter said.

Last time the two met was in Round 11, when North Shore held off St Albans to win by 16 points in very windy conditions.

“We probably got a couple of good lucky goals in the last quarter and opened the game up, but I think it was a pretty good game, both teams fought it out pretty well and I think we’ll just be focussed on the way we want to play this week and we’ll see where it lands,” Winter said.

Following St Albans’ win last week against Lara there is a lot of expectation on the team this Saturday, and a strong crowd is expected.

“I think it should be a really good, entertaining game,” Winter said.

“We’re probably at the same level at this stage, so it should be an exciting game and hopefully we get a few supporters there to watch it.”