Footy returns in all competitions after some leagues had the bye for the King’s Birthday long weekend. We list the things to look out for this Saturday.
A huge weekend of local footy awaits.
Here’s a look at the things you can’t afford to miss.
MID-SEASON AUDIT AWAITS
Springvale Districts and St Paul’s McKinnon will be the only contenders to face off in the top flight of the Southern league on Saturday.
Springvale Districts, fifth, is fresh off a win against the sixth-placed Port Melbourne Colts.
However, if Springvale Districts is to lose to St Paul’s (fourth), which is coming off a loss to ladder-leaders Dingley, the Demons can expect to fall below the Colts again on percentage.
AWAY DAY AGAIN
Darley will play away again for the eighth straight time this season in the Ballarat league, taking on North Ballarat at MARS Stadium.
The ladder leaders have won their first seven games away from home with their home ground, Darley Park, currently having their change rooms and facilities upgraded.
The club was expected to be playing there this weekend but the venue was still not ready in time.
It now faces a challenge against North Ballarat, who have won nine of their past 12 games at home.
Darley is hopeful of playing at home next week against Redan.
If it does, the club will then have eight straight games in a row at home, including the match against the Lions, before the finals.
BUMPER CLASH IN MPFNL
Somerville is seeking revenge when it faces Chelsea in MPFNL Division 2 in a second-versus-third clash.
Chelsea knocked off Somerville by 21 points in a shootout in Round 2, when 39 goals were scored.
Myrtleford recruit Matthew Dussin has been in scintillating form for Chelsea, while former Box Hill Hawks midfielder Mason de Wit will drive Somerville’s hopes.
Relentless runner de Wit is a hard matchup at 196cms in the middle; he’s nearly tall enough to be the Eagles ruck but he’s a midfielder.
DRAGONS ON FIRE
Eaglehawk will be looking to bounce back after some close losses recently in the Bendigo league.
The Hawks have lost their last three by a combined margin of seven points, losing to Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat by three points and Kyneton by one point.
But the side faces a tough task against the unbeaten Sandhurst.
Led by former VFL player Lachlan Wright, who has kicked 24 goals, the team has won their first eight matches this season to be the benchmark.
A win for the Dragons would not only put them five games clear of finals but it would also give the team a win against each Bendigo side this season.
PANTHERS OPPORTUNITY TO POUNCE
In Division 2 of the Southern league the most enticing match-up is East Brighton hosting East Malvern.
The Vampires appear untouchable at this stage of the season but the Panthers have shown no bounds since dropping from Division 1.
As the rest of the top five is playing lower ranked sides, a win to the Panthers would keep them in touch with the top four.
300 UP FOR TOCUMWAL LEGEND
Jeremy Cardillo will play his 300th senior for Tocumwal when the Murray league side takes on Moama at home.
He is only the fifth player at the club to bring up the milestone in their 132-year history.
Cardillo is a premiership player with the club, in 2009, and has also been a president, vice president and junior coach at the club.
A club legend at the Bloods.
KEY RETURN FOR PYTHONS
Pines have regained premiership star Luke Potts, the former Frankston VFL captain returning to Eric Bell Reserve from St Kilda City in Southern league.
He will line up with the Pythons in their crunch match against Mt Eliza.
A win for Pines would thrust them towards a finals berth.
HOME SWEET HOME
Newbridge in the Loddon Valley league will return to their home ground to play for the first time since floods ravaged the area last October.
Since then the committee at the club and volunteers around the town have spent the past few months, alongside workers, getting the ground back to being used again.
It’s taken a fair amount of work with the fence, bathrooms and showers, the ground and other areas needing major fixing.
The team will take on Calivil at 2.15pm in seniors.
ATTACK TAKES ON DEFENCE
Albury and Yarrawonga face each other in a battle of the top two teams in the Ovens and Murray league.
In a split-weekend of fixtures the game is one of two this Saturday.
It will be a battle between the best defence in the competition, Albury, and the best attack, Yarrawonga.
Yarrawonga’s Leigh Williams will be a player to watch with the forward averaging four goals a game this season.
The winner will move to the top of the ladder.
BRAGGING RIGHTS UP FOR GRABS IN EASTERN
There’s no denying the 3rd Division of EFNL has been a bit of a two horse race this season.
Donvale and Ferntree Gully have each won eight of their nine matches, three better than Silvan in third.
On Saturday the runaway contenders meet in a battle that threatens to reveal the identity of the true benchmark.
Ferntree Gully won the previous encounter by four goals.
TOP TWO BATTLE IN GV
Can Seymour end Echuca’s unbeaten run in the Goulburn Valley league?
The top two will battle at the Lions den, Kings Park, with Seymour unbeaten at home this season.
Both teams have only lost once in nine rounds.
Echuca enter the clash with the best attack and the best defence and have not lost in 12 matches.
The Murray Bombers are led by ex-GWS and Western Bulldogs player Sam Reid.
TOP SPOT IS ON OFFER
Pole position is for the taking for Vermont and East Ringwood with Balwyn having the week off.
East Ringwood play Berwick while Vermont take on Blackburn.
A win for either the Roos or Eagles will see them leap over Balwyn.
Doncaster, meanwhile, will host South Croydon with the addition of Port Adelaide super star Robbie Gray, who will play his third match for the Sharks.
VINCE IN BLACK AND WHITE
Former Adelaide Crow and Melbourne Demons player Bernie Vince will play for Maryborough Rovers in the Maryborough Castlemaine league as part of the Carlton Draft on Saturday.
The side will take on the winless Campbells Creek and Vince could become the fourth player this season out of the Carlton Draft players to win with their club.
He could also create history as one of the last players to debut for the Rovers before the club finishes at the end of the year.
The Rovers will merge with fellow Maryborough team Royal Park to become a new team next year.
ANTICIPATION BUILDS FOR WRFL DERBY
While there is a significant gap between the two outfits on the ladder, there is still bubbling anticipation for the Point Cook derby.
Point Cook claimed a thrilling four-point victory back in Round 1, holding the Centrals at bay in a blistering final term surge.
Point Cook sits second with six wins and two losses while Point Cook Centrals have just one win from its eight matches.
NEW AFL CEO ON MICROPHONE
There will be a familiar voice commentating the Old Brighton and Old Xaverians clash in the VAFA this weekend.
New AFL CEO Andrew Dillon will help call the game on Kommunity TV as the two rivals clash.
Dillon played more than 290 games for Old Xavs and was part of their six premiership wins in a row from 1995 to 2000.
He is expected to call a part of the contest.
The match promises to be a cracker with Old Brighton, coached by master mind coach Daniel Donati, sitting in fourth and Old Xavs a win outside the five.
The winner will further enhance their chances of making finals.
To watch Dillon commentate, head here.
RATS FACE NEXT TEST
The unbeaten Ararat Rats will take on Dimboola in a contest between two top three teams in the Wimmera league.
The Rats have been the best this year, winning all matches by at least five goals or more.
Led by former Carlton player Tom Williamson and leading goalkicker at the club, Tom Mills, the team has won seven in a row.
Dimboola might be a bit rusty heading into the contest after playing their last match on May 27, which was a four-point loss to Horsham Saints.
CAN THE BULLDOGS BITE?
North Heidelberg has the chance to assert itself as a proper challenger when it welcomes second-placed Montmorency.
The Bulldogs sit one win behind their upcoming opponent with a superior percentage.
The Dogs will be without ex-AFL Roo and Demon Majak Daw, who has not been named.
FORWARDS LEAD THE WAY
Harrow Balmoral will be looking to Simon Close and James Staude to get through their next test in the Horsham District league.
The unbeaten Kangaroos will take on the third placed Swifts after dominating the competition so far.
The team, who have won seven games, have won six games of them by more than 85 points.
Close and Staude have combined for 72 goals with each scoring 36 goals this season.
Swifts will need to overcome the best defence and attack in the competition to win.
NEIGHBOURING RIVALS FACE OFF
Despite sharing a fence line, Gembrook Cockatoo and Pakenham will break their drought of clashes when they meet on Saturday.
Prior to the merger of the Outer East, Pakenham played in the SEFNL and MPNFL Casey Cardinia league while the Brookers competed in the Yarra Valley.
When the two divisions did merge, the Brookers were stuck in Division One until this year.
The match will be held at Pakenham’s Toomuc Reserve and holds heavy significance in the context of the competition with both side’s desperate for a win.
Originally published as Key talking points ahead of weekend local footy