THE Wimmera and Horsham District football and netball leagues are set for a tight race to the finish as teams jostle for finals spots.
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Horsham Saints are sitting atop the Wimmera seniors ladder, eight points clear of Horsham after the weekend’s split round. But the Demons have a chance to make up ground with a win in the second half of the round this week.
The two teams will face off in a tantalising round 15 clash.
Minyip-Murtoa, in third on percentage, will face the Demons this week.
Ararat is 16 points behind in fourth spot, while Stawell, Dimboola and Nhill are locked in a battle for fifth position.
Laharum is all but certain to finish on top in the Horsham District league, but the make-up of the remainder of the top five remains up for debate.
Kalkee sits in second, while third-placed Harrow-Balmoral has arguably the toughest run home with games against Kalkee and Laharum to come.
Newcomer Jeparit-Rainbow has jumped into fourth, while Swifts and Edenhope-Apsley are nipping at Taylors Lake’s heels for fifth position.
League chairman Graeme King said a tight finals race kept everyone excited.
“We are pretty pleased with how the competition has gone this year and are looking forward to a good finals series,” he said.
“Overall, our gate numbers are probably up on last year, which is fantastic to see.”
Wimmera Football League chief commissioner Greg Schultz said the make-up of the top five could come down to the final round.
”There will be a lot of interest in the games in the next few weeks,” he said.
“The more clubs involved in finals, the better it is for the league.
“I honestly believe the competition is a lot closer than last year, and that was the best shape we'd been in for 25 years.”
In Wimmera A Grade netball, Horsham and Warrack Eagles have secured the top two spots, but the remaining top-five spots will come down to the wire with Minyip-Murtoa, Dimboola, Stawell and Ararat all in the hunt.
Horsham Saints are also a mathematical chance to slip into the five. Ararat, in sixth, looms as the dark horse after a slow start to the season.
In Horsham District A Grade, seven teams are still in contention for finals action. Edenhope-Apsley and Natimuk United are the yardsticks at the top of the table.
Laharum sits in third, and the battle is on between Harrow-Balmoral, Noradjuha-Quantong, Pimpinio and Rupanyup for fourth and fifth spots.