Sebastopol face one of the competition’s toughest challenges this weekend as they head to Clarke Oval—a venue where they’ve never left victorious in 21 attempts.

History certainly favours the home side, with Sunbury holding a dominant record, winning 36 of the 39 encounters between the two clubs.

Sunbury have been nothing short of clinical since their Round 1 loss to Darley, cementing themselves as one of the early premiership threats.

A trademark of their season so far has been their blistering starts—they lead the league for first-quarter dominance and rarely look back once in control.

Their ability to win the football early, maintain possession through clean hands, and transition forward with precision has made them the competition’s top scoring team.

Sebastopol, with just the one win on the board, have shown patches of what they’re capable of—particularly in strong final quarters.

However, their struggles through the second and third terms have consistently left them with too much ground to recover.

To stand any chance of cracking the Clarke Oval curse, the Burra will need to starve the Lions of opportunity.

Both clubs sit in the top three for goal accuracy, making every inside 50 entry all the more dangerous.

For Sebastopol, restricting Sunbury’s forward entries will be key to limiting the scoreboard pressure.

A major focus will be curbing the influence of Jake Sutton, who has been in epic form with 11 goals in the past two games. Expect Tony Lockyer to identify a defensive match-up capable of reducing his impact.

Winning the hard ball and controlling possession will be the Burra’s pathway into the contest—but against one of the league’s most balanced and disciplined outfits, that path won’t come easy.

Tip: Sunbury

Despite their first loss in nearly a year, Melton return to Round 7 with history still largely in their corner.

Their nine-game winning streak against Bacchus Marsh includes an imposing average margin of 55 points.

But this week’s matchup arrives with more edge than the numbers suggest.

The Cobras will still be stinging after a narrow six-point loss to Ballarat.

A victory here wouldn’t just be a major scalp—it could also give them breathing space from North Ballarat, should the Roosters get up over Lake Wendouree.

For Melton, Round 6’s grand final rematch against East Point exposed a rare vulnerability—particularly around the contest.

While the Bloods remain one of the competition’s best ball users and aerial threats, they’ve been beaten in clearances at times, and that’s where the focus must sharpen.

Feeding the forward line—especially Braedan Kight—will be key.

Held to a season-low one goal in the wet last weekend, Kight had been averaging four per game before then.

Expect a strong response from the star forward, particularly on home turf.

For Bacchus Marsh to push for the upset, their third-quarter form needs a turnaround.

They’re yet to win a third term in 2025—a critical period where games are often won or lost.

Ruckman Luke Goetz continues to give them first use at stoppages, but the Cobras must make the most of those centre clearances by delivering clean ball inside 50.

With Sunbury looming next week, Melton can’t afford to let this one slip. For the Cobras, a win could reshape the narrative of their season.

Tip: Melton

Fresh from breaking their 2025 winless run, North Ballarat now face a golden opportunity to build momentum and edge closer to the top six when they host Lake Wendouree this weekend.

Despite limited recent meetings—just one in each of the past four seasons—history favours the Roosters.

North have claimed the last three contests by margins exceeding ten goals, and with confidence now growing, they’ll be hungry to keep that streak alive.

While both sides boast similar scoring efficiency this year, North’s advantage lies in their higher volume of inside 50s and slightly stronger goal conversion—key indicators that have helped them stay more competitive on the scoreboard.

The return of Cam McCallum in the ruck adds vital experience for the Roosters.

His presence will likely strengthen North Ballarat’s already solid clearance work and sets up an intriguing ruck duel with Lakers big man Tom Zampatti.

For Lake Wendouree to stay in the contest, tackling pressure will be paramount.

While co-captain Joel O’Connell and Kynan Raven have led the way defensively—averaging over 4 tackles per game each—it’ll take a whole-team lift in intensity to match the Roosters’ ball movement and deny them repeat inside 50s.

With an imposing Round 8 clash against Darley on the horizon, this shapes as a must-win game for North Ballarat’s finals aspirations.

For the Lakers, it’s another opportunity to take a step forward and produce a four-quarter performance that can challenge a resurgent Roosters side.

Tip: North Ballarat

While the 2025 ladder tells one story, the head-to-head record between Darley and Redan adds an interesting view to this Round 7 clash.

The Devils might be one of the competition’s biggest contenders this season, but Redan have historically had their measure—winning more of their recent encounters before Darley’s big win in their last meeting over a year ago.

That said, history may count for little this weekend.

Darley have been electric to start the season. Dan Jordan’s men have set the standard across the board—leading the competition in disposals, clearances and contested possessions.

Combine that with an elite transition game and an ability to suppress teams with defensive pressure, and it's clear why they’re firmly in the premiership conversation.

Redan, meanwhile, have had a mixed bag of results but have shown glimpses of a team on the rise.

Gary Learmonth’s young side will need to dramatically increase their possession rate if they’re to challenge the Devils on their home turf.

Around the ball, they’ve shown patches of efficiency, particularly in clearing from stoppages, but the challenge this week is maintaining that intensity for four quarters against the Devils’ standard.

Taj Bond and Jake Connolly will need to convert whatever forward chances come their way, as opportunities may be limited.

To stay in the contest, the Lions will need a sharp lift in tackling pressure and a defensive mindset that can limit Darley’s precise forward entries.

It’s a big task for Redan—but one that could define how they shape up.

For Darley, it’s another opportunity to show just how big the gap is between them and the chasing pack.

Tip: Darley

Take away the early 2024 season clash of these two sides and you’re left with some electric, defining matches.

The sides met twice in three weeks at the latter end of the 2024 season.

The first meeting saw Ballarat shock the competition with a Round 18 win over the Roos, re-shaping the finals race.

Two weeks later, in gruelling conditions, East Point returned the favour and ended Ballarat’s fairy tale run.

Both teams enter the clash with momentum after grinding out single digit wins last weekend.

East Point had the edge in clearances – largely thanks to the efforts of Matt Johnston.

Expect Swans coach Ash Baker to have someone lined up to go with him closely.

For Ballarat, Harry Butler will be one to watch. A big-time performer, Butler has delivered against East Point before and remains a huge asset with his versatility around the ground.

Jacob Brown is expected to return for the Roos after a week off, which adds another dimension to Joe Carmody’s selection options.

With finals spots tightening, this is a big one.

A win for East Point gives them some breathing space inside the top four. A Ballarat win? It makes the top six race even tighter.

Tip: East Point