Expect the high-flying Swans to start unofficial favourites against the Devils for the first time in four years at Darley Park.

Sure, the Devils recent record at home is compelling, a 15-0 run dating back to the 2024 Semi Final, but they’re vulnerable and need a scalp.

The reality is, the Devils have beaten the bottom four sides and only Bacchus Marsh (5th) inside the top six.

The weight of expectation on the Devils’ top end to deliver has never been greater since Nick Hind joined the club at the start of 2025.

The reigning premiers will require every bit of their brilliance PLUS a second tier and depth response to get this done!

Star playmakers Hind, Brett Bewley and Billy Myers lead the charge again on Saturday but will be confronted by a team that bats arguably deeper than any list for talent in the competition.

The Swans’ enviable point of difference is their well-documented trio of inform 200cm keys Patrick Graham (in best 6/8), Biggie Nyuon (26 goals/7 games) and Alex Keath (in best 4/6 games).

The luxury for coach Ash Baker developing the spread around them is seeing a growing response by the week, their commitment to the task is palpable.

Midfield combo Lewis Rinaldi, Fraser Perkins, Thomas Simpson and Wyatt Squires will test the elite band of Devils given the advantage of Graham’s athleticism in the ruck.

The potential inclusions of Footscray VFL listed talent Tristan Maple, and former AFL pair Brad Crouch and Luke Dunstan (debut) only raises the degree of difficulty facing the black and white army.

While Biggie is the only Swans player to post 10 or more majors for the season, their frugal defence says they don’t need to shoot the lights out to win a game of footy.

Dual premiership coach Dan Jordan and his staff will be stretched to their limits finding a way to resemble their best footy for long enough and deny the Swans an impressive seventh win in a row and eighth for the season.

Scoop’s tip: Ballarat

Expect the Bloods to be buoyed with the inclusion of key forward Ryan Carter for their must win game on the road against Redan.

Troy Scoble’s Blooder-hood (6th) are two games shy of Bacchus Marsh and Darley and must win to consolidate a top six position as Sunbury come knocking.

The Bloods were brave last week against ladder leaders Sebastopol, anything resembling that performance should prove enough disposing of Marc Greig’s Pride (1-7) albeit on the road.

The Carter brothers, namely Liam and Ryan, alongside Braedan Kight, pose an afternoon long threat for the young Lions striving for a second win of the season without prime mover Taj Bond.

You can analyse this game as much as you like - manufacture a potential upset at your peril, for the reality is, the Bloods aren’t going as bad as their three-win season suggests.

Expect Melton to pull away late and win comfortably despite the resistance of a willing Redan outfit.

If found under the pump, the Bloods proven defence, led by Jordy Cotter, Harry Hanley and Lachie Phillips, in the absence of Adrian Monitto, is enough to suggest the Bloods will earn a fourth win of the season, closing the gap on either Bacchus Marsh or Darley who face difficult assignments against Sebastopol (1st) and Ballarat (2nd) respectively.

Redan coach Marc Greig, while well ahead of the Lakers predicament, can look for mini wins in the form of a quarter and or half win. The Lions are still yet to win a final quarter since the season opener against the Lakers (0-7)

The Bloods will do enough.

Scoop’s tip: Melton

The Lions host the Kangas in a must win game for Matty White’s Pride.

While very little separates the two sides on the BFNL table, the weight of expectation on Sunbury is far greater given Joe Carmody’s Kangas well versed rebuild.

The Lions should be full of confidence playing host given the last eight Ballarat based sides have left Clarke Oval disappointed.

Of the sample size, only the Swans (9 points) have been within four goals of the Lions who have had their way over their visitors from the ‘West’.

Ironically, there is some positives for the Kangas - they were the last Ballarat based team to win at the Den back in late 2024.

The visitors arrive on a three-game winning streak and welcome the return of Joe Dodd and Fraser Molan.

The Lions on the other hand have looked vulnerable without spearhead forward Jake Sutton, despite the efforts Daniel Johnston who has multiple goal returns in each of his last four games.

Other avenues to goal have been scarce amounting to a modest 66 points per game, down from 90 last year.

White, like most rival coaches has had his frustrations with ongoing injury, unable to get the best version of the Pride on the park.

Carmody has been in the same boat, minus the expectation.

It’s fair to say the Kangas have been travelling under the radar until now - expect White to have done his homework.

This game could make or break a proud Lions outfit who would not have pictured themselves 3-6 at the halfway mark. At least a 4-5 scenario at the turn is workable.

Despite the loss of Jackson Merrett, the Kangas are beginning to resemble more of the ideal Carmody had foreseen at the start of the season.

Mickitja Rotumah-Onus has had a huge month and will take some containing as will forward pair Jarrod Joyce and Jacob Brown.

The experienced heads at East Point will believe they can give this a shake given a mere 7.77% separates the two sides on the table.

Gee, the Kangas would’ve loved this meet to be at Eastern Oval given recent momentum but unfortunately a road trip to Sunbury is the reality.

Tough ask.

The Lions must win to stay in touch of the top six and protect the legacy that is Sunbury at Sunbury.

Scoop’s tip: Sunbury

The Burra return home for a fourth consecutive hitout against top six opposition when they host the Cobras at Marty Busch Reserve.

Tony Lockyer’s men have passed the acid test with flying colours having won all three encounters over a tough month, making it through relatively unscathed.

That’s unheard of at Sebastopol!

Lockyer was the first to concede they were made to earn their win against the Bloods last week having trailed by up to 25 points midway through the third term.

The running depth at Sebastopol, and ominous forward line, simply overwhelmed the Bloods in the end and you can expect similar reason proving the difference again on Saturday.

The Cobras are a good team on their day and possess underrated depth having played 37 from their list already in 2026 for win/loss returns on par with the reigning premiers and cross-town rivals Darley.

Yes, in the short, their win/loss nears a mirror image. Both have beaten the bottom four sides and one team inside the six.

Not a bad effort from a team who has had no less than five preferred options missing from week to week.

In this case, and crucial to the Cobras’ chances, bookends Jake Owen and Wil Lalor will miss another week.

We know how good Owen is but don’t underrate Lalor. The Cobras’ defence let in 11 goals from 37 entries last week against the 0-8 Lakers.

If the Burra can manage somewhere near their average of 60 inside 50s, I hold grave fears for Dennis Armfield’s defence coughing up 100 points in Wintery conditions!

In fairness the Burra conceded 11 goals from their 38 entries against last week against the Bloods but they’re a different assignment altogether.

Looking forward to a host of match ups starting with Toby Hutt and Luke Goetz in the ruck.

Just who can provide first use will be pivotal in this contest we hope is not impacted by any extreme Ballarat weather pattern.

The Burras’ forward line is a concern for the Cobras with Joel Edwards, Ash Munari and Cooper Littlehales all averaging over a goal a game - the three-pronged attack will stretch the Cobras aerially.

If that trio doesn’t get you Adam Forbes (6 multiple goals in 8 games) or Jacob Fletcher (5 multiple goals in 8 games) just might.

The Cobras are honest - Goetz, Josh Huxtable, Jack Kovacevic, James McDaid, the Griffiths boys, Isaac Nixon and season newcomer Zach Vesty are playing some good footy but overcoming the Burra on the road looms a bridge too far.

Scoop’s tip: Sebastopol

League improvers North Ballarat will look to consolidate their position inside the top three against the Lakers, despite a host of key personnel on the sidelines.

Some positive news however out of the Clint Proctor camp with experienced campaigner Simon McCartin and progressive type Max Faulkner set for a return to bolster stocks ahead of Saturday’s important hitout.

Important you ask?

Given the setbacks and current age profile of North Ballarat, getting a game on their own terms for long periods won’t be an easy task.

These next gen Roosters are effectively on trial to stake their claims for a part of the action at the business end.

They all can’t hang on but the likelihood of Proctor finding a diamond in the rough is not out of the question.

Some nine Roosters aged 18 or under, showed enough last week, playing a role in a most memorable win over the Devils in abhorrent conditions.

With the genuine outs at the Roosters still in double figures, that will be welcoming news for Lakers’ coach Rohan Brown who has endured his fair share of hardship over the journey on the injury front.

While the scenario is not ideal for the Roosters, try telling that to Brown as he prepares for as good as chance as any to challenge a top three opponent.

The harsh reality is the Lakers will struggle despite the home ground advantage but that shouldn’t stop the perennial underdogs from having a crack, eyeing a ‘mini’ win or two, to draw on in the aftermath.

Harvey Hicks is an exciting type while season recruits Corey Rich and Alfred Jarnestrom continue to build some good form in Lakers colours.

Brown’s boys arrive on the back of their highest score from the last 12 months - that alone should see them embrace the challenge, eager to go further.

Roosters’ coach Clint Proctor will be just happy to bank the points, get through unscathed and see continued progress with his young brigade ahead of a Round 10 meeting with Ballarat (7-1).

Brown will keep his ‘wants’ from the game simple and achievable.

The pattern of scoring alone throughout the day will give us some indication as to how these developing groups measured up.

While there’s no reason to shy away from an expected, comfortable win for the Roosters,

I’m curious to see what resistance the Lakers can muster in front of their loyal band of supporters.

It all matters.

Scoop’s tip: North Ballarat