Bottom side Lake Wendouree is all that stands in the way of Bacchus Marsh returning inside the top six come 5pm Saturday night. The Cobras can be as high as fifth on the ladder if they can secure their sixth win of the season. Given the Lakers' run of recent outs, the Cobras could find themselves with an attractive 6-4 record and a game clear of cross-town rivals Darley or North Ballarat. Round 11 marks the completion of each team having played each other once, the same number of games and the first real indication of where each team is at, according to the BFNL ladder.

The Cobras will start warm favourites against an undermanned Lakers outfit shy on sufficient top-end talent to match it with teams contesting for a finals berth. Their 106-point drubbing at the hands of Darley last week will have tested the resolve of all and sundry at the Lakers, eager to bounce back with a 'pride in the jumper' performance. While a win is unlikely on the scoreboard for the visitors, a spike in effort and intensity will most certainly be on the agenda.

How the Lakers contain Daniel Burton in the ruck without a bona fide choice of their own will be a tough ask let alone denying the Cobras a day out on the scoreboard. Aaron Willetts, Rex Hickman, Joel Freeman (if available), Tyler Huyn and Jake Owen (defence recently) have all had multiple-goal returns on more than one occasion this year. I see no reason why this pattern won't continue, given the Cobras will be in desperate need of some percentage of their own. If Lakers coach Jack Fitzpatrick can manufacture some 'little wins' on the KPI front, the damage can be minimised on the scoreboard. But given their 0/8 run since round one, the task will be easier said than done.

This game shapes arguably the pick of the round. Both teams are level on Premierships points with five wins, separated by (0.1%) the bearest percentage. Yet, despite their fourth and fifth positions on the BFNL ladder, both clubs have just one win over the top-six opposition. Expect the winners to consolidate at least fourth place on the ladder, while the loser is likely to fall to sixth and fall as far as seventh if Sebastopol upset Melton and Bacchus Marsh beat the Lakers.

Both teams will not be at full strength. In fairness, many aren't at Round 11 in most comps. The Devils must travel to get it done but results in '22 indicate winning up or down the highway to be easier than in previous years. In fact 13/25 (52%) games involving 'highway travel' this year have been won by the 'away' team, up from 28% for the previous 119 games dating back to the start of 2018.

Brendan McCartney's North Ballarat will start deserved favourites at Mars Stadium - the Minor Premiers of 2021. Over recent weeks Macca has been on the record acknowledging an upward spiral in his boy's intensity and effort around the contest, which has been in essence, the blueprint of the former AFL mentor. For Dan Jordan's Devils, their rise to relevance on the back of a winless 2021, has come quicker than even some of the faithful would have predicted.

But can they 'turn up' in Ballarat with the right mindset and win a third game in four visits to Brick City? A win for the plucky Devils, who resemble a bit of Melton in 2017 with their youthful progression, would be an added bonus to a journey in its infancy. I guarantee you North Ballarat will be all chips in ahead of their bye as a tough month lay ahead. Namely Melton, East Point, Ballarat and Sebastopol.  

Both teams have shown in 2022 their best is very good. Just which version of themselves lobs at Eastern Oval will be reflected on the scoreboard. Last week, the Kangas were expected to 'get it done' against Sunbury and took the best part of three and a half quarters to run down a spirited Lions outfit, who led by as much as five goals in the first half. Credit to Jake Bridges' East Point and the response of their A-Grade midfield, who arrested the momentum in a timely fashion to steal the points. Redan had moments of their own, leading the undefeated Melton before a lapse after halftime cost them dearly.

There'll be no room for a similar lapse for Giamapolo's Redan either. Their X-factor opponents are renowned for turning it on at the flick of a switch. And more often, that 'flick' is enabled by a drop-off in intensity. Just who gets the unenviable job on Jordy Johnston will be a delicate decision for the Lions, who should probably have a plan B and C ready to go, not to mention aerial support for the already assigned - that is a given. The midfield battle will be interesting - Redan will ask questions of the Kangas boys who have featured prominently in the 'best' throughout season 2022.

The Lions' Lachie Goerge, Daniel Bond and with a bit of luck Cooper Craig-Peters (?) would be a testing mix for Matty Johnston, Mickitja Rotumah-Onus and Jackson Merrett. On exposed form, you have to lean to the Kangas combo. The availability of Craig-Peters will be a welcomed boost for Redan. Without him, his accumulation alone and exit from stoppage would be sorely missed despite the gains from veteran Liam Hoy and the inclusion of speedster Lincoln Barnes. Redan's chances would receive another boost if the big man "Tippa" gets a gig in the ruck.

His reported 6"4' frame would quell the influence of a handful of options the Kangas have at the centre bounce. I liked Giampaolo's response to his Lions' close defeat last week - honourable losses are not what they're about. A win today keeps them in the mix. East, on the other hand, they'll just be happy banking the points, going about their business quietly in what is shaping to be a race for second on the BFNL ladder. 

Bloods' Coach Aaron Tymms denied his boys were impacted by a 21-day break despite surviving a scare on the road against Redan with arguably their best side in. If not for a third-quarter blitz, the word undefeated would have been returned to the shelf for another season. So, Tymms will be looking for a response against the team (outside of his own) he tipped would challenge for the flag at the start of the season.

Just one point separated these two sides at their last meet at Maccy Park in a hard-fought battle that obviously went down to the wire. With the Bloods, you know what you're going to get - despite their dominance there's an heir of (enviable) predictability about them.

Opposition sides are under no illusions they need to bring their 'bikes', their intent and collective 'A-game if they're to snare an unlikely result. Nine have tried and failed prior to the 'Burras effort today whose chances again have been hampered by injuries to key players. Forget Luke Kiel and Bailey Medwell who are already done for the season. Big men James Richards and Dean Robertson went down last week and are likely to miss a block of footy.

Burras coach Michael Searl can't take a trick on the injury front as they welcomed back Toby Hutt and Daniel Widgery in recent weeks having spent time on the sidelines. In some positive news for Sebastopol, reigning Henderson Medalist Lachie Cassidy will be in calculations for a return after a ten-week layoff.

Just how much the ball magnet can influence first up is unknown. What is known is that a loss today will see Sebastopol outside of the six if Bacchus Marsh defeats the Lakers. For Melton and their journey forward, coach Tymms is not taking this position for granted. Expect a ruthless preparation for this year's finals series that is shaping as the Bloods' to lose. That theory alone is no doubt driving the pedal to the medal after finishing so close in 2018 (2nd) and 2019 (3rd).

The Bloods have winners on every line, and given their depth - players will be battling to consolidate their own positions which doesn't help any opposition.

Sunbury can do every team a favour bar Ballarat with a win over the Swans who return from the bye. While Joe Carmody's Swans would have welcomed the break, questions will be asked of them to start well. A welcomed trait that has deserted them in the first half of the season. If Travis Hodgson's Lions, can get the jump similar to their efforts against East Point last week, the Swans will be stretched to come from behind, yet again.

The Swans have led only Melton South and Darley for long periods in the first halves, the rest has been an undeniable battle despite a pretty strong list.  Sunbury has won .5 of a quarter more than the Swans in 2022 despite their one-win season. Work that out, Ballarat is third, and Sunbury 10th!

The Lions kicked their second-highest score of the year to date last week on the back of an eight-goal return from Essendon VFL-listed affiliate Jake Sutton. The bonus for the Swans is, that their strength lay in defence in my opinion and given Sutton's availability could spring a comfortable match-up in either Nick Weightman or Nick Swain who have been important.

There's no one in the comp that laps up the bye and body break more than Swans' forward Andrew Hooper. Just who Hodgson sends to him will be interesting given they have a young list and lack like for like size, experience and smarts of Hooper.

Swans mids Sam James and Aiden Domic, will be asked to cover the wide expanses of Clarke Oval against a midfield starting to find some form. Lions Captain Daniel Toman and Haydn Ross know how to play their home ground well - they did it last year in the corresponding fixture leading the Lions to a comfortable 24-point win.

There should be up to 15 Lions who played that day who held off the Marcus Powling. A win won't be easy for the Lions given their 1-8 start, but a repeat of last week's effort and intent should see them in the hunt in front of a home crowd desperate for their second win of the season.