James Murphy
THE top four is set in the 2023 Limestone Coast Women’s Football season, with the final minor round played this weekend.
All games are to be played on Sunday, but will be split across two locations with Casterton’s Island Park venue and Penola’s McCorquindale Park under the spotlight.
North Gambier, Casterton Sandford, Mundulla and Penola make up the top four and will battle it out for premiership glory over the coming weeks.
While they are all locked in finals at this point, there remains room for movement inside the top four.
North currently sits on top but with the bye this week the Tigers could see themselves pushed down the order.
The Cats enter the round in second and will host Kongorong in the opening match on Sunday.
They will be favoured for the win and should they prevail will steal top spot from the Tigers with seven wins and a loss for the year.
Meanwhile Mundulla sits in third, but aided by a draw to Kybybolite back in Round 2, a win to them would ensure at least a second-place finish.
Should the Cats lose and Mundulla win, the latter would then claim the minor premiership.
Mundulla faces Millicent in the second game at Island Park, which suggests a big win is imminent.
The final piece in the equation is Penola, sitting fourth and set to face a winless Kalangadoo at home.
The Eagles have shown promising signs throughout the year and will be all-but guaranteed to sing their song at the conclusion of Sunday’s match.
Should they win they have the potential to leapfrog Mundulla and Casterton, but only if those teams lose.
As is the case in the women’s competition, a consolation finals series will also be played.
That will see Kybybolite, Kongorong, South Gambier and Millicent go head-to-head, while ninth placed Kalangadoo will miss out.
Kyby and the Hawks will be the favourites in this series and will likely face off in next week’s qualifying final.
However, this week Kyby will match up with South Gambier in a grand final rematch.
Both teams sport different rosters and levels of success this season, but there is sure to be plenty of spirit as they fight for the bragging rights before finals.
ROUND 9 FIXTURE
Sunday, March 19: Casterton v Kongorong, 11am (Island Park); South Gambier v Kybybolite, 11am (Penola); Millicent v Mundulla, 12.35pm (Island Park); Penola v Kalangadoo, 12.35pm (Penola).
