The home straight towards finals is nearing and with that a number of appetising clashes between the competition front runners are still to play out. It may only be the third week of July, but games don't get much bigger than Saturday's round 13 North Gippsland clash between third and fourth.

The winner of the top-five table clash will grab pole position in the race for locking in a final berth and will keep them in contention for a potential top three finish.

But before then is a clash worthy of more than just the four points, with YARRAM coach Anthony Pavey fully aware of the stakes at hand come this Saturday.

Claiming bragging rights against HEYFIELD in their round four encounter the Demons will take confidence in the fact that they match up well against the third placed Kangaroos. Yarram being the first side this season to claim the prized scalp of last year's runners up.

"We are anticipating a hard fought contest, we go into the match confident of taking the win, we won over there last time and would be hopeful that we can notch up another win at home," said Pavey.

"Heyfield tend to get stronger towards the end of the season, they have been up and winning with the likes of Daniel Stubbe kicking a few goals, likewise Kodie Woodland and Jack Woodland has been featuring among the best players most weeks.

"They should bring across with them a good side, they have Adrian Cox back in so they will be tough opponents."

Pavey's chargers chances will be increased by the return of the sides book ends, with full back Jack Moore and full forward Justin Staley returning to the line-up which will bolster a formidable outfit.

"Our book ends in our full back and full forward return, Corbin Sutherland was back in solid form last weekend after a quiet three weeks with an ankle injury sustained against Sale City seeing him miss a week. And we will be without Jari McDonald for at least four weeks with a cracked bone in his foot," said Pavey.

With the bigger bodies in Yarram's midfield muscling their way into the contest after half time against Gormandale to claim the win last Saturday, Pavey notes that the contest will hinge on which sides running brigade can have the most impact and stand up in a finals-like game.

"The match will hinge on the midfield contest which sides midfield will stand out. The other deciding factor will be which defence can hold the forwards best.

"Both sides have strong forward lines Heyfield have Jesse Jackway, Jesse Bedggood, Adrian Cox, Kodie Woodland and the Stubbe's, but we also have a strong line-up with Andrew Kiely, Justin Staley, Keifer Sutherland and Corbin Sutherland floating around.

"It will be who can get on top in the midfield, and whose backline holds best," said Pavey.

Finding their way after two straight losses at home, Heyfield sealed their eighth victory of the season in electric style against Cowwarr.

While wins against the lesser ranked Gormandale and Cowwarr has seen the side return to the winners list, it is indeed the next two weeks which will make or break the Kangaroos bid to challenge for a third straight grand final berth with Rosedale waiting in the wings.

Bouncing back from their biggest loss of the season, 27 points against TTU and a one point nail biter against Churchill, the Kangaroos will be looking for answers from their spirited defence as they aim to hold the Demons forwards at bay.

With Yarram holding off the fast-finishing Kangaroos to win by 14 points in their earlier encounter, little separates the sides with the stage set for an epic contest.

COWWARR felt the full raft of Heyfield at their best last Saturday and will again meet another front runner in SALE CITY who are firmly entrenched at the pointy end of the premiership table.

Claiming the big scalps of Rosedale and Churchill to kick start the second half of the fixture, the Dogs will meet a Saint outfit who have demonstrated that they can mix it with the front runners however have been unable to match the opposition's intensity for a full four quarters.

With the match presenting an opportunity for the top Dogs to continue to maintain a one game buffer from their nearest rivals Rosedale, and a further four point break from the remainder of the competition chapping at their heels, the Dogs will be confident that they have what it takes to hold the eighth placed Saints at bay.

Sixth place CHURCHILL will be hoping that the cards fall the right way in other round 13 results with the reigning premier's loss to Sale City resulting in the side slipping outside the top five by percentage.

So tight is the log jam for positions from third through to sixth on the premiership ladder standings, every win and every goal will be paramount in locking away a finals berth as it was two seasons ago.

No doubt aware that the next month will tell the tale for his side, coach Allan Chandler will be mindful that his side will need to be at their best over the coming rounds as the Cougars meet two premiership contenders, TTU and Yarram, in as many weeks in the run to finals.

With plenty at stake Churchill can ill afford a slip up in Saturday's crucial clash against WOODSIDE if they are to further confirm their hold on a top five finish.

Taking the contest up to the Cougars in the opening stages of their earlier encounter, the Wildcats faded after quarter time with Churchill trio Nick Campbell, captain Chris Williams and Ben Skinner engineering the 100 point victory.

Gallant in defeat in round 12, GLENGARRY put together one of their best performances of the season despite the end score line against Woodside.

This week the Magpies will host the Bombers a side rueing from an opportunity that passed. TTU's honourable three point loss halting coach Jay Neagle's chargers from locking away outright second positon and with that a small amount of breathing space between them and seasoned finalists Heyfield.

Instead a loss of intensity at key periods and a goalless first stanza against Rosedale proved critical. For the Magpies it is a frightful thought meeting a rebounding Bomber outfit who boasted 52 scoring shots to 10 when they met in May.

The Magpies will be wary of the Bombers who have proven in past seasons to be the torn in Glengarry's side, the pacey midfield brigade of TTU has consistently provided headaches for the Magpies coaching staff and looks to be key in driving the Bombers back on the winners list.

ROSEDALE moved into outright second place after having the Bombers on the canvas midway through the second term, but it was far from one way traffic from that point with the Blues forced to dig deep to hold on in the dying stages of the contest.

With one less days break and enduring heavy conditions, the Blues will be battled scared as they meet an opponent in GORMANDALE who agonisingly watched victory snatched from their hands in their last meeting when Rosedale's Dale Fleming played the hero and villain.

The plucky Blues robbing Gormandale of their first win of the season in the closing minute of the contest to claim a five point victory. So what does this mean for their second encounter? For the Tigers there will be an added confidence that they can match it with last year's semi-finalists, for the Blues they will be wary that taking their opponents lightly will prove costly.

In their current form the Blues will be too strong and will extend their winning run against Gormandale.

By Lauren Carey