The competitions top six sides will do battle in what is shaping to be a defining round of North Gippsland Football.

Over the past 24 rounds HEYFIELD has been the front runner of the competition. However, Saturday saw the side in unfamiliar territory. Dropping only their second match in as many seasons the fifth placed Kangaroos' worked hard to hit the front in the final term but failed to halt the Demons run in the dying stages of the match.

This week last year's runners up will host a side growing in confidence.

Confidence is growing at SALE CITY as they move clear at the top of the North Gippsland ladder.

Sitting with a 4-0 win loss ledger, the man at the helm coach Hayden Burgiel isn't prepared to give too much away at this early stage of the season noting his side is "going ok".

"We haven't been near our best side yet, we will have a near full side this week with Jake Schuback in and David Piasente will be back from a week's break after deciding to rest him to get him up and ready for this week's match," said Burgiel.

It's a frightening prospect for opposition sides that the Dogs are yet to field a full strength line-up, especially when you look at the scalps that they have claimed including wins on the road against second placed Rosedale and the reigning premiers.

Highlighting that it has been some time since Sale City has claimed bragging rights over Heyfield, Burgiel will again look for the drive and hunger to come from the sides younger players.

"The sides pretty excited and hungry for success, the younger guys are certainly driving us to do well," said Burgiel.

"They (the younger players) are the ones that are doing all the consistent running, we rely on them to provide a fair bit of the drive.

"We match up pretty well in most areas against Heyfield, picking up ruckman Harry Kaandorp has been a bonus which allows us to push Mat Lutze forward which will likely provide some headaches for Heyfield's defence but likewise they have many options up forward too which will be difficult to cover."

Coming into the contest on the back of a comprehensive 100 point win, CHURCHILL are hungry to claim a top five scalp after dropping the points against Heyfield and Sale City in the opening month of competition.

Pleased with the progress and improvement his side is making, coach Allan Chandler is a realist, one who is fully aware that his chargers will be up against it when they play host to third placed TTU.

"We are slowly improving each week, and obviously hope to knock a side off in the top five," said Chandler.

"TTU are travelling extremely well and from all reports are playing a very attractive brand of footy. We will need to be playing at our absolute best to get the points this week."

Blooding several younger players on the clubs list in past weeks due to injury or unavailability due to work commitments has provided Cougars supporters with a taste of the future. And the stocks are good.

"We have taken the opportunity to blood some of the younger players in our list early on and some players like James Allan and Ben Skinner, who kicked five goals last week, have shown that they are ready to play senior footy.

"We had only six player over 22 in the line-up against Woodside last week," noted Chandler.

Similarly placed, the same can infer to the baby Bombers who also boast a young list who are relishing a new lease of life under coach Jaye Neagle. Coaching from the sidelines through injury the Bombers main man will be aware that his side can ill afford the same inaccuracy in front of goal this week, 52 scoring shots for a return of 22 goals, or they will be punished against the reigning champs who are keen to impose themselves on the top five.

COWWARR will aim to rebound when they host WOODSIDE who takes to the road following a 100 point drubbing at the hands of the Cougars.

Matching their higher ranked opponents in parts of the contest in round four, both sides will need to refocus and take their chances if they are to remain in the hunt with the competitions main six.

Sitting side by side on the premiership ladder standings in seventh and eighth place respectively with just the one win to date, plenty is at stake for both outfits with spectators set for a high quality contest that will go down to the wire.

Sealing their third straight victory in a classic battle, ROSEDALE will need to start strongly from the outset if they are to hold the Demons at bay.

There are few coaches that haven't prescribed to the fact that this season will be one of the tightest races to finals, and one man who knows just how important every win is YARRAM's Anthony Pavey whose side comes into Saturday's showdown against the Blues on the back of perhaps the clubs biggest win since crossing to the league last season.

Disposing of grand finalists of the past three seasons, Heyfield, the Demons are up and about.

"We didn't beat them last year, so for the boys to peg back the lead after Heyfield had hit the front in the early stages of the last quarter and then kicked a goal clear was really encouraging. Even more so when Grif Underwood and Jarryd Swift were on the bench late in the game," said Pavey.

"The guys linked up well, hunted, and applied pressure, it was a real team effort.

"You look at the start of the season and pencil in a few games, and you hope to break even. Our win loss ledger is positive, I am definitely happy with where we are at."

Saturdays contest is likely to act as a barometer providing Yarram's coaching staff with an indication as to just where they are at the early stages of the competition. Playing two sides at the top end of the premiership ladder standings in consecutive weeks on the road is a tough ask for any side but in their current form expect the Demons to relish and possibly cause another upset.

"It is good to get the win away, they then have to come over to your home ground in the second half of the season knowing the result first time around, it always makes it harder," said Pavey.

Traditional North Gippsland rivals GLENGARRY and GORMANDALE will play for the Keith Lang – Bill Onley Cup on Mother's Day at Glengarry.

The Cups concept was born several seasons ago after the two clubs decided they would honour two individuals who have made extraordinary contributions to their clubs and the league by striking a trophy which would replace the Gippsland and Northern (G&N) Cup which the clubs contested with fierce rivalry for 25 years.

The honours favour the Tigers who over the past 10 seasons have well and truly had their arch rival's match, Gormandale claiming the honours last Mother's Day and will again prove to be a test for Glengarry's resolve.

While no doubt disappointed to be 0-4, Gormandale coach Luke Henderson would be fully aware that given the evenness of the competition his side isn't down and out just yet.

Regardless of the ladder position of the sides the contest is always fiercely played, with Gormandale fully aware that you write Glengarry off at your own peril. In their current form expect the Tigers to take their chances and claim bragging rights over rivals Glengarry.

By Lauren Carey