ROSEDALE and HEYFIELD will square off at Glengarry in a mighty North Gippsland Football Netball League clash with the winner advancing to the grand final.

Spectators will get an early taste of what may be to come on the third Saturday in September with both sides form throughout the season seeing them touted as potential premiership contenders.

There will be mixed emotions come Saturday, Rosedale coach Damien Birss is a four time North Gippsland Football premiership player with this week's rival Heyfield. Heyfield Football Netball Club President, John Tyquin said that while Damien is a huge part of our footy club, who played in four straight premierships early last decade he admits that come Saturday "he isn't a Heyfield person; he becomes the enemy until after the contest!"
Aiming to advance his side to their second penultimate round under his coaching reign, Birss may have mixed emotions around this week's contest but will be confident that his knowledge of various aspects of Heyfield's game will serve his side well.
The Blues have been at the fore front of the competition all season. Rosedale finishing one game clear of their nearest rival Sale City, with this week's opponent Heyfield a further game behind on the premiership ladder standings.
Speaking prior to the sides round 10 clash, Birss was realistic about his sides end of season prospects at the half way mark of the fixture.
"Just because we are on top of the ladder at the moment doesn't mean that we are the best team in the competition, we are working hard to be the best team, but we are fully aware that it don't play well against the top seven sides you will be beaten.

"We need to focus on aspects of our game, like making sure that we are strong at the footy, focus on delivering the ball into our forwards well while our backline needs to be on their game," he said.

And that is exactly what the Blues did, snapping Heyfield's five game winning streak with a blistering 80 point victory over the Kangaroos before winning a further six out of eight matches to seal the minor premiership title.

Nine weeks have passed since Rosedale and Heyfield last did battle. The Blues have had the wood over Kangaroos in 2012, with a 20 goal victory in the opening round. While there was plenty of hype and hope surrounding the eagerly awaited second contest but it failed to live up to all expectations with the ladder leaders Rosedale on song from the opening bounce.

However, Tyquin isn't worried by past results rather confident that the young side has further evolved and matured.
"The young guys have grown and matured as the year has gone on, with such a very young group you don't know what you are going to get each week.
"We played Rosedale on both occasions relatively early on in the season, some nine weeks have passed and the side have further developed," said Tyquin.
Speaking on behalf of coach Adrian Cox, the man at the helm of the club is realistic of the enormity of the challenge.
"It's a big challenge, the current crop of guys are trying to create their own history and to their credit the younger players on the list have carried the club this far and are ready to write their own destiny."
Going into the contest full of confidence following Saturday's victory over two-time reigning premier Sale City, Heyfield won't be getting too far ahead of themselves.
"We won't be underestimating Rosedale they are the gun team, they have taken all before them, they have a good coach and are a good team, it's going to be a great challenge," said Tyquin.
FIRST SEMI FINAL - SALE CITY v COWWARR
Two-time reigning premier SALE CITY find themselves for the first time in three seasons set to navigate a different path if they are to achieve premiership glory for a third straight year.
But before they can look too far ahead, they need to put a halt to the Saints who are on the march having won their past seven straight games including a five point thriller in the cut throat elimination final.
Not dissimilar to last season's attack on the silverware, COWWARR have won nine of their past 10 matches with followers of the league on notice of the threat the Saints pose. One of the inform sides in the competition powering through the second half of the fixture accounting for fellow finalists Rosedale, Heyfield and Sale City, coach Cory Bannister will be fully aware that past results account for little ahead of Sundays match.
Putting his side on notice, Dogs coach Nick Hider was disappointed with the final result on Saturday, "We were beaten in a fair few areas of the game that we pride ourselves on."
"We couldn't hold on in the last quarter when they got a run on, the game was on the line and they wanted it more which was disappointing.
"It is going to be tough from here, we have to get over Cowwarr we cant look too far ahead just taking it one week at a time," said Hider.
Hider notes that his side will need to get back to basics on the training track this week if they are to counteract the Saints, with the coach's fighting words highlighting that if there is another performance by his side like that of last weekend in the qualifying final then they will have the same result.
"We have to improve in several areas our attack on the contested footy is one of those areas, when the ball is in dispute we need to get our hands dirty and get in there.
"It's really the fundamentals that we need to improve in - back to basics, our run and carry of the ball, we need to use our skills, stick our tackles and get our hands on the footy first.
"Our genuine ball winners are not in form, they haven't been for weeks. As a club we need to stand up when our backs are against the wall."
The dual premiership coach knows too well the threat that Cowwarr pose but takes confidence from the fact that his side has failed to drop two matches in a row over their reign of the competition.
"We haven't lost two in a row for the past three years, we always rebound strongly but fully recognise that Cowwarr are going to be tough opposition," said Hider.
"They play footy how it should be played, hard and fair.
"They have the best back six in the competition which generates plenty of runoff half back. Their small forwards are very effective they have nearly the best on-baller in the league in Luke Cooper and Paul Joyce have been giving them first bite of the ball in the ruck.
"Sunday will be a test of character for the side, we have been reasonably spoilt in recent years so if the side is to advance through to next week then we will need to go to the next level and step it up."
WEEK TWO FINALS:
SECOND SEMI FINAL -Rosedale V Heyfield, Saturday 1st September, Glengarry
FIRST SEMI FINAL - Sale City V Cowwarr, Sunday 2nd September, Churchill

By Lauren Carey