SIX rounds to play, six finals spots available, and 10 teams left in the race. Everybody strap in for what is set to be an exhilarating end to the 2023 campaign!
Avondale has looked invincible this season, however, the top spot is not locked in with South Melbourne and Oakleigh hot on their heels.
The race for the top six is heating-up with Green Gully, Altona, Dandenong, and even Hume and Heidelberg an outside chance.
A crucial victory for Bentleigh last week saw them jump out of the bottom two, but sitting only one point from danger, can they avoid going down?
Who's in the box seat, and who's facing an uphill battle to finish inside the top? Check out your club's finish to the season below.
1) Avondale
56 points (17 wins, two draws, one loss), 52 goal difference.
The Run Home
- R22: Heidelberg United @ TBC
- R23: St Albans Saints @ Churchill Reserve
- R24: Oakleigh Cannons @ Jack Edwards Reserve
- R25: South Melbourne @ Avenger Park
- R26: Bentleigh Greens @ Avenger Park
2) Oakleigh Cannons
51 points (16 wins, three draws, two losses), 35 goal difference.
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The Run Home
- R22: Port Melbourne @ JL Murphy Reserve
- R23: Altona Magic @ Paisley Park
- R24: Avondale @ Jack Edwards Reserve
- R25: North Geelong Warriors @ Elcho Park
- R26: Moreland City @ Jack Edwards Reserve
3) South Melbourne
50 points (16 wins, one draw, two losses), 24 goal difference.
The Run Home
- R22: Bentleigh Greens @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R23 Port Melbourne @ JL Murphy Reserve
- R24: Altona Magic @ Paisley Park
- R25: Avondale @ Avenger Park
- R26: North Geelong Warriors @ Avenger Park
4) Port Melbourne
37 points (11 wins, four draws, six losses), 17 goal difference.
The Run Home
- R22: Oakleigh Cannons @ JL Murphy Reserve
- R23 South Melbourne @ JL Murphy Reserve
- R24: Bentleigh Greens @Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R25: Hume City @ Hume City Stadium
- R26: Altona Magic @ JL Murphy Reserve
5) Melbourne Knights
35 points (10 wins, five draws, five losses), 12 goal difference.
The Run Home
- R21 North Geelong Warriors @ Elcho Park
- R22: Moreland City @ Knights Stadium
- R23 Green Gully @ Green Gully Reserve
- R24: Hume City @ Hume City Stadium
- R25: Dandenong Thunder @ George Andrews Reserve
- R26: Heidelberg United @ Olympic Village
6) Green Gully
30 points (10 wins, 10 losses), 15-goal difference.
The Cavaliers did what was expected last week against North Geelong, claiming a crucial three points in the race for the top six.
This week they face Moreland which is another game they would be confident they can claim another victory.
In Round 23, Green Gully will host Melbourne Knights in their first match against a fellow top-six side and if they can get a result, finals football would be inevitable.
The Thunder will be another tough game, followed by two games Green Gully will go into as favorites in Heidelberg and St Albans.
A top-six finish looms likely if they can win the games they are expected to win, however, that's the beauty of football, nothing is guaranteed and they could still drop out if they lose to their clashes against the bottom eight sides.
The Run Home
- R21 Moreland City @ CB Smith Reserve
- R22: Hume City @ Hume City Stadium
- R23 Melbourne Knights @ Green Gully Reserve
- R24: Dandenong Thunder @ George Andrews Reserve
- R25: Heidelberg United @ Green Gully Reserve
- R26: St Albans Saints @ Churchill Reserve
7) Altona Magic
29 points (nine wins, two draws, nine losses), -4 goal difference.
Altona kept their finals hopes alive with a big win over Dandenong last weekend.
Only sitting one point away from Green Gully, the Magic will have their eyes on forcing their way in if the Cavaliers slip up.
The Magic will trust themselves to defeat Heidelberg and St Albans over the next fortnight, creating a mammoth clash against Oakleigh Cannons in Round 23.
It doesn't get any easier the following week, coming up against South Melbourne; who has their eye on the top spot.
If Altona can get a result over their tough fortnight they will have all the chance in the world to claim that elusive sixth spot on the ladder, but can't afford too many slip-ups on the way home or they will just miss out on finals football.
The Run Home
- R21 Heidelberg United @ Paisley Park
- R22: St Albans Saints @ Churchill Reserve
- R23 Oakleigh Cannons @ Paisley Park
- R24: South Melbourne @ Paisley Park
- R25: Bentleigh Greens @ Paisley Park
- R26: Port Melbourne @ JL Murphy Reserve
8) Dandenong Thunder
24 points (seven wins, three draws, 10 losses), -4 goal difference.
The Thunder let a big opportunity slip last week in their loss and could see their finals hopes slip away if they fall to Avondale this weekend.
In Rounds 22-23, Dandenong takes on North Geelong and Moreland City, two matches that could keep them in the finals race.
If the Thunder are going to be any chance of playing going to need to give a good showing against Green Gully and Melbourne Knights, two games that could go either way but will ultimately decide their season.
Dandenong's last game of the year is against Hume City at home, this will either be a match that will push them into sixth or a chance to finish the season on a high in front of their home fans.
The Run Home
- R21 Avondale @ Epsom Huntly Recreation Reserve
- R22: North Geelong Warriors @ George Andrews Reserve
- R23 Moreland City @ CB Smith Reserve
- R24: Green Gully @ George Andrews Reserve
- R25: Melbourne Knights @ Knights Stadium
- R26: Hume City @ George Andrews Reserve
9) Hume City
20 points (five wins, five draws, 10 losses), -4 goal difference.
Hume City kept their faint finals hopes alive with a 3-2 victory over Moreland City in Round 20, but need to get a result against the odds against South Melbourne.
In two weeks, Hume hosts Green Gully in a winnable clash and then hit the road to face Bentleigh Greens.
Their remaining three matches are all difficult, with Hume facing teams above them on the table for the remainder of the year.
A finish outside the top six looms as the most likely result for Hume, but they will not give up hope until the possibility is mathematically impossible.
The Run Home
- R21 South Melbourne @ McIvor Reserve
- R22: Green Gully @ Hume City Stadium
- R23 Bentleigh Greens @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R24: Melbourne Knights @ Hume City Stadium
- R25: Port Melbourne @ Hume City Stadium
- R26: Dandenong Thunder @ George Andrews Reserve
10) Heidelberg United
20 points (five wins, five draws, nine losses), -16 goal difference.
Heidelberg let an important three points slip last week against Port Melbourne, making their road to finals very difficult.
The Bergers sit 10 points outside the top six with six rounds remaining and face four sides still in the race for post-season.
This weekend's clash against Altona will prove pivotal for both sides' season and it doesn't get any easier the following week, taking on the ladder-leaders Avondale.
A winnable stretch awaits Heidelberg post their clash with Avondale, as they come up against North Geelong, Moreland City, and Green Gully, but will they still be in the running come Round 23?
The Bergers will most likely fall just outside the top six, but if they can get a run on anything is possible.
The Run Home
- R21 Altona Magic @ Paisley Park
- R22: Avondale @ TBC
- R23 North Geelong Warriors @ Elcho Park
- R24: Moreland City @ CB Smith Reserve
- R25: Green Gully @ Green Gully Reserve
- R26: Melbourne Knights @ Olympic Village
11) St Albans Saints
16 points (four wins, four draws, 12 losses), -24 goal difference.
The Saints let a winnable game slip last weekend against Bentleigh Greens at home, leaving them only three points ahead of the bottom two.
In Rounds 24-25, the Saints take on Moreland City and North Geelong in two games that could ensure survival to next season in the top flight or make the race for survival even closer.
In a boost to the Saints' chances, four out of the final six matches will be played at Churchill Reserve, giving them the best chance to claim victories in the final weeks of the season.
If St Albans can take advantage of their winnable games in their remaining fixtures they should finish just above the relegation battle, but if they slip up, they may find themselves fighting for survival.
The Run Home
- R21 Port Melbourne @ Churchill Reserve
- R22: Altona Magic@ Knights Stadium
- R23 Avondale @ Churchill Reserve
- R24: North Geelong Warriors @ Churchill Reserve
- R25: Moreland City @ CB Smith Reserve
- R26: Green Gully @ Churchill Reserve
12) Bentleigh Greens
14 points (four wins, two draws, 14 losses), -19 goal difference.
Bentleigh picked up a massive win last week over St Albans to pick themselves off the bottom of the ladder ahead of a rough stretch of matches.
Over the next two weeks, the Greens face Oakleigh and South Melbourne and will be lucky to get a result, however in Round 23 host Hume City in an important game in front of their fans.
Sitting only one point out in safety every game on the run home in a must-win with the Greens likely to come into every clash on the run home as underdogs.
In their last game of the season, they face ladder-leading Avondale in what could be their final chance to secure survival on the road in what would be a monumental victory.
Despite currently sitting outside the bottom two, a tough six weeks lies ahead and it will be interesting to see if, with everything on the line, they can string a number of wins together and fight another day in the NPLM.
The Run Home
- R21 Oakleigh Cannons @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R22: South Melbourne @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R23 Hume City @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R24: Port Melbourne @ Kingston Heath Soccer Complex
- R25: Altona Magic @ Paisley Park
- R26: Avondale @ Avenger Park
13) North Geelong Warriors
13 points (four wins, one draw, 15 losses), a -38 goal difference.
North Geelong's prospects of making the next NPLM season looked bleak until back-to-back wins made the run home very interesting.
Every game for the Warriors on the way home is against teams who are attempting to make the final six, making it tough to leapfrog Bentleigh to safety.
This week they face the Knights in a tough matchup, but it will be the first of four home games to end the season, providing a golden opportunity to grab some golden points to secure survival.
A tough run home highlighted by Oakleigh and South Melbourne in the final two rounds makes it tough to see a way out of relegation but stranger things have happened and the spirit on show in recent weeks could be a theme of things to come.
The Run Home
- R21 Melbourne Knights @ Elcho Park
- R22: Dandenong Thunder @ George Andrews Reserve
- R23 Heidelberg United @ Elcho Park
- R24: St Albans Saints @ Churchill Reserve
- R25: Oakleigh Cannons @ Elcho Park
- R26: South Melbourne @ Elcho Park
14) Moreland City
12 points (three wins, three draws, 14 losses), -33 goal difference.
Moreland fell just short of Hume City last week, relegating them to the last spot on the table with six matches to play.
In Round 21, Green Gully will be a tough challenge but with the match played at CB Smith Reserve, could Moreland manufacture a result to leapfrog North Geelong?
Moreland will head into every game as underdogs but with every match a must-win it will create a great crescendo to the season.
In Rounds 23-25 Moreland takes on Dandenong, Altona, and Heidelberg at home, a great chance to grab crucial points to jump into 12th position on the ladder.
Moreland looms likely to be playing in NPL2 next season, but with everything to play for on the run home, we will find out what they are made of.
The Run Home
- R21 Green Gully @ CB Smith Reserve
- R22: Melbourne Knights @ Knights Stadium
- R23 Dandenong Thunder @ CB Smith Reserve
- R24: Heidelberg United @ CB Smith Reserve
- R25: St Albans Saints @ CB Smith Reserve
- R26: Oakleigh Cannons @ Jack Edwards Reserve