With just three rounds to play in the NPL Men’s competition, the jostling for final ladder positions is heating up. There’s a tense battle for the last available spot in finals, the Premiers could potentially be decided, and a relegation battle that may be wrapped up by the weekends’ close.
With the top five teams all guaranteed finals places after last weekend, the sixth and final position on the table is the last remaining spot still up for grabs. With three teams all within two points heading into Round 24, every point and perhaps even goal will be vitally important.
Dandenong City (34 points), Port Melbourne Sharks (33 points) and Melbourne Knights (32 points) all have little margin for error heading into the final rounds, but some very tough opposition awaits.
Dandenong City v Manningham United: Friday 7:45pm
Starting the weekend on 34 points and the advantage over the other two finals aspirants, Dandenong will be looking to further solidify their lead over the chasing pair with victory over relegation-threatened Manningham.
Whilst the Blues’ season hasn’t quite gone to plan so far, you can never afford to underestimate the drive of a team competing for their survival. They have four points to safety in the form of St Albans, which given their recent form, a loss for Manningham here could mean definitive relegation; it’s all on the line.
South Melbourne v Port Melbourne Sharks: Friday 7:30pm
Tasked with chasing Dandenong into sixth spot, Port Melbourne may have hoped for a slightly more favourable match-up than an away trip to the team sitting six points clear at the top of the table in South Melbourne.
Whilst South may have one eye on next weekend’s Dockerty Cup Final at The Home of the Matildas, they won’t be short of motivation, as a win this weekend will take the Premiership beyond doubt.
They could even mathematically seal the trophy if other results were to go their way later in the weekend. But South’s slip up to Dandenong last week in the same scenario will be encouraging for the Sharks.
Oakleigh Cannons v Melbourne Knights: Saturday 3:00pm
The other team fighting for sixth spot funnily enough have also drawn the other half of the Dockerty Cup Final in Round 24, Oakleigh.
Knights have two points to catch up for a tilt at the finals but have the advantage of favourable goal difference if they were to finish on level points.
Oakleigh’s finals status is confirmed but will still be keen to jump up from fifth into a home elimination finals place, which they are currently only denied by two goals, level on points with Heidelberg.
With also only just three points to Avondale in second, a first week bye in the finals series is certainly not off the cards either, giving them plenty of motivation to spoil the Knights’ run.
Heidelberg United v Hume City: Friday 7:45pm
Possibly the matchup of the round, the winner of Heidelberg and Hume if there is to be one, will likely knock the other out of the race for a top two position.
Currently sitting in fourth and third respectively, this match will be massive in determining the eventual finals bracket.
With knockout positions already secure, there’s no need to be conversative. Both teams will be leaving it all out on the pitch in a bid to jump Avondale into second and earn a direct place into the preliminary finals.
Green Gully v Avondale: Saturday 1:00pm
There won’t be any shortage of motivation for Avondale this week. Three points needed not only to keep in touch with South Melbourne and keep an outside chance of the Premiership alive, but also to keep the chasing pack at bay, and keep hold of their second spot.
Whilst Green Gully’s nine points and 21 goal difference advantage over Manningham in the relegation zone would require an all-time global footballing disaster to mess up, they’ll still be looking for a valuable point against the reigning NPLM Champions to mathematically tie up their safety.
St Albans Saints v Dandenong Thunder: Sunday 3:00pm
Off the back of a remarkable run where their last three games represent half of their season’s tallies in the wins column, St Albans will be looking to make it four in a row, and if results go their way elsewhere, secure their safety in season 2024.
They come up against a Dandenong team with not many stakes in this game. Secure from relegation and needing a miracle to qualify for finals – they currently sit nine points outside of the six with a goal difference deficit of -19, they will have to make do with a safe, but low table finish this campaign.
Altona Magic v Moreland City: Saturday 6:15pm
In a similar position to Dandenong, Altona are relatively set for a low table finish. Seven points outside of the top six, it’s still possible of course to make a late finals bid, but with so many teams in competition for that sixth spot, they’re a long outsider.
Moreland’s situation is more dire. Rooted to the bottom of the table, eight points away from safety, nothing but a win against the Magic and dropped points for St Albans will keep their season alive.