The Goulburn Valley Playing Area Allan Matheson Shield has set up an extraordinary finish to season 2023-24 with another massive minor premiership battle headlining this weekend.
The second game in a three-week series that will determine the double chance has Tallygaroopna (9-2) take on Shepparton Golf (9-2) at its adopted home of Shepparton Park Bowls Club.
Four premiership points separate the ladder-leading Golf from third-placed Kyabram (9-2), with the three-way race for two qualifying final spots intensifying by the week.
After the Bombers knocked over Golf and reduced the deficit to bare bones, Brent Reiner’s side would be best placed to take advantage of whatever result eventuates at Shepparton Park.
However, nothing is assured with Tallygaroopna and Kyabram set to meet the following weekend.
Regarding this week’s matters, though, the consequences of Tallygaroopna and Golf’s collision cannot be understated.
Shepparton Golf’s Brad Orr is more than aware.
“I don’t think there’s much between the top three sides this year,” Orr said.
“It’s probably the most even the competition has been for some time.
“We’ll give it our best shot and we have to play well to win games.
“A one-shot loss last week wasn’t the end of the world for us.”
Golf took the chocolates in the last meeting between these two clubs, during a stretch of the season where Orr’s side looked like it was making everyone else play for second.
Acknowledging the razor-thin margins on the ladder and the upcoming fixture challenges, Orr maintains there will be no intent to clinch a top-two place with any external help.
“We’ve got a tough block ahead of us with Tally this week and then Hill Top,” Orr said.
“We won’t look too much into the result next week between Tally and Ky because they also have tough blocks ahead.
“At the end of the day, we can control what we can control; if we don’t win out, we probably don’t deserve to be top two.
“We don’t want to rely on other results to get there.”
Kyabram, as alluded to earlier, will take a keen interest in the other clash, but has its own yard to keep tidy in welcoming East Shepparton (0-11), representing the best possible chance of asserting credentials at the top.
Euroa (3-8) can consider itself out of finals contention, with the fourth-place battle locked down to two neck-and-neck runners.
Euroa has the chance to spoil one of their parties, though, as guest of Shepparton Park (6-5) opposite where Tallygaroopna and Golf will lock horns.
Tatura-Hill Top (6-5) welcomes Mooroopna (2-9) to its greens in the round’s other match-up, with the Bulldogs and Park likely to adopt two allegiances throughout the afternoon.