The Goulburn Valley Playing Area Allan Matheson Shield is set for a feast this Saturday, with a titanic clash awaiting at Shepparton Golf Bowling Club.
A three-way split on nine wins would be one of many possibilities by Saturday night, setting up a compelling final month of weekend pennant action.
Perennial heavyweight Shepparton Golf (9-1) is no stranger to holding main event spots, but the stakes go up markedly when third-placed Kyabram (8-2) comes to town.
Golf beat up on unfancied Mooroopna and East Shepparton by huge margins either side of the long festive break, following a round eight defeat to Euroa that only seems more astonishing in hindsight as the thrashings pile up.
Meanwhile, Kyabram sits as arguably the Matheson Shield’s form side.
The Bombers have rebounded strongly following a see-sawing opening month in season 2023-24, rattling off six straight wins since a round four defeat to — you guessed it — Shepparton Golf.
These were hardly blowouts, though.
Excluding a big day last time out against Mooroopna, the previous five wins in this streak came by an average margin of 11.6 shots.
Kyabram’s Brent Reiner sees every chance of upending the competition giants.
“It’s a very big game, so we’ll suit up, give it our best shot and see how we go,” Reiner said.
“We think we’re well in the mix with Golf and Tally, but it will be a big test.
“(Golf is) the benchmark, so putting ourselves up against that will be good.
“We haven’t all played our best together, which is a good sign since we’ve won six in a row and always had a rink that’s struggled a bit — I’ve lost my last two.”
With top spot far from unrealistic if his side gets up, regardless of results elsewhere, you would think first is the ultimate goal.
Reiner says think again.
“I don’t think you get anything for finishing top, but as long as you finish top two, you get the double chance,” Reiner said.
“I think we’ve got a good shot for second, but a win would put us in very good stead to finish there.
“I’d assume Tally would win, but if we get beat, it’s not the end of the world.
“The one game I want to beat (Golf) in is the last game.”
Shepparton Park Bowls Club will turn on the lights later on Saturday as Tallygaroopna (8-2) gets set to battle Mooroopna (2-8) in a twilight fixture.
With the game slated for a 6pm start, Tallygaroopna will know exactly what options are on the table from a ladder perspective when its standalone match closes the round.
Speaking on this week’s After the Jack, David Daws forecast making moves towards season’s end with finals now an understood fate.
“Mark Ryan will be back, so there will be a little bit of difference (in our line-up),” Daws said.
“Obviously it’s coming to that pointy end of the season where we’ve got to start looking at who we’re dropping and who we’re keeping.
“That’s unfortunately going to be a bit tough for a few boys.”
If Kyabram moves its winning streak to seven, a victory over Mooroopna would have Tallygaroopna reach the summit, so the stakes are immense.
Rounding out the weekend’s affairs, one losing streak must end as East Shepparton (0-10) could drive a nail through the faltering campaign of visiting Shepparton Park (5-5), which has dropped four straight and slipped out of finals places.
Should East spring the upset and achieve its maiden success of the season, though, Park will look to Euroa (3-7) for a favour as it seeks to retain its own mathematical chance of finals in hosting Tatura-Hill Top (5-5).