Out on top was reigning premier Shepparton East, then came a clear trio of challengers in Nagambie, Lancaster and Rushworth, while the rest of the league was fighting it out among themselves for the final few spots in the top six.
While the Eagles remain the team to beat, the past three weeks has seen the distinction between the chasing three and the rest of the competition blown up. And the weekend was no exception, as another one of the leading challengers was brought back to the pack.
Having strung together six consecutive wins heading into the weekend — the best streak outside of the unbeaten Eagles — Nagambie was sitting pretty in second and appeared to be the best-placed side to challenge Shepp East come September.
But the Lakers met a red-hot Tallygaroopna at Tallygaroopna Recreation Reserve on Saturday, with the determined Redlegs bringing about an end to the Lakers’ streak with a decisive 39-33 victory, tightening up the top six once again.
The Redlegs, who have now won their past four games which includes two victories over top-four opponents, sit fifth after the weekend’s victory with a 6-2-1 record, a game-and-a-half behind the Lakers in second with a game in hand, as the gap between the top four and the rest continues to evaporate.
Lancaster (8-1) secured a 63-23 victory over Stanhope on Saturday to remain in third spot, level with the second-placed Lakers, but with a game in hand and now best placed to assume second spot, while Rushworth (7-3) claimed a 53-29 victory over Violet Town to stop a run of two straight losses and keep the Redlegs at bay, at least for now.
The teams occupying second, third and fourth spot on the ladder had at one point enjoyed a two-and-a-half game buffer back to fifth, although the past three weeks has blown the race for second spot wide open again, with Merrigum now back in the hunt.
The Bulldogs notched a comfortable 49-39 victory over Avenel at Avenel Recreation Reserve at the weekend to maintain sixth spot with a 5-3-1 record, one win behind fifth-placed Tallygaroopna and with a game in hand over the Tigers and Lakers ahead, as they find themselves with a chance to capitalise on the top four turmoil over the coming weeks.
Elsewhere, 2025 runner-up Girgarre has kept its finals hopes alive, moving into seventh after a thrilling 40-39 victory over Murchison-Toolamba, making it three wins from its past four games as it eyes what looked like an unlikely September appearance early in the season.
Meanwhile, Shepparton East stretched its winning streak to 27 consecutive games with a 66-17 victory over Undera as it remains a game clear of second-placed Nagambie with a game in hand and continues to cruise along unbothered on top.
Round 12 this weekend presents another bumper fixture headlined by the clash between Nagambie and Lancaster at Nagambie Recreation Reserve, which will go a long way to deciding who claims second on the ladder at the end of the season.
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