BARWON SC will claim the GRFC Men’s Division One minor premiership if it can defeat fourth placed Surfside Waves at home and second placed Rangers – assuming they do the same against third placed Drysdale SC – are not able to overcome a -5 inferior goal difference on the final day of the regular season on Sunday.

In one of the closest finishes in the elite Men’s division in years, any one of the top four teams – out of the seven team league - could take out the minor title come Sunday afternoon!

Barwon and Rangers both have 29 points with just goal difference separating the two. Barwon with a +14 goal difference is in prime position to take out the title, with Rangers’ +9 goal difference set to be a telling factor. Drysdale (+14 goal difference) brings up the top three with 28 points.

Despite having secured the last Finals’ spot and not being able to be dislodged by fifth placed Deakin Ducks, the Surfside Waves (27 points and goal difference of +9) certainly will not be complacent and will come out with all guns blazing against Barwon.

A win to the Ocean Grove outfit and a draw between Rangers and Drysdale would see the fourth placed Waves claim the minor premiership in what would be the most dramatic of final round outcomes.

The clash between Barwon and the Waves at Grovedale Reserve kicks off at 1:00pm, while the Drysdale-Rangers encounter at Howard Glover Reserve commences at 3:00pm.

This means that by the time the Howard Glover game kicks-off, both Drysdale and the Rangers will know if their fixture is a ‘dead’ or a ’live’ rubber, in terms of the minor premiership title decider.

Speaking of ‘dead rubbers’, Sunday’s only other Division One game between bottom side Corio SC and fifth placed Deakin Ducks will kick off at 3:00pm at Hume Reserve.

The season finished last week for the sixth placed Breakwater Eagles, who won’t be in action this weekend due to the Bye.

DIVISION TWO:

THE equation is simple for Surf Coast FC - defeat 10^th placed Breakwater Eagles on Sunday and it will take out the Men’s Division Two minor premiership title.

With 39 points and a goal difference of +29, Surf Coast cannot afford to drop any points against the Eagles at the White Eagle Club, as Barwon Heads have now temporarily assumed top spot with 40 points and a far superior goal difference (+45) but have played one game more than Surf Coast.

The Hammerheads were supposed to play mid table Elcho Park Cardinals, who have struggled to field a full side in recent weeks. The clash was scheduled for Friday night at Barwon Heads Village Park but the Cardinals this week forfeited the game. As a result, Barwon Heads have been awarded the three points and 3-0 scoreline. This means, on Sunday afternoon, if Surf Coast is to secure the title it will require nothing less than a victory against Breakwater..

In other matches that will have a direct bearing on the composition of the Final Four, third placed Lara SC hosts fourth placed Bellarine Sharks at Recreation Reserve on Sunday, while fifth placed Deakin Ducks will take on ninth placed Drysdale SC at Howard Glover Reserve.

With both Lara and Bellarine just three points ahead of Deakin, yet the Ducks having a much stronger goal difference, should the Ducks win and either of the other two lose, Deakin will be playing finals’ football at the expense of the Recreation Reserve game’s loser.

DIVISION THREE:

CORIO Bay SC Blue is in the enviable position of having its destiny in its own hands. If – as expected - the Blues can defeat 12^th placed Surf Coast Yellow at Banyul Warri Reserve on Friday night, it will have captured the Division Three title.

Second placed Geelong SC, meanwhile, will claim the title if – as is also expected - it can defeat bottom side Colac Otway Rovers at the Beeac Recreation Reserve on Sunday and providing Corio Bay Blue either draws or losses to Surf Coast Yellow on Friday night.

PHOTO: Barwon SC players celebrate a goal in a league game earlier this season. They will be celebrating the Division One minor premiership if they can defeat Surfside Waves on Sunday.