Waves Tigers can clinch the Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade minor premiership if they can notch their ninth win in a row against the inconsistent Past Brothers in the penultimate round at Salter Oval on Saturday.
In the match that follows at 6.30pm, the also hot-and-cold Wests Panthers must beat cross-town rivals Easts Magpies to keep their hopes alive for third place and the vital double-chance in the finals.
At Eskdale Park Maryborough at 5pm, it could be a matter of by how far when second-placed Hervey Bay Seagulls take on their hosts and confirmed back-to-back wooden spooners Wallaroos.
Brothers were the last team to beat Waves - 28-16 - back on May 7, but the Tigers reversed the result, 36-22, when they last met on June 12.
If the Tigers lose, the battle for top spot will come down to their last round duel with the Seagulls at Stafford Park next Saturday, but they will go into the match as warm favourites as they have risen to every challenge in the last two months.
Brothers on the other hand have been very patchy during that time, being plucked by the Seagulls 54-16, ambushed by Wallaroos 36-30, putting it together in a 50-32 demolition of Magpies, being outgunned by Waves, drawing 16-all with Seagulls, edging out Panthers 28-26, and outclassing Wallaroos 44-14, but imploding to a 26-16 defeat at the hands of Magpies last Saturday.
A bounce-back win would shore up third place for them, but a loss could see them drop to as low as fifth, and coach Andrew Hamilton is sure to have his troops fired up on their sponsors and Old Boys day.
Meanwhile, although Easts are back on track following two straight wins, Wests have suffered a hat-trick of losses, and they will be hungry to redeem themselves after they were whitewashed by Seagulls 60-0 last weekend, albeit with many of their stars missing.
Wests have disposed of Easts in both of their duels so far - 14-12 to start the Magpies’ slide on May 7 and 32-24 on June 12 - but the Panthers’ fate is also in their own hands as they play the Brethren next Saturday.
If Brothers are beaten tomorrow, a Magpies win would elevate them into third place, which they would be expected to hold as they round off their home and away season against whipping boys Wallaroos.
At full strength, both teams are loaded with quality players, and with such high stakes, an epic duel is on the cards.
If Brothers win, a highly probable Seagulls triumph tomorrow, would get them within two points of Waves, setting up a high-octane battle with them for No. 1 position next Saturday.
Main image: Waves Tigers co-captain and lock Dan McLennan spins the ball wide in their win over Wallaroos last Saturday.
Toowoomba A grade - column by Andrew O'Brien
We witnessed one of the all-time great State of Origin games on Wednesday night.
The brutality and the skill level every player showed was amazing.
Looking at Kurt Capewell and Tommy Dearden, you just know how proud they are of their connections to our Central region.
Imagine the Capewell family, led by Liam, screaming their lungs out when Kurt scored. Or Uncle Don Saunders and Tom’s Gatton-based family beaming with pride on Tom’s debut’s performance.
Imagine a few years down the track, our own Clydesdales players taking the field after coming through our system to make us all proud.
That’s what I suggest a few of us from the Toowoomba and Central region were thinking after Wednesday night’s historical win.
If you’re a rugby league footballer, there’s no greater motivation for you to turn up for your team this weekend as we enter the latter part of the regular season.
The last six rounds are upon us and what a finish we have coming up.
There are 12 key games.
They all involve the top seven sides playing each other between now and the final series. On the line are top five positions, home semi finals, and more.
It starts this weekend with Goondiwindi Boars v Warwick Cowboys and Dalby Diehards v Toowoomba Valleys Roosters in crucial games, continuing to define the Cowboys and the Roosters’ seasons.
In addition to these games, for and against points are crucial to the top five clubs to position for home ground advantage throughout the final series.
Here's how things are shaping up for our current top seven sides.
| Team | Current points | Key clashes |
|---|---|---|
| Gatton Hawks | 19 | Round 14: Warwick (A) Round 17: Highfields (H) Round 18: Valleys (A) |
| Highfields | 19 | Round 14: Dalby (H) Round 15: Wattles (A) Round 17: Gatton (A) Round 18: Goondiwindi (H) |
| Wattles | 19 | Round 15: Highfields (H) Round 17: Goondiwindi (H) Round 18: Warwick (A) |
| Dalby | 19 | Round 13: Valleys (H) Round 14: Highfields (A) Round 15: Warwick (H) Round 16: Goondiwindi (A) |
| Goondiwindi | 17 | Round 13: Warwick (H) Round 16: Dalby (H) Round 18: Highfields (A) |
| Warwick | 15 | Round 13: Goondiwindi (A) Round 14: Gatton (H) Round 15: Dalby (A) Round 18: Wattles (H) |
| Valleys | 13 | Round 13: Dalby (A) Round 18: Gatton (H) |
Those teams facing four games against their fellow top seven sides have a tougher task given the intensity of this competition, but teams like Valleys with just two games are still in it.
In saying that, Warwick and Valleys need to find a resolve to perform at the level we know they can to figure in this year’s finals.
So, batten down your hatches as we are in for five weeks of action with a very close competition.
