THE Birchip-Watchem Bulls will be striving to end Wedderburn’s unbeaten run in this Saturday’s 10th round in Goldacres North Central senior footy.
It’s a huge challenge for the Bulls on Wedderburn’s turf at Donaldson Park as the league resumes after a general bye.
The showdown between first and fourth starts at 2.30pm.
When these teams met in round three Wedderburn won in the Bulls’ pen at Birchip’s George Cartwright Oval by 51 points.
The Bulls and Redbacks won their most recent hit-outs.
The Ash Connick-coached Birchip-Watchem beat reigning premier Calder United at Nullawil by 11 points.
Meyrick Buchanan, Mac Lewis, Dale Hinkley and Jack Lee led the Bulls’ charge.
Players to watch for Birchip-Watchem include Rhona Conboy and Ricardo Liparota in attack, Will Lee and Lachy Foott.
Wedderburn scored a 25-goal win at Charlton Park.
In-form players for the Tom Metherell-coached Redbacks include Tyler Curtis on a wing, Hamish Lockhart, Zach Pallpratt and Jayden Jones.
The Redbacks have Dane Keuken and Mitch McEwen to team up as ruck and ruck-rover.
The Bunters Cup is up for grabs as Charlton meets Donald at Charlton Park.
When they met in round three the Royal Blues beat the Navies by 111 points.
Both teams were defeated in round nine.
A Donald line-up coached by Daniel Pearce and Matt Walder will be determined to bounce back from a 43-point loss to St Arnaud.
Key players for Donald include Dyson Bell-Warren, Thomas Guljas, Pala Kuma, Luca Rice and Bill Sam.
It’s been an incredibly tough season for Charlton coach Carl Thiesz and his team.
Chances of a massive upset by the Navies will rely a lot on the play of Mason Heenan, Ben Lanyon, Jake Lawry, Patrick Sait, Billy Sexton and Jackson Zagame.
Fifth in the premiership race, St Arnaud is on home turf at Lord Nelson Park to play Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers.
In round three the Tigers roared to a 15-goal win at home against the Saints.
A St Arnaud team coached by Harley Durward and Darby Schilder has worked hard for a record of four-five and is just two points behind Birchip-Watchem.
Best for the Saints in the win on Donald’s turf were Sean Holroyd, Mitch Egan, Harrison Saunders and Jay Kirwood.
The St Arnaud squad includes Max Hungerford and Torin Petrie.
An eight-one record has Sea Lake Nandaly perched on the ladder’s second rung.
The Tigers won the round nine clash with Boort at home by 15 goals.
Players to watch in the yellow and black include Max Cahoon, Judd Durie, Billy McInnes, Robin Nahas, and co-coaches Boyd Bailey and Wade Donnan.
Boort is back home to play Calder United Lions at Boort Park.
The Andrew Rutley-coached Magpies face the reigning premiers on the rebound from a hat-trick of defeats.
Key players for Boort include Liam Bianco, Danko Bzenic, Carlos Egan, Chaise Hird, Harry Weaver and Keiren Wilson.
Now on a five-four record, Calder United is third in the premiership race and unlikely to claim a double chance at finals time.
Best for the Lions in the clash with Birchip-Watchem were Rylee Smith, Daniel Watts, Matt Trzeciak and George Turner.
A Calder United squad coached by Jordan Humphreys and Tom Bickley includes Mitch Farmer, Justin Laird and key defender Oscar Madden.
North Central senior footy ladder:
Wedderburn 291 per cent, 36 points; Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers 237, 32; Calder United Lions 144, 20; Birchip-Watchem 123, 18; St Arnaud 98, 16; Boort 67, 12; Donald 85, 10; Charlton 14, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
45 Max Cahoon, SLN.
38 Steven Stroobants, CUL.
31 Dale Pearce, CUL.
28 Matt Perri, W.
22 Ricardo Liparota, BW; Joseph Reid, BW.
21 Ashley Reed, D.
18 Tyler Curtis, W.
16 Max Hungerford, SA; Lachy McClelland, SLN.
15 Jay Kirwood, SA; Oscar Holt, W; Kayne Rutley, B; Rylee Smith, CUL.
14 Boyd Bailey, SLN; Torin Petrie, SA.