BRIDGEWATER is looking for lucky 13 this week against Marong in the Loddon Valley Football League second semi-final at Serpentine.
If the Mean Machine can stretch its winning streak by another week, it will head into a grand final looking for a first flag since 2016.
Bridgey tends to deal in streaks – that premiership was the club’s remarkable sixth in a row and last week’s win over Pyramid Hill came on the back of six-and seven-goal runs.
Coach Lachlan Sharp said the Panthers were a quality outfit and his side needed to be on song to win against the three-time reigning premiers for a second time this year.
In round 13, Bridgewater shocked Marong by 29 points on its home turf, inflicting the Panthers’ biggest loss in four seasons.
“If we can get going, our game stacks up,” Sharp said. “Bringing our A-game is good enough to get us into a grand final.
“We’re happy to get first crack at Marong – they have been the best for a long time now.”
Ruckman Oliver Watt will try to prove his fitness for the weekend, but Sharp was unsure if he would return through the seniors or reserves, with Marong the opponent in both grades.
There is great incentive for Panthers’ coaches Kain Robins and Paul Thomson to get their team into the grand final, with the pair handing over the role to former Kangaroo Flat boss James Flaherty next year. Robins, at 40 years of age, is still a mainstay of the Marong attack, with 44 goals for the season and Ryley Taylor has 42. 
Both Bridgewater and Marong have forward lines that share the goalkicking burden. Sharp’s 114 for the season is a standout.
But the Mean Machine also has Oscar McKinley, who has kicked 43 goals from just nine games while commuting from the Gold Coast.
Sharp has booted 16 goals and McKinley 15 in the past two matches, with both snaring five against Pyramid Hill.
The team whose defence can get on top will go a long way to securing that grand final berth.