Are the Panthers on the wrong side of midnight?
THAT ticking sound you hear is the Loddon Valley premiership clock – and it may be heading past the hour for mighty Marong.
The three-time premiers are faltering, with two losses in a row, and one more slip from the Panthers is likely to see them miss out on top spot on the ladder, a result unthinkable just two weeks ago.
Meanwhile, surging Bridgewater’s minute hand is running fast to the premiership hour.
The Mean Machine’s time may be coming.
Bottom of the ladder Calivil awaits this week, with a Bridgewater win putting it a game ahead atop the ladder as Marong sits out the weekend.
However, there are a host of imponderables.
Does Bridgewater, which has the bye in round 17, really want another week off at the start of the finals, which would mean playing just one game in three weeks – a momentum killer if ever there was one.
Can Maiden Gully, still pushing for a finals berth, knock off Marong in round 16 and potentially hand the minor premiership to the Mean Machine?
Can Newbridge’s return to reasonable form threaten Marong in the final round, seeing out the season on a high on its home deck?
As reluctant as it may be to have a disrupted run, Bridgewater will not want to lose any of its remaining matches against the bottom three sides.
Easing off and flirting with form is a recipe for disaster, and coach Lachlan Sharp will insist the Mean Machine crushes its opposition.
So, in the end, Marong has the key to top spot in its somewhat unsteady grasp.
Despite its wavering form, Pyramid Hill still has a chance to finish at the head of the ladder. 
The Bulldogs are just a game behind Marong and Bridgewater on the ladder and have a better percentage than the Mean Machine.
This week’s clash with Inglewood is pivotal to the Bulldogs’ chances on finishing on top.
The Woodies need to win to shore up fifth spot ahead of Maiden Gully, who they play a week later at the Eagles’ home ground.
Maiden Gully has a poor percentage, but its draw with Calivil in the opening round makes that irrelevant.
If the Eagles can get on a winning streak and take out their four remaining games, as unlikely as that may be, they will play finals.
On the other hand, Inglewood can potentially push up to fourth place ahead of unpredictable Bears Lagoon Serpentine.
Serp’s fate seems to rest on mercurial full-forward Josh Mellington’s troublesome hamstring. The star goalkicker returned last week from injury and the Bears duly saluted against Marong, throwing form out of the window.
Mellington has only managed to play seven games but has kicked 54 goals for the season, and Serp’s hold on fourth is tenuous with a poorer percentage than Inglewood’s.
It may seem irrelevant – with fourth playing fifth in the first week of the finals the match-up will be the same – but momentum and form is a potent combination. Two losses has snapped the Marong momentum that has been the consistent of Loddon Valley football for almost four seasons. The flag window they have kept open for three seasons could be closing fast.
- GARY WALSH