Important Weekend in A Grade

CRUCIAL matches at both ends of the ladder highlight another important week in the WA Amateur Football League’s A Grade.

With just six games of the home and away season remaining the battle for four points has never been more intense, and that battle it is set to reach boiling point this weekend in a round littered with must win matches.

At the top of the ladder, Trinity Aquinas hosts a resurgent Mt Lawley in a potential danger game for the ladder leaders.

After a slow start to the season that saw them second bottom at round 5, the 2011 Grand Finalists Mt Lawley have recaptured form and are surging towards the finals.

Since round 8 the Hawks have only lost two games, to North Fremantle and North Beach, by a combined total of 7 points.

The five-game stretch has also seen them put together impressive wins over Maddington, Whitford and second-placed Collegians last weekend.

A win against Trinity this weekend could see Mt Lawley in fifth spot by the end of the round.

The fight for fifth is far from a foregone conclusion however, with both Swan Athletic (6^th) and Whitford (5^th) proving their best is good enough to beat anyone.

This was highlighted last weekend when Swan Athletic, who sit one win behind Whitford, were three goals up with 10 minutes to play against reigning Premiers University only to go down by 10 points.

The loss meant Whitford kept fifth spot on the ladder despite losing to Trinity Aquinas.

One spot above Whitford sit North Beach, who are in ominous form and are proven finals contenders.

After a slow start to the year the Bill Duckworth coached side has only lost one out of its past seven games to roar back into top three contention.

In contrast, Collegians started the season with a bang and went undefeated until round 7, but have lost two out of the past three games to come back to the pack.

A loss to North Beach this weekend would not only make it three out of the past four and two losses in a row, but would see Collegians slip behind North Beach to fourth on the ladder.

The matches at the other end of the ladder are equally as important, none more so than the 8^th versus 9^th clash between North Fremantle and Maddington.

Currently 9^th and just one win behind North Fremantle, a win for Maddington would move them to equal 8^th and give them hope of avoiding the drop to B Grade.

A loss however, would put the Magpies two games clear and make the task to avoid the drop incredibly difficult.

A win for North Fremantle would all but ensure their A Grade survival, and the Magpies will be supremely confident having won four out of their past five games.

Bounce down for all matches is at 2:30pm, following Colts at 10:45am and Reserves at 12:35pm.