FINALS spots are starting to be locked in for the Northern Football Netball League competition after a pivotal round.
In division three, Mernda are locked in for the double chance after a dramatic come-from-behind victory over Watsonia at Waterview Reserve.
On a day where the Demons had earlier celebrated their second-ever 300-gamer in the reserves when Christian Cawsey brought up the milestone, Mernda looked in significant trouble when it fell 21 points down 10 minutes into the final quarter.
However, the Demons dominated territory from there, and delivered quick goals through Riley Edwards, Matthew Bawden and Jett Philips to draw within a point.
Perhaps appropriately, it was one of the stars of the show, Lachlan Potter, who delivered an incredible running goal to help Mernda hit the front and leave Waterview rocking, before Bawden sealed it with a long-range effort to deliver a memorable 13.15 (93) to 12.9 (81) victory.
It was the second time the Demons had come from over 20 points down to beat the Saints this season, and it looks like they are on a crash course for a qualifying final showdown with Laurimar for the second time in four seasons.
Billy Morrison, Potter, James Sekulovski, Jayden Bell, Edwards and Philips were all named in the best, while Bawden kicked four goals.
The Power, for their part, kept alive their chance of the minor premiership with a 10-goal victory over Reservoir at Laurimar Reserve.
Five goals in each of the first and second quarters helped the Power open up a 41-point lead at the main break, before adding seven goals to four in the third term to blow the game open, leading by 62 points at the final change, before easing to a 21.15 (141) to 12.9 (81) victory.
Key forward Patrick Fitzgerald is well and truly back, kicking seven goals, while Cooper Fitzpatrick put in a best-on-ground performance by kicking three goals. Janus Waldron, Luke Wilson, Ethan Bateman and Cameron Maloney completed the Power’s best players.
In division two, South Morang came from behind to deliver an incredibly important win which keeps it in the frame for the minor premiership, defeating Old Paradians by 10 points at Garvey Oval.
Old Paradians had the better of the first half, opening up a seven-point lead at the first change and extending it to 10 points at the main break, but South Morang took control in the third quarter, kicking four goals to one to turn the game right around and take command by 10 points at the final change.
The last quarter was goal for goal, and South Morang did just enough to hold on for its 13.8 (86) to 11.10 (76) victory.
Carter McCall and Nathan Stefanile were in the thick of everything, while Demetrios Constantinou, Ben Power, Paul Sidhu and Jesse John Christidis also played well.
Whittlesea’s season appears to be over after falling short to Thomastown at the Whittlesea Showgrounds.
The Eagles lost the first three quarters, trailing by seven points at the first change, before four goals to one in the second term meant Thomastown led by 21 at the main break.
Thomastown then added five goals to four in the third term to increase the lead to 26 points before Whittlesea made its run.
The Eagles kicked three goals in the final term, but it wasn’t enough as they fell 10.12 (72) to 12.8 (80).
It means the Eagles are now a game and a half outside the top five with three games to play, while only sitting one game ahead of ninth-placed Thomastown and a further game ahead of last-placed Panton Hill.
Khaled El-Leissy, Thomas Falls, Caden Allen, Bailey Robinson, Deakin Tennant and Taidhg Bland were the best players for Whittlesea.
