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FROM the outside everything looks rosy for CHFL reigning premier Hepburn.
Last Saturday’s 111-point demolition of Creswick was the Burras’ 11th-straight win.
Only once in that 11-game run has an opponent finished within four goals of the third-placed Burras.
However, for all the Burras’ good work, a loss to second-placed Buninyong this Saturday would likely see Hepburn drop out of the top four.
“It’s that tight at the top of the ladder you just can’t afford to drop a game,’’ Hepburn coach Clive Raak said.
“The top four is everyone’s aim but you can’t fit five teams (Bungaree, Buninyong, Hepburn, Waubra and Gordon) into four.
“We play Buninyong and Bungaree in the next two weeks, so it’s up to us to make sure we finish top four.”
After a string of games against inferior opposition, Raak was looking forward to testing his side against a genuine premiership threat.
“Buninyong is a very good side,’’ he said.
“The Buninyong ground is bigger than ours, so I’m looking forward to getting our side on the bigger ground.
“It should suit our running game.”
Last Saturday’s 22.16 (148) to 5.7 (37) win over Creswick was highlighted by an eight-goal to nil third quarter.
The Burras had 11 individual goalkickers on the day, led by Ken Cummings and Corey Taylor with four goals each.
“The first 15 minutes was an arm wrestle, but after that I was really happy with the way the boys played,’’ Raak said.
“We highlighted before the game that this was a real danger game for us.
“Creswick took a couple of scalps late last year and we didn’t want that to happen to us this year.”
Andrew and Bradley McKay led the way for Hepburn, while key defender Segi Asa Leausa played his best game of the season.
One of the most pleasing aspects of the win for Raak was the return from injury of forward Josh Clissold.
It was Clissold’s first senior game of the season after he recovered from a shoulder injury.