Carngham-Linton v Ballan
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at Snake Valley, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Ballan 17.16 (118) d Carngham-Linton 9.4 (58), round 11, 2017
Jake Pring will be the toast of Carngham-Linton this Saturday when he runs out for senior game 250 against Ballan.
Pring’s long and successful career with the Saints has included five Lexton Plains Football League premierships, two best and fairest awards and life membership of the club he loves.
The midfielder/forward was also a flag winner with Daylesford in the Central Highlands league in 2007.
Pring recently had a stint with Royal Park, but has been back at Carngham-Linton for the 2017 and 2018 campaigns under his mate and senior coach Matt Beaston.
Beaston said Pring was part of the club fabric at Carngham-Linton and believed the milestone was a great achievement for a person that had been part of much of his own football journey.
The Saints have welcomed back key players Ross Waters, Joe Stalker and Jacob Dawson to the side that was well beaten by Buninyong last Saturday.
They will come up against a Ballan outfit that landed its biggest success of the season last round.
Coach Jason McNamara and his charges landed a 47-point win over Creswick in what was just their second triumph of the season.
Selectors have made just the one change to that line-up for the battle with Carngham-Linton. Hayden Thompson has been named to replace Chris Sharp in the 22.
Saturday’s game will be played at Snake Valley.
Prediction: Ballan
Waubra v Springbank
at Waubra, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Springbank 11.8 (74) d Waubra 8.7 (55), round 11, 2017
Waubra will be out to land yet another blow on a Central Highlands Football League big name this weekend.
The Roos have won almost all of the bouts against the competition’s powerhouses this season and have a rather easy run to the finals after Saturday’s battle with Springbank.
Waubra’s only blemish this year came against Newlyn – when Hawthorn premiership player Brad Sewell made his return for the Cats – and the side is top of the ladder following Saturday’s victory against reigning premiers Hepburn.
Coach Matt James and his men are now flag favourites with an online bookmaker.
Influential onballer James Lukich had concerns about a head knock he received against the Burras, but is set to take his place against the Tigers, as is key forward Jonathon Neville, who was sidelined last round with some soreness around his AC joint.
Springbank boosted its chances of locking in a top four spot come finals with a hard-fought win over Newlyn last Saturday.
The GJ Gardner Tigers are fifth, just percentage behind a group of three other sides that are a game adrift of leaders Waubra.
Backman Marty Anderson (calf) and forward Paul O’Shea (hamstring) are big losses from that game against Newlyn, but the return of utility Mitch Keighrey from a knee injury is a plus.
Prediction: Springbank
Skipton v Beaufort
at Skipton, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Beaufort 26.19 (175) d Skipton 0.3 (3), round 11, 2017
One of Skipton’s star recruits is free to play in Saturday’s clash with Beaufort after his tribunal hearing was postponed during the week.
Kal Dubbeldam had his number taken in last weekend’s shock win over Dunnstown for making unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the face of Riley Adams.
Dubbeldam, who was shown a yellow card following the incident, requested the matter head to tribunal, but it is understood Adams was unable to make the hearing.
This means it will be postponed until next week, allowing Dubbeldam to take on the Crows.
Dubbeldam was lured to the club from South Barwon during the off-season and has been named among the Emus’ best players in seven of his eight appearances in 2018.
Skipton is shooting for its third-straight success this weekend and comes up against a Beaufort outfit that had an easy victory over Rokewood-Corindhap last Saturday.
Utility Ben Hayes hurt his knee in that fixture and will miss this game, while onballer Joe Mason underwent surgery for a finger injury and is also sidelined.
Despite those outs, the team will be bolstered by the return of dangerous forward Jack Duke, who has served a two-match suspension. Also back is important pair Tom Le Lievre and Alex Petrie.
Prediction: Beaufort
Clunes v Buninyong
at Clunes, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Buninyong 20.13 (133) d Clunes 2.6 (18), round 11, 2017
Clunes: The Magpies welcome back the influential Jesse Baird for Saturday's Nathan Shanahan Memorial Cup clash.
The game honours the memory of Shanahan, an army veteran and firefighter who took his own life following a long-running mental heath battle in 2015.
Buninyong: Forward Jake Dunne is set to miss the clash with the Magpies as he recovers from a rolled ankle sustained during last weekend's win over Carngham-Linton.
And the side is also set to be without the dangerous Fraser Russell, who is unavailable after booting five goals in the big triumph over the Saints.
Prediction: Buninyong
Creswick v Dunnstown
at Creswick, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Dunnstown 9.14 (68) d Creswick 9.5 (59), round 11, 2017
Creswick: Defender Ryan Pompe's season appears over after suffering a badly broken collar bone in last Saturday's disappointing loss to Ballan.
And the side will still be without Jacob Dalli, who has been sidelined following a car accident earlier this month.
Dunnstown: The Towners suffered a major blow to their finals chances with last weekend's shock loss to Skipton.
Peter McGettigan’s brother Michael is expected to make his senior debut for the club after arriving recently from Cheltenham. He shapes as a good addition to the onball stocks.
Prediction: Dunnstown
Learmonth v Bungaree
at Learmonth, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Bungaree 10.13 (73) d Learmonth 7.7 (49), round 11, 2017
Learmonth: The Lakies will be missing centre half forward James Pratt after he suffered concussion in last Saturday's triumph at Daylesford.
That success was important for the Learmonth side, which is sixth on the ladder and two games clear inside the top eight.
Bungaree: Big off-season recruit Ryan Waight and key forward Shaun Finlayson are the big inclusions for the Demons.
Waight has not played a senior game since joining the club due to a hip flexor issue, while Finlayson is named to make his comeback from a knee reconstruction that took place last year.
Prediction: Learmonth
Newlyn v Daylesford
at Newlyn, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Daylesford 13.12 (90) d Newlyn 6.7 (43), round 11, 2017
Newlyn: The Cats will be missing Northern Territory locals Dylan McLaughlan and Michael Bowden as they look to bounce back to winning form.
The pair won't fly down for the game, which comes on the back of last Saturday’s hard-fought loss to Springbank that relinquished top spot on the ladder.
Daylesford: The Bulldogs will travel to Newlyn without key players Toby Hughes and Tom Powell, who are both away overseas.
This has paved the way for the club to give Ryan Holmes his senior debut. The youngster has played nine games in the reserves during 2018.
Prediction: Newlyn
Rokewood-Corindhap v Hepburn
at Rokewood, Saturday, 2.30pm
Last time: Hepburn 28.18 (186) d Rokewood-Corindhap 2.3 (15), round 11, 2017
Rokewood-Corindhap: Gun onballer Sam Chapman is set to make his return to the Grasshoppers' starting line-up this weekend.
Coach Damon Delaney confirmed Chapman had recovered from a calf injury that has plagued much of his season.
Hepburn: The Burras must now plan for a stint without star Andy McKay, who is away on holidays.
McKay played in last Saturday's loss to Waubra, which saw coach Segifili Asa Leausa knocked out after a high-flying marking attempt went wrong. He will also miss the clash with the Grasshoppers.
Prediction: Hepburn