AFTER a huge round of both successful and failed comebacks, some inaccurate kicking and some impressive wins, the 13 NAB League teams know what is in front of them in the coming weeks. With the times yet to be confirmed, the venues are largely determined, and now the top three teams and five wildcard matches are locked in.

In a surprise to few considering they racked up nine consecutive wins to start the season, Gippsland Power became the minor premiers by percentage. They dropped three of their past four games to bring the next two sides into consideration, but were able to hold on credit to their superior percentage of 137.20. Tasmania Devils – who had the bye in the final round – finished second overall with an impressive percentage of 131.9 and also notching up 10 wins from 13 games.

They, along with third placed Dandenong Stingrays were among the winners over Gippsland Power, as the Stingrays safely locked up third spot after Friday night’s hard-fought victory over the Power in Frankston. Though the trio of sides have the week off next weekend, they will be carefully watching the results of the five wildcard matches. The wildcard matches feature the remainder of the 13 teams, with every side between third and 13th set to take part to determine the final ladder order for 2022 with finals to begin the first weekend of September.

Yesterday an Aaron Cadman-inspired Greater Western Victoria (GWV) Rebels outfit came from behind to run over the top of Geelong Falcons in the last match of the season, securing third spot in the process. The difference in the three-point result bumped the Falcons down to sixth rather than securing fourth. What that means is the Rebels will enter the wildcard matches as the top ranked seed, taking on wooden spooners Northern Knights. The Knights were unlucky given they won on Saturday against Western Jets to leap off the bottom into 12th, only for the Bendigo Pioneers to upset Murray Bushrangers in a controversial finish to retake that spot.

Though the Knights will have their work cut out for them against an impressive Rebels lineup, it could have been a silver lining for the metropolitan side, avoiding premiership favourites Oakleigh Chargers who are back at full strength. The Chargers will instead take on the Pioneers, having held on in a thriller against Sandringham Dragons as Elijah Tsatas and Alwyn Davey both shone in the victory. The game against the Dragons also had massive ladder calculations with the Dragons slipping to eighth.

Now Sandringham takes on Murray Bushrangers who finished ninth after the loss to Bendigo, with the Bushrangers missing out on the chance to jump up to seventh had the anti-density free kick on the siren not been paid. That as not the only upset of the weekend though, with Calder Cannons knocking off Eastern Ranges to set up a rematch between those two sides. The 10th placed Cannons leapt above the Western Jets to snatch 10th and will face the seventh placed Ranges, while in the final match of the Wildcard Round, Geelong Falcons will take on Western Jets.

WILDCARD ROUND MATCHES:

GWV Rebels (4th) vs. Northern Knights (13th)
Oakleigh Chargers (5th) vs. Bendigo Pioneers (12th)
Geelong Falcons (6th) vs. Western Jets (11th)
Eastern Ranges (7th) vs. Calder Cannons (10th)
Sandringham Dragons (8th) vs. Murray Bushrangers (9th)

Mars Stadium in Ballarat will host four of the five games next weekend, with double-headers on both Saturday and Sunday. The fifth match was to be played at either Williamstown or Wangaratta, and now the Falcons and Jets face off, the windy Downer Oval might be the pick, especially given location. Once the five winners have been announced, the finals series will commence in a knockout fashion, and the top three sides – Gippsland Power, Tasmania Devils and Dandenong Stingrays – entering the frame.