The Flames slipped out of the top four with a cheeky but losing bid to topple second-placed Moama in the last round prior to the festive break and meet three teams — Echuca South, Leitchville-Gunbower and reigning premier Echuca — in three of the last four rounds before a home-and-away showdown against Tongala.
All are one-day games and none is more vital for the Flames’ finals prospects than this Saturday when they host the inconsistent but capable Echuca South.
Echuca South is sitting in seventh spot on the ladder but just a game behind fourth-placed BLU and Fire Brigade, who share equal premiership points, and is also still a chance to play finals
Only the top four sides in this competition contest the finals.
The Flames’ heaviest run maker in its history, Paul Newman, is booked for knee surgery in early February but has given every indication he could play until then, which will be a huge boost for his young team’s chances of playing finals.
Newman, Brett Andison, Kaine Herbert and skipper Rob Salter are experienced campaigners who will be vital in the team’s bid to play finals. But they have emerging batting stars in Bohden Learmonth and Miller Griffiths and a capable attack led by in-form paceman Jackson Barnett, who has taken 15 wickets in the past two games, and skipper Salter, who is a regular wicket taker.
So while it will need for things to go its way, the Brigade’s finals chances are far from done and dusted.
• Tongala will be looking to continue where it left off prior to the Christmas break in the run to the finals.
The Blues caused the season’s biggest boilover in their last game prior to Christmas by upstaging reigning premier and current ladder leader Echuca on the back of a brilliant all-round effort from skipper Alex Williams.
If Williams can get a bit more support, Tongala can certainly beat current wooden spooners, the winless Nondies Cohuna, this Saturday at Tongala and would then be outside chances to upset finals aspirants BLU, Rochester, Leitchville-Gunbower and Fire Brigade in the Blues’ remaining games.
