Last time they met: Round eight, 2014. Kalkee 17.6 (108) d Edenhope-Apsley 13.10 (88).

A CHANCE to finish in the top three is at stake for Kalkee and Edenhope-Apsley on Saturday.

The Saints are fourth, the Kees fifth and both trail third-placed Harrow-Balmoral by four premiership points.

With the Roos expected to win against Pimpinio, a loss would leave one of the teams two wins outside a top-three berth with six rounds to go.

Both coaches said their players knew how important the game was.

Due to a fixturing quirk, the teams met only one month ago.

The teams had the same number of scoring shots but Kalkee won the day, booting an accurate 17.6.

Coach Trevor O’Brien said Saturday's match would be similarly hard-fought.

“Our last game against them was one of the best we have played this year,” he said.

“We haven’t had much consistency, but we’d be hoping to replicate the form we showed last time.”

The last meeting saw the debut of Kalkee tall forward Liam French, but the Saints will regain a forward target in Tom Clissold.

Reigning Dellar Family medallist Brent Christie is another big return for the Saints.

Coach Grant Coxon said Mat Cranage, who booted 57 goals last year, was also a chance to be picked after ankle surgery delayed his start to the season.

Cranage booted three goals at the weekend in a return through the reserves.

Coxon said Edenhope-Apsley’s firepower would count for little if his side did not win the ball in the centre.

“It’s not a bad thing that we play them again so soon, because we’ve got fresh memories of what we did wrong last time,” he said.

“We’re definitely looking for a lift through the middle and around the stoppages.

“They took the ball away way too easily at stoppages and their midfield is hard to stop, so we need to play much better in that area.”