Ground: Cameron Oval, Laharum, Saturday, 2.20pm.
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Umpires: G. Rigby and J. Brand.
Last time they met: Round 18, 2013. Laharum 9.10 (64) d Swifts 9.7 (61).
LAHARUM will host Swifts at Cameron Oval on Saturday in a match that could determine the ladder leader at the end of the round.
The Mountain Men and Baggies are both undefeated after first four matches.
Laharum is first on the ladder with a massive percentage, while Harrow-Balmoral sits in second with a healthy percentage lead over Swifts.
The winner of Saturday's match could take outright first place depending on the Roos’ result against Taylors Lake.
Adding to the intrigue is the fact their most recent encounter provided a memorable result.
The teams met in the final round of the home and away season last year, with the Baggies coming within a kick of victory.
Four weeks later, Laharum went on to win the premiership.
Mountain Men coach Shannon Argall said the team had primed itself for the match and coming games against Harrow-Balmoral and Edenhope-Apsley.
“I spoke to the boys at the outset of the next three weeks about being ready for this game against Swifts and the following fortnight.
“Last time we played them it was a wet game, but they certainly gave us a scare and it was a real arm wrestle.
“The past two times they’ve played at Laharum they haven’t played at the best of their ability, but I’m expecting a much better showing from them this time.”
Argall said junior players Pat Easson and Nathan Griffiths were likely to make way for more experienced campaigners such as Brenton Askew and Zack Price when it came to selection.
Baggies coach Paul Hanns said his team was approaching the match as a measurement of its standing.
“This match will give the playing group a sense of where we’re at against the best side in the league,” he said.
“I’m expecting it to be a pretty intense match played at a high standard.
“We’re stressing this week that we’re not putting pressure on ourselves to win, and as long as we have a crack, we can use it as experience for when we play them later on down the track.”
Hanns said Julian Carr would return, while Luke Mitchell was a possibility to be selected pending work requirements.