The Wimmera Football League is witnessing one of the most competitive seasons in recent history.
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Records are falling thick and fast in a season full of upsets, as the gap tightens between the league's powerhouses and the sides at the bottom of the ladder.
Second-place Ararat has only won eight more games than Nhill at the bottom; the smallest margin there's been at this point of the season since 2004.
Wimmera Football League chief commissioner Trevor Albrecht said he's enjoyed seeing the parity this season.
"What we've always wanted is to have an even as a league as possible, but that just hasn't worked out some years," he said.
"At the moment we're looking at Minyip-Murtoa who are unbeaten, but we're also looking at sides who are coming very close to them. Even Nhill was one-point in front of them at three-quarter time earlier this season.
"I thought last year we were getting towards that (competitiveness) and that followed into the finals series."
The past two seasons have presented the closest margin between second and fifth place, with two games remaining, in over two decades.
The last time eight points separated second from fifth before last season was 1996.
Albrecht was hopeful the competitiveness between the top-five sides would attract more supporters to the finals series.
"I think it will be great for finals crowds and we'll have a lot of people come along," he said.
"When it's even you'll get the borderline supporters come along, especially in the finals.
"With the grand final being at City Oval as well that will get any 50/50 football fans out of their lounge and maybe along to the games."
Nhill's 43-point upset win against Horsham at the weekend made them the first bottom-placed team to have won at least two games at this point of the season since 2009.
"The Wimmera league is in a pretty healthy state at the moment, it's a really even competition," Nhill coach Tim Bone said.
"From a playing perspective, the standard has gone up a notch from last year. You've got to be playing really good footy to get a win, and there are no easy games."
Albrecht said parity in the league would help attract new players.
"I think the Wimmera league is a great league of destination and it (parity) makes it great for clubs recruiting," he said. "Players look up what this league is like and all of a sudden we're starting to look like a really good league.
"When you've got a few teams that have to recruit from out of town, it makes life a little bit easier for them, and it also enhances our league."
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