Valley has secured the top spot on the Citizens Shield table, but underneath it is anyone’s game.
The tight tussle for second spot (between Excelsior and Kurow) and fourth (Old Boys, Athletic Marist and Maheno) makes tomorrow’s final round even more interesting.
Valley (45 points) will play Kurow in Weston, Athies and Old Boys clash at Whitestone Contracting Stadium, and Excelsior is home to Maheno.
Excelsior (25) is second at present, but will be fighting off Kurow — which also has 25 points, but ranks third on points differential — to get a double-shot at making the final.
Here is where it gets interesting.
Old Boys (21) have bolted into fourth, but need a good win to secure a place, as Athies and Maheno (both on 16) hope to steal the spot.
Athies and Maheno have each notched up two wins and can still make the finals — but will have to rely on others to get them there.
Athies can make the top four if they get a bonus-point win, they prevent Old Boys from gaining a bonus point and Maheno loses.
That would leave them tied with Old Boys, and competition points in games between the two would determine who advances.
Maheno can make the top four if it gets a bonus-point win and Athies beat Old Boys but do not gain a bonus point. Maheno would then be tied with Old Boys.
If Athies and Maheno have bonus-point wins, and Old Boys lose without a bonus point, the three clubs will be tied on 21 points.
Old Boys would advance to the playoffs, having won four games to the other clubs’ three.
Simple, right?
The playoff picture next week is a little easier. Valley will play whoever finishes in second, and No 3 and 4 will play each other.
The winner of the first semifinal qualifies for the final, while the loser plays the winner of the second semifinal. The winner of that game advances to the final on July 15.
