BENDIGO EAST v GOLDEN SQUARE - 1.30pm Saturday at Bendigo East.
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Last time: Golden Square 95 d Bendigo East 82 (preliminary final).
Since 2005: Bendigo East 9; Golden Square 7.
BENDIGO East isn’t a club normally associated with losing streaks.
But East heads into this Saturday's clash with Golden Square on the back of three losses in a row - something that hasn’t happened since 2007-08.
Despite East’s poor form, the rink of Brad Holland continues to impress, and is still unbeaten.
Reigning premier Golden Square has been far from its best the past three weeks, with two losses and an eight-shot win over lowly South Bendigo.
Who will hit their straps Saturday?
Prediction: Golden Square by 4.
BENDIGO v EAGLEHAWK - 1.30pm Saturday at Bendigo.
Last time: Eaglehawk 100 d Bendigo 73.
Since 2005: Eaglehawk 11; Bendigo 10.
EAGLEHAWK continues to dominate and has opened up a 16-point gap at the top of the ladder.
The Hawks have won five in a row, all by double-figure margins - 25, 37, 31, 17 and 19 shots.
The Hawks boast two of the BBD’s leading rinks in those skippered by Tony Ellis and Simon Carter, who between them are 11-1.
Bendigo is coming off an upset seven-shot defeat to Castlemaine.
The side will need to improve markedly on last week if it’s to challenge the might of the Hawks.
Prediction: Eaglehawk by 13.
SOUTH BENDIGO v INGLEWOOD - 1.30pm Saturday at South Bendigo.
Last time: South Bendigo 90 d Inglewood 75
Since 2005: South Bendigo 3; Inglewood 1.
INGLEWOOD will make the trip to South Bendigo confident it can string a rare two wins together.
Inglewood impressed last week in a 44-shot belting of Kangaroo Flat, during which it rolled the BBD’s highest score of the season so far - 117.
Since returning to the top division in 2008-09, only three times previously has Inglewood won two in a row, but opportunity is certainly knocking.
South Bendigo has produced a competitive past three games, that included pushing Golden Square to within eight shots last week.
Prediction: South Bendigo by 2.
KANGAROO FLAT v CASTLEMAINE - 1.30pm Saturday at Kangaroo Flat.
Last time: Kangaroo Flat 95 d Castlemaine 86.
Since 2005: Kangaroo Flat 11; Castlemaine 8.
MASSIVE opportunity for Castlemaine to continue its push towards the top four.
The Maine are proving themselves to be a legitimate finals contender on the back of three wins in a row, and are also the only team to have beaten Eaglehawk so far.
The Maine are now just one point outside the top four ahead of a away clash against struggling Kangaroo Flat.
Kangaroo Flat has dropped to the bottom of the ladder on the back of last week’s 44-shot flogging from Inglewood.
Prediction: Castlemaine by 14.
LADDER:
TEAM W L D PTS FOR AGST SHOTS
1. Eaglehawk 5 1 0 85 613 488 125
2. Golden Square 4 2 0 69 592 540 52
3. Bendigo 4 2 0 68 584 509 75
4. Bendigo East 3 3 0 60 563 526 37
5. Castlemaine 4 2 0 59 551 577 -26
6. Inglewood 2 4 0 41 532 552 -20
7. South Bendigo 1 5 0 25 508 614 -106
8. Kangaroo Flat 1 5 0 25 502 639 -137