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The BFNL top five race is wide open after two shock results in round 10.
Fourth-placed Kangaroo Flat was belted by 63 points by Eaglehawk and fifth-placed Kyneton lost by six points in a thriller to South Bendigo.
Those results mean Kangaroo Flat, Kyneton, Castlemaine and Eaglehawk are all battling for the final two spots in the finals with eight rounds remaining.
The Hawks appeared to be out of the finals race at the halfway mark of the season, but they are now just one game out.
“We’ll let the footy handle itself,’’ Eaglehawk coach Luke Monaghan said.
“We can’t be worrying about finals now. We just want to play to our strengths and make sure we get our confidence back. Today was a good result for us.”
Sixth-placed Castlemaine lost by 50 points to reigning premier Strathfieldsaye on Saturday, but the other results made the Magpies arguably one of the big winners of the round.
The Magpies’ clash with Kyneton in a fortnight will go a long way to determining both teams’ finals destiny.
While the race for fourth and fifth is wide open again, the top three battle is officially done and dusted.
Golden Square, Strathfieldsaye and Sandhurst will finish in the top three and earn a double chance for the finals.
Third-placed Sandhurst now has a two-game and percentage advantage over Kangaroo Flat.
The Dragons gave Maryborough another hiding. After beating the Magpies by 208 points in round two, this time around Sandhurst won by 194 points.
Golden Square retained top spot on the ladder by thumping Gisborne by 152 points.
For the second week in a row the Bulldogs topped the 200 mark.
Square won despite having skipper Jack Geary knocked out in the opening quarter. Geary was tackled heavily to the turf and suffered concussion. He was taken to Bendigo Hospital by ambulance, but was released on Saturday evening.