The Bloods haven't won at Golden Square since round two, 2009, with the eight defeats since coming at an average of 56 points.

While the 2010-2015 Bulldogs were built heavily around offensive artillery, these days its their defensive structures that are causing opponents plenty of headaches.

Since the start of the 2016 season, the Bulldogs have hosted 20 games at Wade Street and the average score against the home side is just 61 points.

"Golden Square likes to play a heavy press, so we're exepecting a defensive game,'' South Bendigo coach Brady Childs said.

"It will probably be similar to the Golden Square and Eaglehawk game last week where it was low-scoring and a bit scrappy.

"That's footy and you need to adjust." 

The Bloods sit inside the top five with two wins and one draw from five games.

However, the two wins have only come against bottom two sides Castlemaine and Maryborough.

"The boys really want to prove themselves to the competition and show all the hard work they've been doing,'' Childs said

"We haven't played our best footy yet, but the boys have been doing everything right in the way they prepare and, hopefully, this is a game where we can show our best."

The Bloods will be without their most important player - ruckman Kieran Strachan.

The Essendon-VFL listed big man was ruled out of the game after suffering concussion last week.

"Strachany did the concussion tests at Essendon through the week and their medical staff ruled him out,'' Childs said.

"No point taking risks... so he's out as a precaution."

Despite Strachan's absence, Childs was confident the Bloods' midfield group had the potential to outplay its Bulldog rivals.

"Golden Square obviously has two top line midfielders in Jack Geary and Adam Baird, but I don't think they have the depth through the middle that they've had in other years,'' Childs said.

"We think we've developed quite a deep midfield and we'll back our group to go against them head-to-head."

Golden Square has been weakened by the absence of injured key forward Travis Baird.

The Bulldogs have promoted yet another promising teenaged, with 16-year-old Alex Jenkyn to make his senior debut.

………………………………..

Cold, wet and windy and a date with the BFNL flag favourite Eaglehawk.

To most that's not the most appetising prospect, but for the Kyneton Tigers it's another opportunity to improve.

The Tigers expect to make the BFNL finals this year, but to be treated as a genuine contender they need to be more than just competitive against the big boys of the competition.

In the corresponding game at Kyneton last year, the Tigers led by 17 points at half-time before the Borough kicked 14.0 to 1.4 after the main break to win by 67 points.

"We see this game as an exciting prospect,'' Kyneton coach Luke Beattie said.

"Playing against a quality opponent on our home deck and in neutral conditions is a great opportunity for us."

The Tigers and Hawks both have the ability to move the ball quickly and keep the scoreboard ticking over, but the conditions on Saturday are unlikely to promote that style of footy.

"It's probably going to be more of a slog,'' Beattie admitted.

"The team that's cleaner around the stoppages will get an advantage of quicker ball movement."

Eaglehawk star Matt Gretgrix has made a habit of kicking big tallies against Kyneton.

On Saturday he's likely to face Tiger young gun Pat McCarthy for the first time.

McCarthy is enjoying a superb season and could be selected as one of the BFNL's key defenders for the inter-league clash with Hampden.

The Tigers are resting key duo Jack Exell and Gareth Bowes because of general soreness.

The Hawks have named an extended interchange bench. Coach Josh Bowe is in doubt because of a niggling injury that has forced him out of inter-league calculations.

………………………………..

Bottom-of-the-table Maryborough aren’t hiding from the enormity of its task against league power Strathfieldsaye on Saturday.

Coach Ben Lavars is embracing the challenge.

“I think it’s good for us to be coming up against arguably the best team in the competition,’’ Lavars said on Friday.

“We go into the game with no expectations about winning the game, but more about testing ourselves to play four quarters of good footy and competing really hard.”

Star midfielder Coby Perry has been hampered by injury the past two weeks and, with the inter-league bye looming, the Magpies have decided to rest him.

His absence gives some of Maryborough’s young players the opportunity to spend more time through the middle of the ground.

“We’re looking forward to see Jack Hayward as a midfield option,’’ Lavars said.

Four rounds into his first season in the BFNL, Lavars likes what he sees.

“The standard is as good as I expected it to be,’’ he said.

“There’s some highly-skilled midfielders and some very good forwards. I have a better feel for the league now and I can plan around that.”

After playing two first-gamers last weekend, the Storm have taken the opportunity to blood more youth this week, with Will Wallace and Riley Wilson to play their first senior games.

Triple premiership player Shannon Geary is being rested.

………………………………..

Sandhurst coach Andrew Collins didn’t need to watch the vision of Gisborne’s impressive first half performance against Eaglehawk a fortnight ago to realise his side faced a danger game at the QEO on Saturday.

“I remember our game against Gisborne down there last year and we had trouble shrugging them off,’’ Collins said.

“Natural improvement with another pre-season under their belt plus Clinton Young’s guidance is only going to make them better again.

“I’m expecting a really tight game.”

It’s a game that the sixth-placed Dragons just can’t afford to drop if they’re to challenge for a top three spot.

A cheekbone injury has sidelined key forward Matt Thornton, while ruckman Tim Martin is unavailable because of a pre-planned holiday.

That leaves the Dragons with the smallest team in terms of height they’ve had on the park in some time.

“Sometimes having a smaller, more flexible team can help in terms of the pressure you can put on around the ball,’’ Collins said.

“We’re missing a few players, but at the same time we’re bringing in players who are hungry to keep their spots in the team.”

Joel Wharton has recovered from a hamstring strain and will play his first game for the season.

Gisborne has been strengthened by the return of midfielder Matt Goodyear from VFL duties.

The Bulldogs’ young legs will welcome the open spaces of the QEO.

………………………………..

It’s hard to believe, but by 5pm on Saturday the winner of the Castlemaine and Kangaroo Flat game could be just half a game outside the top five.

The Magpies and Roos have little to smile about in the first month of the season, but another win on Saturday will give the victor a spark heading into the inter-league break.

The return of key midfielder Kal Huntly is crucial to the Magpies’ chances.

Huntly and recruits Fabian Brancatisano and Tyler Gavralas give the Pies some class around the footy.

Their battle with Kangaroo Flat’s major ball winners Jonathan Lanyon, Liam Collins and Corey Greer will play a big role in determining the outcome of the game.

The Roos’ forward line has been bolstered by the return of Cam Rinaldi, but at the end of the ground Flat has lost its premier key defender Trent McInnes.