Percentage crucial for Bears in race for Loddon Valley top three

The second-placed Bears are heading into the third-straight week of playing teams outside of the Loddon Valley top five.

While it could be easy for his players to have a mental letdown when they're playing teams they are exepected to defeat comfortably, Wilkinson said the Bears needed to focus on the big picture.

"Apart from Marong, with the next three - us, Pyramid Hill and Bridgewater - it will probably come down to percentage, so there's a fair bit on the line every game,'' Wilkinson said.

"You can't afford to drop one and we spoke before the (Mitiamo) game that we wanted to win and win well.

"Percentage is going to be so important to get that double-chance for the finals."

Ahead of this Saturday's game against eighth-placed MGYCW, the Bears have a 5-2 record and a percentage of 146.10.

They're one game clear of third-placed Pyramid Hill, but the Bears are yet to have their bye and the Bulldogs' percentage is far superior at 262.80.

Fourth-placed Bridgewater is also one game behind the Bears and has a similar percentage at 143.57.

If results go to script the next two rounds, all three clubs will go into the halfway mark of the season with six wins and two defeats.

With no LVFNL games scheduled for the long weekend in June, the Bears get two weekends in a row off because of their round nine bye.

The extended break couldn't come at a better time for the club as they try to manage some battered bodies.

"We're looking forward to the two weeks off,'' Wilkinson admitted.

"It will be nice to have a break after Maiden Gully and rest some niggling injuries.

"When we get back we'll still have a couple of players out. Harry Gadsden and Kalem Paxton will be out for a bit longer, but we'll start to get a few boys back.

"We're looking forward to getting some continuity into our footy."

LVFNL round eight games this weekend: BL-Serpentine v MGYCW, Inglewood v Pyramid Hill, Bridgewater v Mitiamo, Newbridge v Calivil United.