Here’s everything you need to know from latest VAFA action

Williamstown CYMS is getting closer to performing the great escape as final ladders started to take shape. Here’s everything you need to know.

Williamstown CYMS have performed a great escape. Image: Dennis Timm//VAFA Media.

We’re drawing closer to the end of the VAFA season.

Here’s everything you need to know from the weekend.

WHO EXPECTED THAT?

In round 1, Glen Eira lost to the Parkdale Vultures by 173 points, this time it won by 52. “It was a massive turnaround, we’ve had a pretty hard year with injuries, it was nice to see the boys produce their best footy,” Gryphons coach Jon Edgar said. Joel Ludik, Hayden Bass (five goals), Jack Richardson, Rhett Weidemann, Lachlan Mirams and James French were named among the better players for the Gryphons. Mitch Brown booted five for the Vultures to move to 75 for the season.

WILLIAMSTOWN CYMS CONTINUE TO CLIMB

The only senior men’s team in the VAFA from Melbourne’s western suburbs is unbeaten across the last month and it is season defining. Williamstown CYMS have climbed to seventh on the ladder and are now a game-and-a-half clear of the drop zone with two rounds to play. A 33-point win over Old Ivanhoe was crucial on the weekend in continuing a late season surge. Beaumaris are now sitting nervously in eighth position, a game clear of Caulfield Grammarians.

PARKSIDE’S IMPORTANT PERCENTAGE WIN

Parkside’s VAFA Division 1 win over Ormond meant so much more than the four points. Running out winners by 44 points, the Devils jumped the Monders into second on the ladder by just below 4 per cent. They’ll head into the final round leading the race for the double chance. Michael Romano, Matt Holden, Corey McKay, Benedict Douglas, Ciaran Cotter and Yanek Stecki were all named in the best. Mitch Lawson booted four goals. They’ve now won their last four games.

Parkside are one of the form teams of the competition. Image: Dennis Timm/VAFA Media.

HAWTHORN KEEPING TOUCH

Hawthorn ensured it kept with the competition’s top-four, keeping alive its own finals hopes, with a 24-point win over Whitefriars. It was a shock result in many ways with the Friars coming off an 81-point drubbing of ladder leader Brunswick a week earlier. The win saw Hawthorn close the gap on the Friars, who sit fourth, to just half-a-game with one round left to play.

RELEGATION BATTLE DOWN TO THREE

Only Aquinas, Wattle Park and Bulleen Templestowe can now be relegated from Division 2 after all three sides were beaten on the weekend. All three sides will play finals contenders in the final round as they aim to secure safety in the fifth tier of the competition. On paper, you’d think the current bottom two would be going down.

DIVISION 3 TOP FIVE SET BUT MORE TO COME

The five teams who will play finals footy have been confirmed. North Brunswick, St Johns, Power House, Canterbury and Richmond Central are all locked in, but how the first week’s schedule looks is still to be determined. This weekend, Richmond Central welcomes the ladder leaders while Canterbury and Power House should both win comfortably. The Bulls are currently on top of the ladder having played one game extra with the match ratio system set to come into effect.

A HUGE UPSET

Old Geelong produced one of the upsets of the VAFA season, ending Williamstown CYMS’ women’s winning streak in the second semi-final. The OGs ran out 18-point winners in the Premier B women’s match to move directly through to the grand final.