The NPL championship is on the line while seven teams are vying for finals in the final six games
There’s just five games to go in the NPL, Victoria’s top flight of football, with the championship still on the line while seven teams are vying for the final three spots in the top-six.
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The NPL Victoria finals are just five weeks away.
Avondale hold a narrow lead by Bentleigh Greens in the championship battle.
While seven teams are still in contention for the fourth, fifth and sixth.
We peer into the crystal ball to see which team will come out on top.
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1. Avondale (14-4-3, +31, 46pts)
Run home: Dandenong Thunder (A), Oakleigh Cannons (A), Altona Magic (A), Heidelberg United (H), Bentleigh Greens (A)
The Avengers have led basically all season but have stumbled in recent weeks and face an ultra tricky run home with four of five games on the road. The final fortnight will decide the minor premiership but a superior goal difference will be vital.
2. Bentleigh Greens (13-2-6, +9, 41pts)
Run home: Heidelberg United (H), Kingston City (H), Dandenong City (A), Port Melbourne (A), Avondale (H)
A win this weekend against Heidelberg will be crucial to the Greens’ championship hopes with three winnable games to follow. Having taken care of Avondale on the road earlier this year, Bentleigh would be confidence of a final-round win that could snatch top spot.
3. Heidelberg United (12-3-5, +16, 39pts)*
Run home: Bentleigh Greens (A), Dandenong City (A), Port Melbourne (A), Oakleigh Cannons (H), Avondale (A), South Melbourne (A)
A shock loss to Kingston City might just have dashed the reigning premiers’ championship hopes. The Warriors still have to play Avondale and Bentleigh and are every chance to claim six points and roar back into the conversation.
4. Green Gully (9-7-5, +9, 34pts)
Run home: Kingston City (H), Melbourne Knights (H), Hume City (A), Dandenong Thunder (H), Oakleigh Cannons (A)
Gully have claimed a big scalps this season, knocking off Heidelberg and Avondale to entrench themselves in the top six. However, the club can’t afford slip ups against rivals Melbourne Knights, Hume City and Oakleigh Cannons.
5. Hume City (10-4-7, +7, 34pts)
Run home: South Melbourne (H), Pascoe Vale (A), Green Gully (H), Melbourne Knights (A), Kingston City (H)
Juggling FFA Cup and Dockerty Cup commitments will make the run home incredible hard for City but three home games and a trip to relegation battlers Pascoe Vale should be enough to see them safely into finals.
6. Oakleigh Cannons (9-4-7, +5, 31pts)*
Run home: Port Melbourne Sharks (H), Avondale (H), South Melbourne (A), Heidelberg United (A), Pascoe Vale (H), Green Gully (H)
The Cannons are looking precarious in sixth but are on a five-game winning streak and have a game in hand — albeit away to Heidelberg. This weekend’s clash against Port Melbourne could be season defining.
7. Port Melbourne Sharks (8-4-9, +6, 28pts)
Run home: Oakleigh Cannons (A), Altona Magic (H), Heidelberg United (H), Bentleigh Greens (H), Dandenong City (H)
A road win against Oakleigh this weekend and the Sharks are in the box seat for sixth but back-to-back clashes against Heidelberg and Bentleigh will be the true test of Port Melbourne’s finals aspirations. Luckily both games are at home.
8. Altona Magic (9-1-11, -2, 28pts)
Run home: Dandenong City (A), Port Melbourne Sharks (A), Avondale (H), South Melbourne (A), Pascoe Vale (H)
The second half of the season has seen Altona drop off the pace and three road games in the final five games isn’t going to help. A home game against Avondale fighting for the minor premiership could make finals a bridge too far.
9. South Melbourne (8-4-9, -12, 28pts)
Run home: Hume City (A), Dandenong Thunder (H), Oakleigh Cannons (A), Altona Magic (H), Heidelberg United (H)
Only a game behind Oakleigh in sixth and visit the Cannons in Round 24. Win home games against Dandenong Thunder and Altona Magic and the perennial powerhouse is right in the mix. However, a final-round clash against Heidelberg could be a stumbling block.
10. Melbourne Knights (9-3-9, -2, 27pts)
Run home: Pascoe Vale (H), Green Gully (A), Kingston City (A), Hume City (H), Dandenong Thunder (A)
A three-point deduction for poor fan behaviour during the Round 7 clash with South Melbourne will come back to haunt the Knights. They should take points from every game except Green Gully away and would have been a finals dark horse.
*Heidelberg United v Oakleigh Cannons wash out rescheduled for August 9.
*Melbourne Knights three-point deduction