Again, courtesy of AI: TooSerious SuperCoach League – Round Review With just two rounds remaining, the race for finals has gone from simmering to boiling over. Gundagai has officially wrapped up the minor premiership, Charlies Opening continues to apply pressure in second, while Cradle Mountain and Gariwerd look well placed for the double chance. But the real drama is further down the ladder, where Wineglass Bay, Birdsville, Junee, Venus Bay and Lovely Banks all started the round separated only by percentage. Every point now matters. Shark Bay Tigersharks 1311 def. Wagga Wagga Wombats 1160 The Tigersharks made the long inland trek to Wagga and left with four valuable points, overpowering the Wombats by 151 points. Considering the drive home involves swapping wheat fields for ocean views, the trip probably felt a lot shorter after such a convincing win. Harry Sheezel (133) and Joe Richards (125) led a potent forward line, while Wayne Milera (121) and Tom Atkins (108) provided plenty of drive through defence and midfield. Liam Reidy (93) was solid in the ruck to round out a balanced performance. For Wagga, Jarman Impey (139) was outstanding across half-back, with Luke Davies-Uniacke (108), Nick Watson (106) and James Sicily (100) doing everything they could to keep the home side in touch. Unfortunately, three donuts left the Wombats with too much ground to make up. The Wagga faithful turned up in good numbers, although there was some debate after the game about whether the biggest cheer of the afternoon was for Impey or the local bakery announcing fresh vanilla slices. Finals implications: Shark Bay strengthens its grip on sixth spot and is now well placed to return to finals. Wagga's season is officially over, but they can still play spoiler over the final fortnight. Wineglass Bay Packers 1197 def. Iron Knob Codpieces 1087 Wineglass Bay kept its finals hopes alive with a professional victory over the travelling Codpieces. The visitors have one of the longest trips in the league, so they'll no doubt be pleased that at least the scenery improved dramatically once they reached Tasmania. Tom Sparrow was magnificent with 140 points, while John Noble (111) controlled the backline. Darcy Cameron (97) was reliable in the ruck and James Worpel (90) continued his consistent season. Iron Knob battled hard through James Peatling (97), Josh Rachele (91), Colby McKercher (89) and Sam Collins (112 off the bench), but too many quiet performances left them chasing all afternoon. Wineglass supporters celebrated in style, although half the crowd appeared equally interested in discussing pinot noir pairings and whether the local oysters were better before or after the game. Finals implications: This was enormous. The Packers remain inside the top eight, but with Birdsville, Junee, Venus Bay and Lovely Banks all breathing down their necks, there is absolutely no margin for error. Gundagai Grasshoppers 1332 def. Larrikin Lagoon Lefties 1219 The league leaders continued their relentless march with another polished performance. The Lefties had to make the trip into Gundagai, and after running into the Grasshoppers' midfield engine room, the drive home probably felt even longer. Lachie Neale (135), Callum Mills (133), Izak Rankine (120), Patrick Cripps (114) and Wil Powell (123) all starred in another frighteningly balanced team effort. Larrikin Lagoon refused to roll over. Nick Bryan (108) was outstanding from the bench, Jase Burgoyne (101), Darcy Wilmot (97), Brayden Cook (94) and Jordon Sweet (94) all contributed strongly. The Gundagai crowd celebrated another win with the quiet confidence that comes from already planning finals trips, although there was still enough time for someone to insist they once caught a fish "this big" in the Murrumbidgee. Finals implications: Gundagai locks away the minor premiership with two rounds to spare. Larrikin Lagoon remains fifth, but the dream of a top-four finish has taken a significant hit. Waikickamoocow Incorrigibles 1253 def. Gariwerd Cockatoos 1201 This was one of the games of the round. Gariwerd faced the toughest road trip in the competition, crossing the Tasman to take on the Incorrigibles in New Zealand. Unfortunately for the Cockatoos, the long-haul flight home will feel even longer after falling just short in a high-quality contest. Josh Dunkley (131), Bailey Williams (137), Trent Rivers (114) and Zac Bailey (114) were superb, while Josh Treacy (106) continued his excellent season with another century. For Gariwerd, Touk Miller (127), Jake Bowey (125), Sam Durham (113) and Blake Hardwick (108) all produced outstanding performances, but they just couldn't quite match Waikickamoocow's depth across the ground. The Waikickamoocow faithful welcomed the visitors with trademark Kiwi hospitality—right up until the opening bounce. By the final siren they were celebrating loudly enough that the sheep in the next paddock probably knew the final score before the Cockatoos did. Finals implications: Waikickamoocow keeps its slim finals hopes alive, while Gariwerd misses a golden opportunity to cement a top-four finish. The Cockatoos remain well placed for the double chance, but they'll want to bounce back quickly. Charlies Opening Spelunkers 1495 def. Lovely Banks Lilacs 1052 The Spelunkers produced the highest score of the round and reminded everyone why they're still chasing top spot. Marcus Bontempelli (155), Zach Merrett (145), Gryan Miers (125), Nick Daicos (116) and Lloyd Meek (110) were outstanding in a complete team performance. Lovely Banks had few answers despite strong efforts from Jye Amiss (115), Ollie Wines (109) and Tom Stewart (95). The home supporters emerged from their caves in large numbers and celebrated another win, although several claimed the acoustics underground make their goal celebrations louder than any other crowd in the league. Finals implications: Charlies Opening remains firmly in second place and still has an outside chance of catching Gundagai if results fall their way. Lovely Banks slips outside the eight and now needs at least one win—and probably some percentage—to return to finals. Birdsville Battlers 1178 def. Mount Beauty Uglies 1088 Birdsville defended home turf with a solid win after Mount Beauty made one of the league's more demanding road trips. The return journey through the outback probably gave the Uglies plenty of time to think about missed opportunities. Matthew Kennedy (122), Harris Andrews (122), Bailey Smith (120) and Ned Moyle (119) all starred for the Battlers in a well-rounded performance. Mount Beauty was led by Sam Walsh (122), Darcy Fogarty (113), Patrick Retschko (101) and Hayden Young (90), but lacked support elsewhere. The Birdsville faithful celebrated in typical fashion—by insisting the dust blowing across the ground was actually "perfect football conditions." Finals implications: Birdsville climbs back into the top eight and keeps its destiny in its own hands. Mount Beauty's finals hopes are officially over. Cradle Mountain Devils 1282 def. Junee Jaguars 1030 The Devils maintained pressure on the top two with a convincing victory over Junee. Rowan Marshall was unstoppable with a monster 169 points, while Tim English (141), Josh Battle (124) and Toby Nankervis (103) dominated the key positions. Junee fought hard through Connor MacDonald (108), Caleb Daniel (104), Tim Taranto (96) and Massimo D'Ambrosio (96), but never seriously threatened. The Cradle Mountain locals enjoyed another victory, although several were reportedly distracted trying to identify which passing tourist had asked where the nearest mountain actually was. Finals implications: Cradle Mountain remains entrenched in third and looks destined for the double chance. Junee falls out of the eight and now needs a big finish over the final two rounds. Nareewillock Nuffers 1107 def. Venus Bay Vultures 1104 Three points. With finals spots on the line, it simply doesn't get tighter than that. Matt Rowell (142), Caleb Serong (130), Mason Redman (116), Connor Idun (111) and Chad Warner (103) carried the Nuffers over the line. Venus Bay received excellent performances from Kysaiah Pickett (126), Dan Houston (107), Kai Lohmann (104) and Ned Long (100), but ultimately came up agonisingly short. The Nareewillock supporters celebrated as though they'd won the premiership, which is understandable given they probably expected to spend the afternoon discussing crop yields instead. Finals implications: The Nuffers are still alive mathematically, while Venus Bay's heartbreaking loss drops them outside the top eight on percentage. Every possession over the final fortnight could now determine who plays finals. Finals Watch Qualified Gundagai Grasshoppers (13–0) – Minor premiers. Charlies Opening Spelunkers (11–2) – Finals secured. Cradle Mountain Devils (10–4) – One win from locking away a double chance. Gariwerd Cockatoos (8–6) – Still favoured to finish in the top four. Strong Position Larrikin Lagoon Lefties (7–7) Shark Bay Tigersharks (8–6) The Logjam The battle for the final two finals spots is shaping as one of the closest in league history. Wineglass Bay Packers (7th) Birdsville Battlers (8th) Junee Jaguars (9th) Venus Bay Vultures (10th) Lovely Banks Lilacs (11th) Only percentage separates several of these sides, and with just two rounds remaining, every score matters. A single big win—or a narrow loss—could completely reshape the top eight before finals begin. The race is well and truly on.