IT will be like stepping out of a fire into a furnace for Nar Nag Goon this week.

The Goon was put to the test last week against Nyora and failed, all be it in a pretty respectable effort, and this Saturday faces another searching examination when it travels to Longwarry.

There’s an old saying – ‘it’s not how hard you fall, but how quickly you get back up’ and the Goon’s performance this week should give us another measure of its true ability.

For the Goon to win everything must go right.

Longwarry looks to have too much overall evenness and coming off an easy victory last week, the odds are heavily stacked in its favour.

Crow forward Ryan Donaldson has been a marvel and needs just one goal to become the first senior footballer in Victoria to reach the 100 goal mark.

On current form and in betting terms, he is in the red to score it soon after the first bounce.

Longwarry by 30 points.

Poowong v Cora Lynn

POOWONG will welcome Cora Lynn in a match too close to call.

The Magpies have suffered a few form gyrations this year, but now look well back on track, likewise Cora Lynn, who picked up its first victory, a big one at that over Buln Buln after a month of heartache.

Both have competent midfields and in Trevor Hooker and Darren Sheen, both have focal targets in attack.

The Cobras have been unconvincing in big games this season and Poowong was superb last week, but I have a hunch that the four tough games in row between rounds six and nine will hold the Cobras in better stead and can win in a nailbiter.

Nyora v Kooweerup

NYORA undid Nar Nar Goon last week and its task this week, a home game against the lowly Kooweerup looks far easier.

Since its round-four loss, Nyora has been going along smoothly and complacency is its only danger.

In spite of registering only one victory, Demon coaching staff and officials have maintained an upbeat attitude, but surely after last week’s heart-breaking loss to Ellinbank and a likely thrashing at the hands of Nyora, their fortitude is going to be tested this week.

The Saints to win easily.

Catani v Warragul Industrials

CATANI’S home-ground encounter with Warragul Industrials looks a percentage booster for the Blues.

Catani has plenty of forwards that will need constant attention and now without Scott Frances and Dave Bracken, the Dusties’ defence faces a task more akin to a patch-up job on a tub with six holes and having only three plugs.

Warragul Industrials appear to be counting the cost of its round-nine victory over Kooweerup that left it both tired and with many injury woes. Bunyip v Neerim Neerim South

AFTER a few ordinary performances leading up to the mid-season break, Bunyip has started to put a few runs on the board over the past two weeks and on its home turf this week will be far too strong for Neerim Neerim South.

There is a lot to like about Bunyip because it has a number of players that have improved appreciably since last year and with those of the class of Ryan Ablett, Joe Allen and Clint Meyer, last season’s grand finalists must be respected.

There is an amazing similarity between the performances of Buln Buln and its visitors Nilma-Darnum.

Both teams have under-achieved, lost badly last week and prone to second-half fade-outs that has left its supporters scratching their heads all season.

Nilma appears to have the more top class performers and with Justin Oppenlander, Jamie Cann, Jason Anthony and Adrian Partridge and should win.

On recent form the team that does not run out of steam first will win and I’ll tip the Bombers to outlast the Lyrebirds this week.

Ellinbank v Lang Lang

ELLINBANK will host Lang Lang.

The Bankers pulled off a morale-boosting victory over Kooweerup and in contrast Lang Lang struggled against Poowong and on the back of those results and with home-ground advantage Ellinbank should win.

Both teams have plenty of honest midfielders that give it there all, but the Bankers have shown an ability to get up in the close ones and is likely to do the same this week.