FINDING FORM AT THE RIGHT TIME

Early wins are important but it’s all about momentum heading into September. If you have been flying along all season much like Therry Penola and Hawthorn have been, is there a round where perhaps a few stars are rested and you have a calculated loss?
Identifying the form ladder at this stage of the year provides some interesting reading, particular for the teams trying to avoid relegation. 
In Premier Section, the former ladder throws up Old Xaverians as the team to beat over the past five weeks. However they are still a game and percentage outside the four and may have left their run a little late. At the other end of the spectrum, Beaumaris may be counting their lucky stars that they had such a good start to the year as they are currently propping up the form ladder over the past five rounds. Old Trinity is the big slider whilst the table topping Uni Blacks have dropped a couple of games in this period as they prepared for September. 
In Premier B, all of Uni Blues, Old Melburnians, Old Carey and Mazenod could lay claim to having the best form, but it is the Nodders that are on the biggest charge, banking wins in each of their last four outings. The form line of the bottom two in Premier B – Old Haileyburians and Old Ivanhoe – are more in keeping with their positions on the ladder. 
Premier C is amazingly more cut and dry. With the exception of Banyule who pinched a win in the past five weeks, and almost pinched another on Saturday against Hampton Rovers, the form ladder for the section has every club in their accurate position. Banyule simply swap placed with Ormond who have only managed a draw with Old Camberwell in the past five matches. Monash Blues and Hampton Rovers – both 4-1 in the last 5 games – meet this weekend. The match will likely determine who gets the double chance and first crack at Marcellin in September. 
In Division 1, Old Mentonians’ late bid for a finals berth has some merit as they find themselves behind Therry Penola and Williamstown as the form side of the section. Prahran Assumption’s recent weeks have them in the bottom two just ahead of the listless MHSOB, whilst Bulleen Templestowe’s back to back wins has them on the rise in their bid to avoid relegation. 
In Division 2, the high flying Kew haven’t really been flying over the past five rounds. The Bears have picked up just two wins and draw from their last five outings and currently sit 6th on the for ladder. Kew are really the only abnormality in terms of a club not mirroring their form ladder with the overall season to date. South Melbourne Districts have managed to string together a good run of form through the winter months, whilst Old Eltham are charging towards a double chance with five wins in a row. 
Division 3 is undoubtedly the most wide open of the seven senior sections and after Northern Blues handed Emmaus St Leos a first loss in over three months on the weekend, that perception has only increase. Northern Blues may be timing their form run to perfection despite going 3-2 over the last five they still rank third on the Division 3 form ladder. Everyone would remember the Blues capacity to time their run last year when they came from sixth to pinch the Division 4 flag. La Trobe University have made a late bid to avoid relegation and their record of 3-2 over the past five weeks has gone a long way to ensuring another season in Division 3 next year. 
In Division 4 are the only two clubs belying their ladder position are Westbourne Grammarians and North Brunswick, unfortunately for those two clubs they may have left their run a little late. Everywhere else on the ladder the form line is in sync with what the entire 15 weeks to date has worked out. Hawthorn are on a 15 game winning streak and their nearest challenger, West Brunswick are also 4-1 in the last five. The Magpies sole loss coming against the Hawks two weeks ago. 
You can view the form ladder for each of the seven senior sections below.