For one, a first versus third Kyabram District League clash between Murchison-Toolamba and Shepparton East takes place there, with the winner sure to gain the exclusive top two status and double chance card for finals.
But it’s not the reason the buzz has built to bumper levels.
Hoppers forward James Lloyd is on the cusp of greatness, sitting on 97 goals for the season.
Multi-talent Lloyd is rapping on the door to regional football stardom and a haul of three majors against the Eagles would make him the third country Victorian to crack the ton.
Bridgewater’s Lachlan Sharp and Strathmerton veteran Tim Looby have already put the century on the board.
It should be a breeze for the big-bodied operator, given he’s booted bags of 11, 12 and 19 in 2024.
Murchison-Toolamba coach Brett Foley spoke highly of his gun key forward, but didn’t go overboard with the hype on the eve of such a high-stakes game.
“James and I, we go back since thirds days when I coached him at Shepp East and he’s a fair bit of the reason why I’m out there,” he said.
“He kicked 78 or something last year and this year he’s up to 97, so he’s having a big year. He’s very hard to beat one on one, (he’s) a big powerful boy.
“It’s something the opposition always has to worry about is the big fella, so it makes it a little bit easier for the rest of the forward line to function knowing that they fall in front of him.
“We’re here to win a game of footy, the 100 goals doesn’t really come into it too much because that will come if we do win the game of footy.
“But it’s a big milestone for the big fella, he’s never kicked 100 before in senior footy — I’m not sure if he kicked 100 in thirds, but in senior footy he definitely hasn’t.”
Lloyd’s potential milestone isn’t the only storyline associated with Saturday’s fixture.
The last time the Hoppers and Eagles met, the latter barrelled the former out of the race by order of a 10-point victory in the 2023 KDL semi-final.
And Foley hasn’t forgotten the feeling.
“Shepp East beat us in a final last year; I wouldn’t say we had the best day to be honest,” he said.
“They’re a very proud club, (they) win big games of footy and we’re just going to hope that we can match them.
“There’s plenty on the line, a top two spot on the line for the winner, so it’ll be a big game of footy on Saturday. We’ll just hope that we can play our brand of footy and come out with the four points.”
While Shepparton East had the wood over the Hoppers from last year, Foley’s boys go in as narrow favourites, given their 11-game unbeaten status.
The only slight blemish on Murchison-Toolamba’s record is a 71-all draw against Lancaster in round four, but the platform laid with five regular season games remaining points to a Hoppers unit currently brimming with confidence.
“We played Nagambie round one which was another side we couldn’t beat last year — they’re a bit of a different side to last year — and then we played Lancaster where we had that draw in a cracking game of footy,” Foley said.
“We’ve only got Shepp East once all year which is similar to last year, so we know that we’re playing good footy, but we’re just seeing if it stacks up against a good side like Shepp East.
“We know Shepp East has some really good players in their side and we’re going to have to look out for them, but we’re focusing on how we play the game.
“We know if we play at our best, we’re going to be hard to beat — but they’re a very good side.”
