ROUND 16 of the East Gippsland Football-Netball League concluded at the weekend and despite consisting of zero entertainment with blowouts galore, it brings a lot of attention to the final round of the home-and-away season.

Stratford and Orbost are deadlocked for the last spot of finals, meaning each are awaiting for an additional week of preparation to keep their seasons alive.

THE Bombers went about their way.

Boisdale-Briagolong handed Stratford their third loss in four games at the weekend, defeating them comfortably at their home deck, 18.10 (118) to 9.9 (63).

Attempting to redeem themselves upon a potentially season-ending defeat last round against Orbost, Stratford opened the match with intensity like nothing else and led by the end of the first quarter, but only by a point.

The Swans are one of only two teams to claim victory over the Bombers in 2024, but the top-seeded Boisdale-Briagolong have been on a roll recently and showed that in the second term to jump out to an 8.5 (53) to 5.6 (36) lead by halftime.

Stratford would have loved a win to jump back ahead of the Blues on the ladder, but even keeping it close would have done wonders to keep their season alive.

That didn’t go to plan, however, and the Bombers added 6.2 (38) to the Swans measly 2.1 (13) to push their lead out to 42 points with no signs of slowing down.

Much the same to how the last two quarters played out, the fourth term offered a further four goals for Boisdale-Briagolong, while Stratford managed just 14 points to conclude.

Kelvin Porter served as the best on ground for the Bombers, followed by Thomas Jolly with five goals, Billy Marshall, Paddy Mack, Brandon Rimington and Matthew Wilkinson.

Stratford had Nathan French, Lachlan Channing, Jack Bacon, Rodney O’Keefe and Floyd Fulton as standouts in defeat.

Boisdale-Briagolong are close to locking in the minor premiership with a game advantage, ready to attack finals head on and take the club one step further.

DESPITE the dominant and clear-cut performance featured, that game would be the closet margin at the weekend.

Orbost defeated Lakes Entrance 17.14 (116) to 2.9 (21) to leapfrog Stratford for fourth position, giving themselves a surprising chance at a finals berth.

Lachlan Fenner booted seven goals followed by three from Hamish Nettleton as top performers for the Blues.

Orbost play Lucknow in the final round of the season, a win resulting in finals, whereas Stratford will have to blow away Paynesville to surpass the Blues.

WY Yung comfortably took apart Lindenow 14.20 (104) to 0.5 (5).

Although facing the reigning premiers, Lindenow were coming off their first win for the year against Paynesville and a recent patch of great football.

The end result couldn’t have been expected but that’s what happens if your heads not in the right place, even with the Tigers kicking quite inaccurately.

Jack Betts kicked six goals for Wy Yung as Norman Betts, Jake Anderson, Joshua Broome, Jock Overend and Nate Somerville were headlining players for the Tigers.

LUCKNOW demolished Paynesville to the tune of 166 points, 25.21 (171) to 0.5 (5).

The Magpies featured five players with multiple goals including John Gooch (seven goals) and Jackson Smith (five goals) in their highest winning margin of the season.

One round remains but there’s still plenty of opportunity for the finals table to be shaken up.