News

Why is it so important? Firstly, the Bombers are playing their arch-rival North Ballarat, and the bottom line is no Bendigo sporting side likes losing to their Goldfields foes.

And secondly, the Bombers simply need to keep winning games of football to hold their position in the VFL's top eight.

After belting Tasmania by 96 points at Bellerive Oval last Saturday, the Bombers have climbed up to seventh on the ladder after 12 rounds.

However, a loss against the Roosters at Stawell this Sunday could relegate the Bombers to as low as 10th on the ladder, such is the evenness of the competition.

'‘We have made significant ground in the past five weeks, but we're still in a very precarious position in that bottom part of the top eight," Knights said yesterday.

‘‘We still have to make every post a winner and I have no doubt this is the biggest game we have played this year.' ‘We are playing against North Ballarat, an arch rival, and they are sitting above us on the ladder.

‘‘Each week becomes fairly huge for us now and every game becomes like a mini-final." Both sides go into this Sunday's clash in terrific form.

The Bombers have won four of their past five games, while the Roosters have won their past three games to be positioned on the cusp of the top-four in fifth spot.

A feature of the Roosters' past three wins has been their ability to kick a big score, averaging a total of 122 through those victories.

The Bombers and Roosters kicked identical scores of 22.13 (145) last week in their respective wins over Tasmania and Frankston.

‘‘If you look at the quality of players they had last week, they had Djaran Whyman kick five goals, Matt Campbell is as quick as any to play in the AFL, let alone the VFL, and Callum Urch, Eddie Sansbury and Rob Gregg are all going well in the forward line," Knights said.

‘‘It's fair to say they have the most potent forward line in the competition, particularly in regards to small forwards.