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COLLINGWOOD and Williamstown supporters will look upon today's match between the Seagulls and Port Melbourne at TEAC Oval with a sense of anticipation and nervousness. Nathan Buckley once again will test his battle-weary hamstrings for Williamstown in a last-ditch effort to play finals with the Magpies.

In his first match in more than 11 months, Buckley's return in the blue and yellow jumper could not have come at a more opportune time.

Williamstown has dropped five of its past six games and is sitting in fifth spot. It will be hoping Buckley will provide the impetus it needs to defeat the eighth-placed Borough and muscle its way back into the four.

"It's going to be fantastic to have him. I don't think it will be a distraction at all," Williamstown coach Brad Gotch said. "I have watched the way he has handled himself this week and he is the ultimate professional.

"As captain and leader of the club, he has the entire club at heart — which includes Williamstown. You need to have a strong VFL side and Bucks would know that. I think he is just excited about having a game of footy."

Buckley's game time will be managed closely, but he is likely to play a minimum of three quarters. Paul Licuria and Simon Prestigiacomo also will play for the Seagulls.

Gotch did not seem overly concerned about the possibility of another hamstring injury for Buckley. "His hamstring seems fine," Gotch said. "He has been training incredibly well for two weeks now."

Werribee will try to keep its faint finals hopes alive today when it hosts Geelong. The Cats rhave smashed everything in their path, winning their past three games by an average of 64 points.

Tomorrow, North Ballarat plays a must-win game against ladder leader Sandringham at Trevor Barker Beach Oval.

While fourth on the ladder, a loss almost certainly would put the Roosters out of the four, and with a bye next week, there would be no opportunity to climb back in. North Ballarat will enter the match with confidence, having beaten the premiers by 35 points in round eight, in one of the Zebras' two losses for the year.

"It's an opportunity for a bit of revenge for us," Sandringham coach Mark Williams said.

Coburg, rested after last week's bye, will travel south to Aurora Stadium to play cellar-dweller Tasmania in an AFL curtain-raiser.

With finals just a fortnight away, Coburg has its sights set on its first premiership since 1989.

The Casey Scorpions host Bendigo and each club has two distinct goals for the remaining two games of the season.

Casey's is to make the four, while Bendigo's is to slip into the eight.

The loser of their match at Casey Fields will have those hopes dashed. Bendigo's hopes will be strengthened further by Kevin Sheedy's omission of Jobe Watson, David Hille and Damien Peverill.

Also tomorrow, Box Hill plays Frankston at Frankston Oval.