In recent years, top clubs pencilled in United as a probable four premiership points mission, but that is not the case this season.
If United wins, it will join Kyabram on equal premiership points on the ladder, and among the contenders for a final six finish and a finals appearance.
United has won three of its seven games this season, and is currently perched on the seventh rung of the ladder, while Kyabram has had four wins and three losses and sits in fifth place on the ladder.
Two of these wins have been percentage builders, which has boosted the team’s percentage to the second highest in the league, which could come in handy at finals time.
One of these percentage boosting wins was in the last game before the bye, when it humbled finals aspirant Mansfield by 100 points, with many of its star players missing.
As satisfying as it was, co-coach Corey Carver is not getting sucked in with that win, and is expecting a serious challenge from the vastly improved Demons this Saturday.
‘‘They are obviously big improvers this season, and have to be treated as genuine finals hopes, so we will need to bring our A-grade game with us to win,’’ Carver said this week.
The Bombers’ long injury list had a positive effect on most players who lifted to the occasion against Mansfield, and Carver is looking for a repeat performance of that intensity.
It is hoped veteran defender Jason Morgan will return after a hamstring injury, but there is still lengthy list of injured Kyabram players.
The Bombers had standout players in ruckman Zac Norris, Rhys Clark, Jack Russell, Kaine Herbert and Charlie Barnett against Mansfield, and they will again be key players in the team’s bid to win its fifth game for the season.
With winnable games against Mooroopna (home) and Benalla (away) to follow this week’s showdown, Kyabram has the chance to consolidate a top six position over the next three weeks.
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