Royal-Blue fight for finals

Railways will miss the GNFL finals for the first time in 11 seasons if they don’t beat Chapman Valley on Sunday — while the winner of tomorrow’s Towns- Mullewa clash will earn a second semifinal spot against Brigades.

In one of the tightest GNFL seasons in memory, only one club, Northampton, is out of the running for a finals berth with just one round to go.

Rovers presently hold fourth spot, but will be replaced by Railways if the Blues beat the Royals at the Recreation Ground.

Rovers have the bye this weekend and will be barracking for the Royals from the sidelines.

Chapman Valley can still make the finals, but must annihilate the Blues by 30-plus goals. That’s a challenge to say the least, but with the improvement the perennial strugglers have made in 2015 — and with their reserves and colts in the top four — the Valley will dare to dream.

If Railways fall short of the Valley, it will be the first time since 2004 they haven’t reached the qualifiers.

Most predict the proud club will lift for Sunday, but they just might be singing the blues instead of the Navy Blues theme song come Sunday night.

A round of jam-packed action starts tomorrow — when the Bulldogs and the Saints go head-tohead.

The game is at WA Country Builders Stadium, but is hosted by Mullewa, their second “home” match of the season in Geraldton.

It’s Mullewa Show day tomorrow and the Saints may miss some strong vocal support, while Towns are said to have numerous bigname inclusions in what is virtually a semifinal.

The winner takes on the topplaced Hawks at GBSC Sports Park next Saturday while the loser meets either Rovers, Railways or Chapman Valley in a knockout final at Top Iron Oval on Sunday week.

Towns remain dangerous and their record over the past decade and a half speaks for itself.

But the old Dogs might just need to learn some new tricks if they are to be contenders in the 2015 finals series.

Mullewa have tapered off in the back half of the season after setting the competition alight early in the year.

But their unquestionable talent tends to lift in crunch games and a crunch game this is.