The three team race for the fourth finals sport in the Dewar Shield competition is heating up.

With five rounds to play, just four points separate Moorabbin, Endeavour Hills and Power House. This weekend’s game between Endeavour Hills and Power House may go a long way in determining the front runner for the last finals spot.

With just one team that sits ahead of them on the table left to play, a Power House victory this weekend could put them in the box seat and in control of their own destiny.

Power House head coach Glen Fowels said both teams will be motivated and neither can afford to lose.

“Absolutely we’re motivated. Our finals season is probably on the line now.

“They’re in a position where they’ve got to do exactly the same as we do, so we’re expecting a really tough game. They can’t afford any more hiccups either.”

Power House will need to continue their strategy of matching the physicality of their opponents in order to find success at the weekend, said Fowels.

“We’ve got to stay physical against these bigger teams and generally try and wait them out. We expect that Endeavour Hills will be a bigger forward pack than us and we’ll just have to try and be as physical as we can with them and bring it home near the end.”

Endeavour Hills coach Paul Maihi said the team’s recent results have put them in a tough position as they try and claim a finals spot.

“We know where we’re at, we’ve dropped two games we shouldn’t have and only made it harder for ourselves.

“We went from a great chance against Moorabbin, a fair chance against Footscray and now we’ve got but a mere sniff left at it. Losing against Power House this weekend, that’s pretty much our season gone.”

The recent form of Power House has got Maihi’s attention and with a squad decimated by injuries he is playing down his team’s chances.

“I called Power House the dark horse from very early on in the season. All they needed to do really was follow the game plan set by their coach and it seems like that’s what they’ve been doing.

“We’re carrying around eight to ten injuries. We’ll struggle, there’s no two ways about that.”

Even if Endeavour Hills’ finals chances do end on Saturday, Maihi said his team has come a long way this season.

“This season we’ve managed to win more games than the four seasons previously put together, but my disappointment as a coach is that we could have done a lot more.”

“It should set us up on the right foot going into next season, even if our season ends on Saturday.”