With just a handful of matches remaining in the Apex Steel WNPLSA season, there is still plenty to play for across the league. While West Adelaide have already wrapped up the Premiership, the race for the remaining finals positions and the battle to avoid relegation are far from decided.
West Adelaide's dominant campaign has seen them secure top spot with weeks to spare, but the competition for the remaining finals places remains fierce.
WT Birkalla are the closest side to joining the finals series and can officially secure their position this weekend.
WT Birkalla qualify for finals if; they defeat their opponent; or Football SA lose; or WT Birkalla draw and Football SA also draw.
The race becomes even more interesting behind them, with Salisbury Inter and Adelaide Comets both sitting on 29 points. Inter can qualify for finals if; they win; or they draw. Inter simply need to avoid defeat to guarantee their place in the finals.
Adelaide Comets can qualify for finals if; they win and Football SA draw or lose; or they draw and Football SA lose.
Meanwhile, Campbelltown City, despite sitting fifth, cannot mathematically lock in a finals berth this round and will need to continue picking up points.
Importantly, Football SA cannot be eliminated from finals contention this weekend, ensuring the fight for the top five will continue beyond this round regardless of results.
At the bottom of the table, several clubs have the opportunity to move closer to safety while Flinders United face a potentially season-defining weekend.
Adelaide University can secure safety if; they win; or they draw and Metro United lose.
For Modbury Vista, the equation is slightly more complicated. Vista can secure safety from automatic relegation if; they win and either Metro or Flinders draw; or they avoid defeat and Flinders lose.
Metro United can secure safety from automatic relegation if: They win.
The biggest pressure falls on Flinders United who sit at the foot of the table with just one point from fourteen matches. Flinders United will finish in the bottom two if they lose. Even more significantly, Flinders will be relegated this weekend if; they lose and Vista draw or win.
With finals qualification and relegation permutations spread across the competition, every result this weekend has the potential to dramatically reshape the ladder.
Meanwhile, the Apex Steel Women's State League promotion battle could take another significant step this weekend, with Adelaide City having the chance to cement their position near the summit while Modbury Jets face a must win scenario to keep their promotion hopes alive.
Current leaders Sturt Lions have already guaranteed themselves a top two finish and remain firmly in control of the Premiership race.
Adelaide City are second with games in hand and well positioned to join Sturt in the promotion race. A victory would officially guarantee Adelaide City a place in the promotion playoff positions and further strengthen their push towards finishing first overall.
The team under the most pressure this weekend is Modbury Jets. Currently third on 26 points, the Jets remain in the hunt for promotion but cannot afford any slip ups.
Modbury Jets are eliminated from promotion playoff contention if; they lose or draw.
Behind Modbury Jets, Jaguars, Western Strikers, Cove, Elizabeth Grove and South Adelaide remain mathematically unable to climb into the promotion conversation.
