With just three games remaining, the Buds are four points clear of the Yabbies, with games against Pearcedale, Hastings and Sorrento to come.

A betting man would give the Buds two victories. The Yabbies face Crib Point, Somerville and Red Hill in the final three games of the season.

They are every chance to lose all three but also capable of winning all three, which is what they'd need to do to get into the final five now.

So, with the Yabbies now out of it, the real interest comes down to the make-up of the third, fourth and fifth teams.

Red Hill (46 points) remains in third place after the bye, while Rye (44) had a fighting victory against Crib Point.

Rosebud is in fifth place on 40 points. Rosebud kicked clear of Tyabb on Saturday in the opening term, stretched the lead to five goals by half-time and won by 38 points.

Ben Schultz returned with five goals, and Ryan Spooner, with three majors, was the best player on the park.

Crib Point gave Rye a six-goal head start and that was enough to see it go down.

The Pies booted 13 goals to nine after quarter-time, but they were always playing catch up and just couldn't bridge the gap. The final margin was 16 points.

Sorrento methodically dismantled Hastings, increasing its lead at every change and recording an 11-goal victory.

Troy Schwarze was superb for his team with five goals and under-18 leading goalkicker Leigh Poholke kicked three in only his second senior game.

Seventeen-year-old sensation Nick Haynes was best afield in Frankston Bombers' 42-point win against Pearcedale.

Haynes was one of five under-18s the Bombers had in the side, while Pearcedale had seven under-18s in its line-up.

Somerville came out and made a statement after the disappointment of the week before, crushing Dromana to the tune of 75 points.

The Tigers had their weakest side in for the year and the Eagles exposed it.