RINGWOOD will get a finals warm-up in its final-round match against St Kilda at Junction Oval starting this Saturday.
The Rams are battling to hold onto third place on the ladder and have the Saints hot on their heels in fourth, but the Saints would need an outright win to pass Ringwood.
The Rams faced a few nervous hours at the end of their match against Camberwell Magpies at Jubilee Park on Saturday with the visitors getting within reach of the Rams' first-day total of 6-352 declared.
Magpies captain Simon Hill turned on a mammoth innings for his club, posting 151 from 193 balls to anchor the Magpie chase.
But some late wickets from Ian Holland (4-46 with 10 maidens) and Blair Allan (2-73) made sure the Magpies ended their innings short of the home side as they finished play on 303 all out.
■ In the Victorian Sub District Cricket Association, Croydon lost on the first innings against Coburg, but almost managed a reverse-outright win.
Chasing Coburg's 163, the Cockies were bowled out for 84 with captain-coach Hagan Shakespeare (28) the top scorer.
In its second innings, Coburg made a quickfire 5-97 from 18 overs with Hamish Paterson (3-32) taking the most wickets before the Burgers set the Cockies a chase of 176 in their second innings.
But neither side could effect a final result with the Cockies ending play on 7-112 with Michael Aston on 33 not out.
PREMIER CRICKET LADDER: Melbourne 73 points, 1.73 per cent; Prahran 70, 1.28; Ringwood 65, 1.29; St Kilda 57, 1.32; Frankston Peninsula 54, 1.06; Melbourne Uni 53, 1.09; Richmond 51, 1.57; Fitzroy Doncaster 50, 1.16; Carlton 49, 1.03; Dandenong 47, 1.25; Geelong 45.4, 0.91; Casey-South Melbourne 41, 0.80; Footscray Edgewater 33, 0.98; Camberwell Magpies 33, 0.77; North Melbourne 32, 0.78; Hawthorn-Monash Uni 18, 0.66; Essendon 12, 0.63; Northcote 9, 0.52.