The Lakers' five-point win against Ballarat gave it the right to challenge Sunbury in the qualifying final, the Lions tuning up for the battle with a 99-point win against Melton.

Sunbury ended the season with 15 wins, six premiership points ahead of Lake Wendouree and two games ahead of third-placed Ballarat.

But the Lions' seven-point defeat to Lake Wendouree on August 14 means the sting of the year's first defeat is still fresh for the ladder leaders.

"I've got no doubt our guys learnt a lot from it structurally, obviously they [Lakers] will go in with a lot of confidence having beaten us and Ballarat," Sunbury coach Mark Power said.

"Fresh legs is the key. Last time we rotated heavily because we were two weeks out from finals and I think it's [pace] one area we can get them.

"They've played two straight games in a bog and history tells me that takes a lot out of the legs."

Power backed Pat Cariss to take the game to VCFL representative ruckman Dan Weymouth, the former missed the last meeting between the teams while the latter was among Lakers' best.

Simon Clark is back in training after a foot injury but is unlikely to be selected this weekend.

The winner of Ballarat and East Point's elimination final will be waiting for the loser of Sunbury and Lake Wendouree. The highlight for Sunbury in its weekend match against Melton was a 10-goal haul for Jamie Lobb.

Keeping Melton goalless in the first term, Sunbury never looked back from its 21-point lead at the first change kicking 22.11 (143) to Melton's 6.8 (44).

Ryan Hurst and three-goal Ross Sleight joined Lobb in the best.

The final score for Lake Wendouree against Ballarat was 4.9 (33) to 4.4 (28), Darley 17.12 (114) d Melton South 8.11 (59), Sebastopol 4.4 (28) lt Redan 20.15 (135) and North Ballarat City 6.11 (47) d East Point 5.10 (40).