RWW Giants co-coach Daniel Athanitis predicts 10 wins will be enough to scrape into the Hume league top-six this season.
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The Giants took a step closer to securing a finals berth after a come-from-behind 11-point victory over CDHBU at Walbundrie on the weekend.
With the half-way point of the season fast approaching, Osborne, Jindera, Holbrook and the Giants look virtually guaranteed to take part in the September action.
Lockhart, CDHBU and Henty all have a 4-3 record and look set to jostle for the remaining two-spots up for grabs inside the top-six.
A vastly improved Murray Magpies also have a 4-3 record after a friendly draw to commence the season.
But a tough month ahead against Jindera, Holbrook, Howlong and Osborne is expected to see the Magpies slip out of finals contention.
Athanitis was relieved to arrest a two-match losing streak against the Power in what looked a 50-50 contest and move to fourth on the ladder with a 5-2 record.
"I don't think we lost three-in-a-row last year so it was important that we won against the Power after getting beat by Billabong Crows and Osborne over the past fortnight," Athanitis said.
"You can afford to drop a couple of matches... but losing three is never great.
"To win against a side that we are jostling for a similar spot on the ladder... these are the sort of matches we need to win.
"A 5-2 record compared to 4-3 looks a lot better and gives us a bit of breathing space.
"I think 10 wins will be enough to play finals.
"So the quicker we can get to 10 wins, the better.
"That's our short-term goal, just get that 10 wins, I don't care who it is against or what they look like, as long as we get there."
Brock-Burrum finished sixth last year with a 10-8 record to clinch a finals berth ahead of Jindera who missed out after nine wins.
The Giants play Brock-Burrum, Jindera, Holbrook and Howlong over the next month.
CDHBU can consolidate its spot inside the top-six over the next four rounds against Culcairn, Lockhart, Billabong Crows and Henty.
Lockhart kept its finals hopes alive on the weekend after getting out of jail against Howlong.
Trailing by eight points at home at the last break, the Demons looked to be in further trouble when Ben Baker extended the Spiders' lead to 14 points.
But goals to coach Tom Keogh, James McDermott and Tom Wiech were enough for the Demons to scrape home by seven points.
A loss could have been detrimental to their finals aspirations ahead of clashes against Osborne and CDHBU in the next two rounds.
