With three games left for the season, it looks like the top of the PFNL ladder is set in stone, with a solid amount of points separating the top three teams from the rest of the pack.
As the Waroona Demons sit at number five on the ladder, league coach Matt Templeton told the Mail the team were reflecting on their growth this season.
"I suppose we're a little bit on the disappointed side for pretty much missing out on finals.
"But it's not all doom and gloom - we know we've come a long way this year."
Templeton added that while the team wasn't going through to the PFNL finals, they weren't going to make the last few games easy for their opponents.
"The guys have a bit of a quiet determination there that we don't start slipping away," he said.
"We are going to try and get a few wins before the season is out."
We can contend for the flag next year under the right circumstances for sure
- Matt Templeton
In the season before COVID hit, Waroona lost games by over a 100 points - this season, the team has cemented itself as a contender for next year.
"Even at the start of the year we were 50-60 points behind - our average last year was around three goals for every ten our opposition kicked.
"Now our average is for every 10, we kick eight and a half."
Waroona also had a close call with the Pinjarra Tigers, the star-studded third team on the ladder, where they only lost the game by ten points.
"We get to play Pinjarra again - so we're going to see if we can knock them off before the season ends," Templeton laughed.
"We've got a pretty good feeling and vibe around the club - if most of our players stay and we add a few for next season we can build.
"We can contend for the flag next year under the right circumstances for sure."
Meanwhile, the Rockingham Rams seem to be holding their top ladder spot comfortably, with South Mandurah on their tail in the lead up to finals.
The two top teams will battle it out again in three weeks time for round 19.
Meanwhile, Pinjarra maintain their fight to knock out South Mandurah.