It's heating up in the Western District Bowls Division top-grade weekend pennant with finals around the corner.
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Fourth-ranked City Memorial Gold came to play against second-placed Warrnambool Gold in round nine of the 14-match fixture.
City Gold thrashed Warrnambool Gold 72-37 to announce itself as a serious threat for the premiership.
Meanwhile, ladder-leader City Red was beaten 63-47 by third-positioned Koroit Blue at Koroit on Saturday.
Fifth-ranked Timboon Gold, with its 66-55 win over Terang Green, kept itself in the finals equation.
As did Warrnambool Blue, sitting in sixth, with its 65-44 victory against Dennington Jets at home.
Warrnambool Gold's Michael Steel knew it would be a tough clash with City Gold.
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Steel, who plays as a third, feels his side has had a strong pennant thus far.
"We've had a pretty good year, we lost a game earlier in the year to Terang but we seem to be gelling pretty well, we've just got keep the head down and bum up and get a good position for the finals," he said.
The experienced player was excited to return to a bowling green on Saturday.
It was the first day back for weekend pennant after the Christmas break.
"It's good, it was good to have a bit of a break too," Steel said.
He competed in Warrnambool Bowls Club's (WBC) triples event during the Christmas break but missed out on success.
"It was good just to have a bit of roll and get into the club stuff as well," he said.
WBC has its $12,000 Ladies Prestige Pairs from Wednesday-Friday this week.
"It's a good event, bowlers come from all up Australia, it's good for the club to get those people down," Steel said.
"And then we have our Autumn Classic coming up as well and that's pairs and fours.
"That's always a good week, we get a lot of bowlers from everywhere."
Steel, like previous years, plans to play in the fours.
"It's good to catch up with people," he said.
"From Warracknabeal, there's a heap of boys up there that we're pretty good mates with."
Steel has only been playing bowls eight years but is already a highly decorated player.
He has won four premierships with Warrnambool Gold - the club's top weekend pennant side.
"I was pretty lucky actually to get in with these guys," he said.
Steel previously played cricket at Allansford for many years.
"I retired from cricket because my old knees were no good and took up bowls and love it, it's a good team sport," he said.
Steel explained his dad got him into bowls and they ended up playing in premierships together with WBC.
Port Fairy Red overcame Mortlake Blue 61-47 in the other division one weekend pennant match.