The AFL South Coast teams best placed to knock Figtree Kangaroos off their perch

Though while the reigning premiers Figtree Kangaroos and fellow heavyweights Wollongong Bulldogs are within striking distance, it's only last year's beaten grand finalists Northern Districts Tigers who have won all six games they've played this season.

The Tigers lead the standings with seven regular season games remaining, but only just from a Figtree side which has yet to lose this campaign, having won seven and drawn one of their eight games played.

Northern Districts coach Glenn Haase wasn't getting too carried away with the Tigers' 6-0 start to the season.

"Look it's good we haven't lost yet but we still haven't played Figtree and the Wollongong Bulldogs yet," he said.

"So we are well aware that we haven't played those guys yet and we're just kind of taking it with a grain of salt at the moment."

Haase though was liking what he was seeing with the improvements his young side was making so far during the 2024 season.

"The goal is to at least give ourselves another chance of playing in the grand final," the coach said.

"We were definitely outplayed by Figtree in last year's decider. So we kind of realise where we need to be to match those guys and we are just working really hard to get to that spot to try and match Figtree.

"They've been a good team for the last four or five years. I think they've won three in a row so they are the benchmark and that's where everyone is trying to get to.

"That's where we're trying to get to and I've seen some improvements this year which will hopefully help us challenge the best teams.

"We've got a couple of different personnel on board which has changed the dynamics a little bit in our team, which should help.

"We've got such a young team. We went into that grand final with an average age of of 21. So those guys are another year older now with another year's experience and playing in the grand final and getting beaten comprehensively like that..........I think we've all learnt and grown from that and trying to build on that for this year."

The Tigers' winning start to the year goes on the line this Saturday when they take on competition heavyweights Wollongong Bulldogs at Keira Oval.

The game comes just a week after Northern Districts recorded a comfortable 17.7 109 to 7.6 48 victory over the Shellharbour City Suns.

The success at Myimbarr Community Park especially pleased their coach Haase.

"It showed we have grown as a squad," he said of the win and season to date.

"Their selflessness has improved out of sight. Being such a young team, they've grown up and matured a little bit and the selflessness is better and they're just playing to their positions.

"It's now about sticking to our structures and bedding down our game plan.

"We've got a good four week block coming up now against the good teams. We just want to really look to see where we sit after that. The aim is to get a top two spot at the end going into finals and then reassessing after that."

Meantime Figtree player-coach Brandon Lagana said the Kangaroos were starting to hit their straps after a slow start to the season.

"We started a little bit slow. We were still getting the wins on the board but we probably weren't playing to our full capabilities," Lagana said.

"I think our last three, four weeks have been heaps better and I think there's still room for improvement. We'll keep working on that as the season progresses."

The Kangaroos have a bye this weekend before taking on the league-leading Tigers for the first time this season.

"They have yet to lose any games, hopefully we can be the first team to beat them this year," he said.

"Our goal over the next six, seven weeks is to win all our games heading into the finals. As per every year our aim is to win another premiership.

"I think Northern Districts are perhaps our biggest threats."