BY NATHAN DOLE
A TOP of the ladder clash between Pyramid Hill and Marong highlights Saturday’s round 13 action in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy action.
The second-placed Pyramid Hill is on home turf at Mitchell Park to take on unbeaten reigning premier Marong from 2.15pm.
Both teams are on lengthy winning streaks.
Pyramid Hill’s sole defeat for the season was by seven goals at Marong’s Malone Park in round four.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Marong is on a 25-game winning streak which began after a two-goal loss at home to Pyramid Hill on April 30, 2022.
In last week’s play Pyramid Hill showed plenty of fight to win at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve by a goal.
Best for the Nathan Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine were Bryden Morison, Zac Dingwall, Zach Alford and ruckman Adrian Holland.
A key to Pyramid Hill’s chances against Marong will be the midfield and on-ball contests in getting the ball to its forward line instead of the Panthers’ attack.
A Bulldogs defence that includes Gavin James, Dylan Morison, Matt Moon, Seb Relouw and Declan Slingo faces a huge task against Marong stars Brandyn Grenfell, Kain Robins, Matt Riordan and Ryley Taylor.
Other key players for Marong include Nathan Devanny, captain Corey Gregg, Jimmy Gadsden, Michael Bradbury, and Ben Gregg.
It’s the battle of the bridges as Newbridge meets Bridgewater at Beck Legal Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
Both teams are on the rebound from defeat.
It was a tough afternoon for the Sam Gale and Daniel Smith-coached Newbridge as Marong passed the 180-point mark last Saturday.
Best in the Maroons’ latest hit-out were Tyler McLeod, Caleb Argus, Caleb Sanders and William Copland.
Newbridge will also look to Will Daly, Chris Dixon, Angus Fortune and Matt Giri to have a major impact.
In round four it was Bridgewater which marked a 46-point win at home against the Maroons.
The Rick Ladson-coached Mean Machine will be keen to bounce back from a 25-point loss to Inglewood at home.
Bridgewater’s best last round included Lachlan Cohen, Ben Derrick, Brayden Stepien and Jack Symons.
The Mean Machine will also look to James and Nic Naughton, Charlton Hindle, Harry Donegan, Zane Hoiles and Darcy Wood to set up or finish off attacks.
Inglewood is back on home turf at Dissy Machinery Oval to take on Mitiamo.
The Blues won the round four clash at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval by 123 points, but will be wary of a Mitiamo line-up which beat Maiden Gully YCW last week.
In-form players for the Darrell Billett-coached Inglewood include Thomas Kennedy, Callum March and Fergus Payne.
A talented Blues’ line-up includes Sam Dorevitch, Bregon Cotchett, Cody Stobaus and Jaspa Wendels.
It was a brilliant effort by the Jon Varcoe-coached Mitiamo to beat Maiden Gully YCW by 34 points last round.
Superoos’ skipper Luke Lougooon was best afield and the return of Doug Thomas for his first game of the season was a huge plus.
Mitiamo also had Dylan Clohesy, Zac Morrison, Eli Spiers and Daniel Walters play key roles in the team’s second win of the season.
The Superoos’ squad for this match includes Andrew Cussen, Jay Reynolds and Rhys Varcoe.
Rested by the bye, Calivil United is back at home to take on Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
In round four the Bears clawed their way to a seven-point win against the Demons.
The Anthony Dennis-coached Demons will be determined to end their losing run at three.
Calivil United beat Maiden Gully YCW by 43 points in the eighth round.
On that day it was midfielder Rhys Lourie, Jake Lawry, ruckman Justin Hynes and Evan Ritchie who led the red and blue to victory.
Players to watch for Calivil United include Henry Miller, Ben Baker, Jordan Lea and Brae Mensforth.
Difficult task against a Bears line-up which has an 8-3 record and is third place in the premiership race.
Best for the Justin Laird-coached BLS against Pyramid Hill last round were Harry and Charlie Gadsden, James Rippingale and ruckman Aidan Brohm.
The Bears also have Orion Downing, Andy Gladman, Jeremy Hancock, Beau Roy-Clements and Miggy Podosky.
Maiden Gully YCW has the bye.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 581 per cent, 44 points; Pyramid Hill 195, 36; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 120, 32; Inglewood 106, 24; Bridgewater 93, 24; Calivil United 59, 8; Maiden Gully YCW 47.9, 8; Mitiamo 47.4, 8; Newbridge 40, 8.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
77 Brandyn Grenfell, Marong.
40 Kain Robins, Marong.
39 Josh Martyn, Bridgewater.
34 Matt Riordan, Marong.
30 Charlie McGaw, Inglewood.
29 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
26 Andy Gladman, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
24 Bailey George, Pyramid Hill.
23 Justin Laird, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
22 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
19 Jack McCaig, Marong.
19 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
19 Will Perryman, Pyramid Hill.
18 Sam Dorevitch, Inglewood.
17 James Bailey, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
17 Jay Reynolds, Mitiamo.
15 Thomas Brennan, Pyramid Hill.
15 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
14 Mitch Dingwall, Pyramid Hill.
14 Daniel Polack, Inglewood.
13 Dylan Collis, Pyramid Hill.
13 Andrew Cussen, Mitiamo.
13 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
12 Harry Gadsden, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
11 Brayden Baines, Mitiamo.
11 Bregon Cotchett, Inglewood.
11 Brandon Dimech, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Callum Draper, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
11 Nic Naughton, Bridgewater.
11 Darcy Poulter, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
10 Sam Gale, Newbridge.
10 Charlie Ingham, Inglewood.
10 Jake Lawry, Calivil United.
10 Caleb Sanders, Newbridge.