BY NATHAN DOLE
Duel to be third goes to last round
JUST who holds third place and a crucial double chance in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy finals will be decided on Saturday afternoon.
The showdown between Mount Pleasant and Leitchville Gunbower at Toolleen from 2.15pm carries the biggest bearing, as does Heathcote’s match at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
A nine-six record has Leitchville Gunbower in third place as it makes its way to Toolleen to tackle the Blues.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers start the round a win clear of Heathcote, but six per cent adrift of the fourth-placed Saints.
Victory will ensure Mount Pleasant retains fifth place and through to the August 18 elimination final as the Blues chase back-to-back premierships.
Defeat for Mounts and a win by Colbinabbin in its clash with North Bendigo will mean the Grasshoppers jump into the five and the Blues drop out.
A Mount Pleasant team which has Cam Carter as director of coaching and Ben Bisset and Jack Hickman as playing coaches will be desperate.
When these clubs met in round nine it was the Bombers who cruised to a 50-point win at Gunbower.
Mounts and LG both had big wins last round.
The Blues marked a 58-point win at Elmore as the Bombers defeated Huntly by 99 points at Leitchville.
Key match-ups this Saturday include Mounts captain Chris Down in the ruck against Jobee Warde, and the classy Ben Bisset at centre half-forward against Chris Horman.
Big test for a Blues’ defence led by Michael Whiting, Jack McKenzie and Fletcher White against Joel Donehue, Blake Dye and Billy Hawken.
In attack, Mounts has Mitch Rovers, Jaxson Nihill and Caelan Smith capable of multiple goals.
The Blues take on a Bombers’ defence that includes Jye Keath, Max Hagan and James Brereton.
Colbinabbin will be desperate to take the points against North Bendigo on the Grasshoppers’ turf at M.J. Morgan Oval.
Wins at home for the Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin this season include a two-point victory against White Hills in the 13th round.
Although it has second spot stitched up, North Bendigo will want to hit finals riding a wave of confidence.
Colbinabbin has the experience of Julian Bull, Nick Knight, Alex Van Ruiswyk and Clint Shields.
Key players for the green and gold include Aidan Basile, Jai Carn, Alex Carr, Logan Fitzgerald and Connor Aldous.
When these clubs met in round nine it was the Rob Bennett-coached North Bendigo which won by 63 points at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street.
After a nine-goal haul against Lockington Bamawm United last round, Bulldogs’ gun forward Dylan Klemm has moved within three of White Hills co-coach Kaiden Antonowicz in the race for the goalkicking award.
Players to watch for the Bulldogs include Nic Waterson, Ryan Hartley, Tyson Findlay, Jordan Ford and Cody Riddick.
Changes to the Bulldogs’ line-up were Jake Dean and Senna Marsili in for Will Bennett and Harlan Draper.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks are home at Strauch Reserve to take on Heathcote.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks cannot make finals, but will be keen to finish a vastly improved season on a high.
It’s a danger game for the Saints who are fighting to regain third place, but must win at Huntly and also need Mount Pleasant to beat Leitchville Gunbower.
Primary focus for the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints is on the Hawks.
When these clubs met in round nine it was Heathcote which scored six goals to nil in the final term to complete a 52-point win at Pigeon Park.
Keys to Huntly’s bid for an upset victory this time include Lachy Wilson, Dale Lowry, Abe Sladden, Ben Daley, Steve Kairn and Jackson Fry.
Heathcote is bolstered by the return of co-captain Liam Jacques and versatile Braden Padmore.
It’s a first hit-out for Jacques since round 10, while Padmore has not played since the round 13 clash at North Bendigo.
A marked decrease in turnovers will be a goal for the Saints.
Players to watch for Heathcote include Corey Grindlay, midfielder Joey Beedle, ruckman James Orr, Rhys Bolton, Zak Saad and Mitch McLean.
In a season where they have four and one victory respectively, Lockington Bamawm United and Elmore will be keen to finish strongly.
Elmore’s sole victory was against the LBU Cats by 19 points in round nine on the Bloods’ turf.
Big task for the Nathan Kay-coached Elmore in repeating the feat against a Cats team which beat Colbinabbin just two weeks ago.
Jack Reiter has kicked 27 goals in his past seven matches for LBU and will test Elmore’s defence all match.
LBU also has the experience of ruckman Tyler Phillips, Brodie and Jesse Collins, and Anthony McMahon.
The Stacy Fiske-coached Cats also have Joseph Wolfe in the centre, Matt Hore at half-back, Lachlan Tenace, and captain Brock Kennedy to lead the charge to victory.
It’s been another outstanding season by Elmore’s James Harney who kicked seven goals against Mount Pleasant last round for a season tally of 52.
The Bloods’ line-up to tackle LBU includes Rhys, Max and Zack Holmberg, Joseph Harney, Matt Gilmour, Kynan Sharpe, Jack Trewick and Cobi Fitzpatrick.
White Hills has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
White Hills 178 per cent, 56 points; North Bendigo 158, 48; Leitchville Gunbower 110, 36; Heathcote 116, 32; Mount Pleasant 118, 28; Colbinabbin 91, 28; Huntly 69, 24; Lockington Bamawm United 73, 16; Elmore 45, 4.
Leading goalkickers:
59 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
56 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
52 James Harney, Elmore.
50 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
41 Liam Bartels, White Hills,
39 Ben Bisset, Mount Pleasant.
32 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
28 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
27 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
27 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
27 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
26 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
24 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
23 Sam Barnes, North Bendigo.
23 James Davies, White Hills.
23 Anthony McMahon, – Lockington Bamawm United.
21 Mitch Bennett, – Mount Pleasant.
21 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
20 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
19 Fraser Buchanan, Leitchville Gunbower.
18 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
18 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
18 Cooper Webber-Mirkin, Heathcote.
17 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
16 Jackson Conforti, Heathcote.
16 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
16 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
16 Blake Dye, Leitchville Gunbower.
16 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
15 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
15 Jed Brain, Colbinabbin.
14 Caleb Hislop, Leitchville Gunbower.
14 Jaxson Nihill, Mount Pleasant.
14 Charles Ryan, Colbinabbin.
14 Jordan Wilson, Colbinabbin.
13 Pat Bogers, North Bendigo.
13 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
13 Lachlan Sverns, Leitchville Gunbower.
13 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.
12 Tom Brereton, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Flynn Campbell, Huntly.
12 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
12 Hamish Morcom, Huntly.
12 Ben Taylor, White Hills.
11 Jeremy Mundie, Lockington Bamawm United.
11 Nic Warnock, White Hills.
10 Bailey Cain, North Bendigo.
10 Callum Crisp, White Hills.
10 Jacob Greenwood, Huntly.
10 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
10 Riley McNamara, Mount Pleasant.
10 Tyler Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
10 Stuart Taylor, Lockington Bamawm United.