BY NATHAN DOLE
Teams tune up for finals campaign
ALL four matches in Saturday’s 18th round of the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy season feature teams in the top five against those outside the five.
It’s Community Bank round supported by Inglewood Community Bank as matches are played at Newbridge, Pyramid Hill, Inglewood and Bridgewater.
For those bound for finals it’s a chance to fine-tune their game and also lift confidence.
The ladder-leading Marong makes its way to Centre State Scaffolding Oval in Inglewood to face the Blues.
After a bye last Saturday the Linton Jacobs-coached Marong plays this week and then has another rest on the first weekend of the finals series.
Will be a huge test for the Fergus Payne-coached Inglewood to challenge Marong across four quarters.
The Blues’ line-up to play the Panthers includes Kellan Payne, Tom Kennedy, Will Allen (guernsey #1), Gabe and Jack Nevins, Daniel Polack, and Luke Matheson.
A powerful Marong attack is led by Kain Robins, Ryley Taylor and Ryan Wellington.
The Panthers’ charge for a premiership hat-trick is led by the likes of Ben and Corey Gregg, Michael Bradbury, Matt Riordan, Matt Willox, and Jack and Noah McCaig.
Newbridge will be on home turf at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval to take on Mitiamo.
The Sam Gale and Daniel Smith-coached Newbridge will be keen to bring a high level of intensity to every contest.
Best for Newbridge in the win against Calivil United were Brandon Dimech, Jack Teasdale and Andrew Padbury.
Caleb Sanders and Sam Gale led the attack last round and will again team up with Chris Dixon, Thomas Hobson and Matt McArthur in the forward 50m arc.
The talented Ben McKinley returns to the Newbridge line-up.
It’s the last chance for Mitiamo to break its winless run.
The charge by the Jon Varcoe-coached Superoos to upset the Maroons will be led by Luke Lougoon, Andrew Cussen, Ryan Duncan, Kobe Galvin, Liam Shiell and Daniel Walters.
Mitiamo also has Nathan Twigg in the ruck, Waylon Draper, Kia Coatsworth and Bryce Laird in defence.
A 13th victory is in the sights of Pyramid Hill as it hosts Maiden Gully YCW at Mitchell Park.
The Nathan Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs will be keen to play well leading into a qualifying final showdown with Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
A strong attack for the Bulldogs includes Zach Alford, Braidy Dickens and Bailey Scott.
Pyramid Hill’s team to face the Eagles includes Ben Knight, Steven and Mitch Gunther, Adrian Holland, Bryden and Dylan Morison, and Ed Caburnay.
Best for Maiden Gully YCW in last Saturday’s clash with Bears-Lagoon Serpentine were Ed Crisp, Declan Phyland, Lachie Sobina, Thomas Pridgeon, Josh Worsley and Mitch Whitham.
The Eagles are coached by Shawn Filo, non-playing, and former Essendon and Port Adelaide forward Angus Monfries, playing.
Bridgewater is on home turf to tackle Calivil United.
The Rick Ladson-coached Mean Machine is locked into another elimination final appearance.
Lachlan Sharp kicked 14 goals in Bridgewater’s latest victory and is a key cog in an attack that includes captain Josh Martyn, Harry Conway and Tyler Estrada.
The Mean Machine also has Lee Coghlan a Michelsen medallist and premiership winner at Sandhurst in a forward pocket.
Other key players for Bridgewater include Jack Neylon in the centre, ruck-rover Jon Coghlan, Joseph Mayes, Boden Alexander and Harry McKinley.
Calivil United will be keen to play well in what will be a final game for Anthony Dennis as coach.
The Demons’ line-up includes Jack and Sam Maher, Ben Baker, Hamish Wall, Rhys Lourie, Sam Green, Justin Hynes, and Ethan Mulqueen.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine has the bye.
Loddon Valley senior footy ladder:
Marong 348 per cent, 56 points; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 223, 52; Pyramid Hill 289, 48; Bridgewater 162, 40; Newbridge 71, 24; Calivil United 58, 20; Inglewood 56, 16; Maiden Gully YCW 37, 16; Mitiamo 28, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
120 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
93 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
53 Kain Robins, Marong.
50 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
40 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
38 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
37 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
34 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
31 Farran Priest, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
30 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
29 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
28 Josh Martyn, Bridgewater.
25 Noah McCaig, Marong.
25 James Rippingale, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
23 Justin Laird, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
20 Anthony Dennis, Calivil United.
20 Andy Gladman, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
19 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
18 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
17 Caleb Sanders, Newbridge.
16 Braidy Dickens, Pyramid Hill.
16 Damon Hemphill, Pyramid Hill.
16 Lachlan Lee, Marong.
16 Declan Phyland, Maiden Gully YCW.
15 Bailey George, Pyramid Hill.
15 Steven Gunther, Pyramid Hill.
14 Kyle Manley, Marong.
14 Jack Neylon, Bridgewater.
14 Andrew Padbury, Newbridge.
14 Seb Relouw, Pyramid Hill.
14 Matt Riordan, Marong.
13 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
13 Harry Conway, Bridgewater.
13 Jaydon Cowling, Pyramid Hill.
13 Charlie Gadsden, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13 Doolan Nihill, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13 Daniel Polack, Inglewood.
12 Sam Gale, Newbridge.
12 Ben Knight, Pyramid Hill.
12 Jack McCaig, Marong.
12 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
12 Ross Turner, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
11 Todd Delaney, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Josiah Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Liam Shiell, Mitiamo.
10 Brayden Baines, Mitiamo.
10 Jack Burns, Pyramid Hill.
10 Brodie Carroll, Pyramid Hill.
10 Tyler Estrada, Bridgewater.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
10 Alex Lloyd, Mitiamo.
10 Liam Marciano, Inglewood.
10 Ben McKinley, Newbridge.
10 Tyler McLeod, Newbridge.