By Nathan Dole
AFTER an exhaustive slog through summer training the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District FNL clubs are just weeks away from fighting for premiership points on the footy ovals and netball courts.
All clubs were incredibly active in landing several gun recruits as they strive for the ultimate prize or to be more competitive than last season.
There were also plenty of changes on the coaching front.
Action kicks off April 12 in which the opening round will be highlighted by night matches at Winslow Constructors Oval in White Hills and at Lockington.
Here’s a club-by-club glance leading into the ’25 campaign:
Colbinabbin
After a hat-trick of premiership victories as Marong’s senior coach, Linton Jacobs makes his way back from the Loddon Valley to take charge at the Grasshoppers.
The club has appointed Tim Kelly as assistant coach.
The green and gold will be determined to build on last season’s win-loss tally of eight-eight across the home-and-away series.
Colbinabbin’s run was ended by Heathcote as the Saints won the elimination final by eight points.
The Grasshoppers have gained gun full-forward Brandyn Grenfell who will significantly bolster the team’s scoring output.
Grenfell passed the century mark in Marong’s premiership years of ’22 and ’23 and also starred in Nyah Nyah West United’s run to grand final glory last season.
Colbinabbin also welcomes back Matt Riordan who played in the club’s premiership victory in 2008 and starred for Marong last season.
Riordan’s versatility and marking ability are two of many strengths he brings to the field.
Newcomers in the green and gold include Isaac Carracher from Sandhurst, Dominic Monteleone from Shepparton, Nullawil’s Dean Smith, University Blues’ Sam Ryan, and Daniel Hill from Perth’s Curtin University.
After a first-round bye, Colbinabbin takes on Heathcote at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve in round two.
The stretch of away games in the opening month of the season has the Grasshoppers to play at Lockington in round three and then at Leitchville a week later.
Elmore
A lucrative recruiting spree by the Nathan Kay-coached Bloods netted Tullamarine’s Matt O’Dwyer and Phil Smith who bring experience from being at AFL clubs to Elmore.
Both are likely to play in defence for the Bloods.
O’Dwyer played seven AFL matches for Sydney Swans across the 2008 and ’09 seasons.
Smith also played at VFL level with Box Hill Hawks and Williamstown.
The Nathan Kay-coached Bloods will be desperate to improve on last year’s win-loss record of 1-15.
In terms of goals kicked from opportunities, James Harney was one of the league’s best last season as he led Elmore’s attack on 57 majors.
A lengthy list of newcomers to the club includes Riley Chivers-Sellings and Harri Jenkins from Cohuna Kangas; White Hills ruckman Reilley Porter; Oska Macfarlane from Moama; Rochester’s Cooper Harbour; Jackson Lowry from Kyabram; and Liam Bianco from Avondale Heights.
Elmore fans will also be keen to see the play of Echuca’s Charlie O’Toole; Lachie Munro from Park Orchards; Lachie Gawel from De La Salle; Kyan Evans from Lyndhurst; and Nash Kerr from Wycheproof Narraport, now Calder United.
A tough start for the Bloods as they play at North Bendigo in round one and then host White Hills in the second round.
Elmore then plays at Huntly and then takes on Mount Pleasant at home.
Heathcote
The Saints’ run in ’25 was ended when the first semi-final against Leitchville Gunbower was abandoned in the third quarter because of lightning and heavy rain.
The LG Bombers held a two-point lead and went on to contest the grand final.
Disappointment from that scenario will drive Heathcote’s players and coaches all season.
It’s a fourth season in charge for coach Andrew Saladino who will be assisted by Tim Bannan.
A new-look Saints team will include 200cm ruckman Aaron Gundry who kicked from Coates Talent League action with Bendigo Pioneers to play at VFL level with Carlton and Coburg Tigers.
The past few seasons Gundry has played at Avondale Heights and Doncaster.
In attack the Saints will have Dylan Johnstone from Cohuna Kangas as a key target.
Johnstone’s career includes time at Golden Square.
Other ‘ins’ for the Saints include Will Tobin from Bell Park, Dunolly’s Oscar Keogh, defender Harley Burmeister-Lyons, and mid/forward Justin Bateson from Kangaroo Flat.
A knee injury meant the classy Zak Saad played just nine matches, but did kick 23 goals in his debut season with Heathcote.
The Saints start the season against fierce rival Mount Pleasant at Toolleen.
In round two Heathcote is on home turf at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve to tackle Colbinabbin.
A bye in round three will be followed by the hit-out at Lockington.
Huntly
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks soared to six victories on their way to seventh placing in ’24.
Second-year coach Hamish Morcom will be determined to build on the brown and gold’s momentum.
The Hawks have Darby Walsh as assistant coach.
Key recruits include Sam and Nathan Dunstan from Corowa-Rutherglen to play as full-forward and ruckman respectively.
An attack which has Sam Dunstan and Lachy Wilson as key targets will test all defences.
Experienced midfielder Jayden Cowling also returns to Strauch Reserve from a stint with Pyramid Hill in the Loddon Valley.
Cowling is joined by Bulldogs’ team-mate Jack Burns.
Other newcomers are Golden Square’s Lachlan Ross; Sandhurst’s Jameson Barber; and Dion Rafaeles from Mitiamo.
It’s consecutive away games to start the season as the Hawks travel to Lockington and then Leitchville.
First home game will be against Elmore in round three.
A great run by the Hawks last season included beating North Bendigo both times.
Huntly returns to the Atkins Street kennel in round four.
Leitchville-Gunbower
The Shannon Keam-coached LG Bombers soared into last season’s grand final on the back of a 10-6 record to be third in the home-and-away series.
Stung by a one-goal loss to North Bendigo in the qualifying final the Bombers led in the third quarter when the first semi-final against Heathcote was abandoned.
The Bombers then beat North Bendigo in the preliminary final by 19 points before they met a rampaging White Hills in the grand final.
Most of the team which played in the season decider will play on.
Among them will be ruckman Jobee Warde who earnt the Sam Cheatley Medal as league fairest and best.
A talented squad in red, yellow and black includes Tom Brereton, Joel Donehue, Josh Hawken, Brady Hore, Chris Horman, Jye Keath and Austin Windridge.
Across the summer James Brereton and Billy Hawken played in the Northern Territory.
Both were premiership winners with Banks in the NTFL Premier Reserves competition.
A newcomer is the experienced Colin McVeigh who has played at Hastings, Northern Blues, and Koondrook Barham.
The Bombers also welcome back Fletcher Ball and Ben Embleton to a squad in which Ayden Walton is assistant coach.
It’s a rematch of the ’24 grand final under the White Hills lights in round one.
The Bombers then take on Huntly at Leitchville in round two and then play on Mount Pleasant’s turf at Toolleen.
Opening month of the season is rounded out by hosting Colbinabbin at Leitchville.
Lockington Bamawm United
Consistency will be the key for the LBU Cats following a 5-11 record and eighth placing last season.
The Cats have appointed Jayden Howe as senior coach.
Recruits at Lockington include Echuca ruckman/forward Cody Mann, Luke Saligari from Clunes, forward/midfielder Nick Sheldon and defender Jack O’Callaghan who played in the Goulburn Valley and Picola leagues.
The Cats kick off the season with a run of four home games in a row.
First-up will be the night match against Huntly and then Mount Pleasant, Colbinabbin and Heathcote.
It’s a testing rung for the new coach and new-look team against three of last season’s finalists in the opening four rounds.
Mount Pleasant
The Blues fell from being reigning premier to the sixth rung and a 7-9 record last season.
Gun on-baller Josh Hann makes his way from Kerang to Toolleen to be playing co-coach as Cam Carter stays on as non-playing coach.
Mounts is likely to be a serious challenger for a top-three berth and higher in ’25.
Premiership winners Bryce Hinneberg and Will Wallace are back at Toolleen.
The defence will be bolstered by the return of both who spent last season playing for Trentham and Northern Bullants respectively.
Joey Bell is also back with Mounts from Prahran.
The on-ball division is strengthened by the recruitment of Brodie Montague who was a senior premiership player with Sandhurst in 2016.
Montague’s running power and work at centre clearances with ruckman Chris Down will be a key to the Blues’ game plan.
Other recruits at Mount Pleasant include Seb Greene and Brodie Leonard-Shannon from Maldon, Ed Harrop from Sandhurst juniors, Charlie Cowan and Harvey Hughes from Huntly juniors, and Harley Strachan from Strathfieldsaye juniors.
Mount Pleasant kicks off the season by facing Heathcote at Toolleen.
The Blues then travel to Lockington and then host Leitchville Gunbower in round three.
Action in round four includes the clash of the Bloods and Blues on Elmore’s turf.
North Bendigo
Plenty of premiership-winning experience was added to North Bendigo’s squad following last season’s third placing.
The Bulldogs marked a 12-4 record across the home-and-away series and then won the qualifying final against Leitchville Gunbower.
A 10-goal loss to White Hills in the second semi was followed by the preliminary final defeat inflicted by the LG Bombers.
Rob Bennett stays on non-playing coach as Ryan Hartley steps up from being assistant in ’24 to now be co-coach.
A powerful attack will include Ryan Gillingham, a nine-time premiership winner with Kerang, and Darcy Richards, a triple premiership winner with the Bulldogs who returns from Eaglehawk.
The ruck set-up will be led by Jordan Hargreaves from Wedderburn as premiership winner Jeremy Lambden makes a comeback.
New and/or returning players to Atkins Street include Ben Knight from Pyramid Hill, Jesse Clark and Lachlan Ross from Kerang, Jacob Piccoli from Wedderburn, Haidyn Minnis from Maiden Gully YCW, and Zaidyn Richards from Dunolly.
The Bulldogs are at home for the first-round clash with Elmore.
After a bye, North Bendigo plays at White Hills and will then be in the kennel again to tackle the Huntly Hawks.
White Hills
Although there’s been plenty of focus on who left the reigning premier, White Hills will still field a strong line-up in ’25.
New coach Peter Learmonth brings hundreds of games of experience, including a stint at Golden Square, to the den.
Talented on-baller Ben Taylor also steps up to be co-coach of the red and black.
Newcomers at Scott Street include Eaglehawk forward/wingman Andrew Bennett, Strathfieldsaye defender Jacob Beattie; and Bridgewater’s Ben Irvine.
A talented attack includes Cohen Kekich and Mitch Dole.
The Demons kick off the season with the grand final rematch against Leitchville Gunbower under the Winslow Constructors Oval lights in Scott Street.
White Hills then plays at Elmore in round two and then hosts North Bendigo in the third round before a bye.
A brilliant run by White Hills in ’25 included a 14-2 record and top spot at the end of the home-and-away series.
A 64-point win against North Bendigo in the second semi was followed by a 71-point victory against Leitchville Gunbower to end the premiership drought.
It’s a vastly different line-up which is hungry to achieve back-to-back premierships.