FOR the first time Mount Pleasant and North Bendigo will contest a Bendigo Bank Heathcote DNFL senior footy grand final this Saturday.
The historic clash between the Blues and Bulldogs will be played at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve from 2.20pm.
Mount Pleasant is chasing its 21st premiership as the Bulldogs eye a fourth in the Heathcote DFNL and eighth in its history.
It’s a huge day for North Bendigo as all three footy teams will be in action.
The Bulldogs have never had all three footy line-ups be premiers in the same season.
This season’s meetings on the senior footy front stand at two-one in favour of the Blues.
First meeting of this season was in round five at Toolleen.
The Dogs led 42-40 at three quarter-time and then powered away in the last to win 86-52.
Mount Pleasant also took the points in a dramatic 78-75 victory in the Bulldogs’ kennel at Bendigo Club in Atkins Street in the 14th round.
Most recent showdown was the second semi-final at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval where Mounts won 87-54.
The Bulldogs kept dangerous forward Ben Weightman goalless, but there were plenty of other contributors in the Mounts attack.
A premiership winner with Golden Square in ’23, Jack Hickman was selected as rover in this season’s Heathcote DFNL Team of the Year.
The Blues also had gun defender and co-captain William Wallace selected.
Six Bulldogs earned Team of the Year honours – Will Gilmore, half-back; Ryan Hartley, centre and captain; Jake Dean, half-forward; Dylan Klemm, centre half-forward; Cody Riddick, forward pocket; and Nic Waterson, ruck-rover.
There will be many crucial match-ups which decide who takes the ’25 premiership cup.
In the ruck Mount Pleasant co-captain Chris Down takes on Jordan Hargreaves.
In a competition where there’s plenty of great ruckmen, Down and Hargreaves are two of the best.
Among the highs of Down’s career were being best afield in Mount Pleasant’s grand final victory against Heathcote in 2023.
Recruited to the Bulldogs from Wedderburn, Hargreaves has had an outstanding season.
Major strengths of both players are their tapwork, leadership, and ability to get back and support their defence.
The Blues’ starters in the centre bounces are likely to be co-coaches Josh Hann and Adam Baird, and Jack Hickman.
They are up against Bulldogs’ co-coach Ryan Hartley, Ryan Gillingham and Harrison Jarvie.
There’s plenty of goalscoring power in both line-ups.
Mounts have Ben Weightman, Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Mitch Rovers, Michael Whiting and Caelan Smith.
In ’23 it was Caelan Smith who kicked three goals, which included two in a rampaging final quarter by the Blues.
There will be big roles played by North Bendigo defenders Will Gilmore, Matt Gray, captain Aarryn Craig, Ryan Alford and Hamish McCartney.
The Blues have the running power and skill of Joey Bell, Bailey and Fletcher White, Jack Teasdale, Riley McNamara and Reardon McIvor.
A huge plus for North Bendigo is the versatility and premiership-winning experience of Jordan Ford.
Plenty of North Bendigo’s attacks are set up by the hard-running Nic Waterson, Riley Paetow and Bailey Cain.
A formidable North Bendigo attack is bolstered by the return of Darcy Richards who served a two-match ban for rough conduct in the round 18 clash.
The athleticism and marking power of Dylan Klemm and Cody Riddick will test the Blues, as will the smarts of Jake Dean in the Bulldogs’ forward line.
There is also big-game experience in the respective coaching panels.
Josh Hann joined the Blues after a successful stint with Kerang and previously Sandhurst.
An outstanding record for Adam Baird includes six premierships, with several being at Golden Square.
Mount Pleasant
Adam Baird, Joey Bell, Mitch Bennett, Chris Down c, Coby Dunlop, Sam Greene, Seb Greene, Josh Hann, Jack Hickman, Bryce Hinneberg, Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Reardon McIvor, Riley McNamara, Mitch Rovers, Caelan Smith, Jack Teasdale, Jesse Tuohey, William Wallace c, Ben Weightman, Bailey White, Fletcher White, Michael Whiting, Deklan Wille.
Co-coaches: Josh Hann and Adam Baird.
Director of coaching: Cameron Carter.
North Bendigo
Ryan Alford, Bailey Cain, Jesse Clark, Aarryn Craig c, Jake Dean, Liam Dillon, Tyson Findlay, Jordan Ford, Ryan Gillingham, Will Gilmore, Storm Giri, Matt Gray, Jordan Hargreaves, Ryan Hartley, Harrison Jarvie, Dylan Klemm, Hamish McCartney, Riley Paetow, Darcy Richards, Cody Riddick, Billy Robertson, Lachlan Ross, Nic Waterson.
Coaches: Rob Bennett, non-playing, Ryan Hartley, playing.
Mount Pleasant’s run to the grand final:
Rd 1: d Heathcote, 169-55 at M.J. Morgan Oval, Colbinabbin.
Rd 2: d Lockington Bamawm United, 87-37 at Nichol Trading Oval, Lockington.
Rd 3: d Leitchville Gunbower, 118-32 at Toolleen.
Rd 4: d Elmore, 120-60 at Elmore.
Rd 5: lt North Bendigo, 52-86 at Toolleen.
Rd 6: d White Hills, 87-67 at White Hills.
Rd 7: lt Huntly, 72-74 at Toolleen.
Rd 8: bye.
Rd 9: lt Colbinabbin, 40-56 at M.J. Morgan Oval, Colbinabbin.
Rd 10: d Heathcote, 117-101 at Pigeon Park, Heathcote.
Rd 11: d Lockington Bamawm United, 127-91 at Toolleen.
Rd 12: d Leitchville Gunbower, 78-54 at Gunbower.
Rd 13: d Elmore, 149-62 at Toolleen.
Rd 14: d North Bendigo, 78-75 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 15: d White Hills, 87-19 at Toolleen.
Rd 16: d Huntly, 145-45 at Strauch Reserve, Huntly.
Rd 17: bye.
Rd 18: d Colbinabbin, 97-70 at Toolleen.
Qualifying final: d Colbinabbin, 87-54 at Gunbower.
Second semi-final: d North Bendigo, 63-57 at M.J. Morgan Oval, Colbinabbin.
North Bendigo’s run to the grand final:
Rd 1: d Elmore, 86-78 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 2: bye.
Rd 3: d White Hills, 203-33 at White Hills.
Rd 4: d Huntly, 136-41 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 5: d Mount Pleasant, 86-52 at Toolleen.
Rd 6: d Colbinabbin, 102-80 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 7: d Heathcote, 188-38 at Pigeon Park, Heathcote.
Rd 8: d Lockington Bamawm United, 103-30 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 9: d Leitchville Gunbower, 48-27 at Leitchville.
Rd 10: d Elmore, 187-47 at Elmore.
Rd 11: bye.
Rd 12: d White Hills, 199-44 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 13: d Huntly, 97-59 at Strauch Reserve, Huntly.
Rd 14: lt Mount Pleasant, 75-78 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 15: d Colbinabbin, 36-12 at M.J. Morgan Oval, Colbinabbin.
Rd 16: d Heathcote, 173-51 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Rd 17: d Lockington Bamawm United, 120-72 at Nichol Trading Oval, Lockington.
Rd 18: d Leitchville Gunbower, 81-66 at Bendigo Club Oval, North Bendigo.
Second semi-final: lt Mount Pleasant, 57-63 at M.J. Morgan Oval, Colbinabbin.
Preliminary final: d Colbinabbin, 148-92 at Elmore.
In the reserves it’s a showdown between the Blues and Bulldogs as Mount Pleasant takes on North Bendigo from 11.50am.
Unbeaten in the run to the finals, North Bendigo could not halt Mount Pleasant’s charge to an impressive 77-40 victory in the second semi-final.
The Blues were up 69-26 by three quarter-time of the clash at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
Mount Pleasant co-coach Tyler McNamara kicked four goals to be among the best with Hayden Gillingham, Zac Featherby and Jesse O’Connell.
A week earlier and the Blues marked a 75-20 win against Huntly Hawks in the qualifying final on Gunbower’s turf.
Stung by its first defeat of the final, North Bendigo won last Saturday’s preliminary final against Huntly by eight points.
The Bulldogs were up 64-33 going into the last quarter, but the Hawks fought back brilliantly to score a hat-trick of goals.
The Tim Devereux and Daniel Reid-coached Bulldogs won a great contest, 67-59, as ruckman Jeremy Lambden, half-back Harlan Draper, and Denzel Cooper were best.
For the grand final, Mount Pleasant is bolstered by the inclusion of the experienced Brodie Montague.
A premiership winner at senior level with Sandhurst, Montague also earned the R.F. Turner medal as best afield as the Dragons won the reserves grand final in 2018.
The Blues also have the skilful Shaun Young who was a multiple senior premiership winner at Golden Square, captain Oliver Bish and Ryan Patrick Pontell.
North Bendigo’s team for the grand final includes Nathan Newlan who was a triple winner of the Alan McDonald Medal as fairest and best in the Bendigo FNL reserves.
Newlan achieved the feat with Kangaroo Flat in 2015 and ’16, and then at South Bendigo in 2018.
Other key players for the red, white and blue include captain Jack Towers across half-back, Zaiyden Richards, Callum Tardew and Austin Robinson.
Mount Pleasant
Baxter Ash, Oliver Bish c, Jeremy Brewer, Nick Butler, Ryan Butler, Daniel Dempster, Tom Dunham, Zac Featherby, Hayden Gillingham, James Gledhill, Jacob Hopley, Reardon McIvor, Jack McKenzie, Tyler McNamara, Ben Miller, Brodie Montague, Connor Mulquiny, Jaxson Nihill, Jesse O’Connell, Ryan Patrick Pontell, Jacob Smith, Shaun Young.
Coaches: Tyler McNamara, Luke Marchesi.
North Bendigo
Pat Bogers, Brandon Butler, Denzel Cooper, Ryan Domaille, Harlan Draper, Brandon Etherington, Seth Galvin, Lucas Keating, Jacob King, Jeremy Lambden, Senna Marsili, Jack Mills, Josh Newlan, Nathan Newlan, Brayden Oates, Jack Pysing, Zaiyden Richards, Dylan Riddick, Austin Robinson, Nic Swan, Callum Tardrew, Tom Tavaga, Brodie Thomson, Jack Towers c, Tyson Tresize.
Coaches: Tim Devereaux, Daniel Reid.
Grand final day kicks off with the under-18s clash between North Bendigo and White Hills at 9.30am.
The Dan Farrelly and Jack Pysing-coached North Bendigo has sights on being undefeated premiers.
White Hills is chasing back-to-back premierships.
In the home-and-away series, North Bendigo beat the Demons by 23 and 30 points.
It was a closely-fought contest between these teams across the opening three quarters of the second semi-final.
The Bulldogs led 30-28 at three quarter-time and then scored three unanswered goals to complete a 51-28 victory.
The Demons fired up to win the preliminary final against Lockington Bamawm United by 31 points.
Dustin Crawford, Max Miller and Tamba Basha were best for the Nick Wallace and Harry Sheilds-coached team in red and black.
Bulldogs’ co-captains Will Bennett and Jett Grundy have had outstanding seasons.
A tally of 33 votes earnt Bennett the David Roulston Medal as league fairest and best.
The play of Bennett and Grundy at centre clearances and around the ground sets up plenty of Bulldogs’ attacks.
Players to watch in the red, white and blue include Noah Filo, Sam Hancock, Oliver Lythgo, Harry Pysing and Jimmy Webb.
The Demons will look for big games from Patrick Conlan, Jackson Lowery, Ben Masters and Ari Morrissey to outrun the Bulldogs and for captain Noah Jorgensen-Slimmon to raise the premiership cup.
North Bendigo
Ben Andrews, Will Bennett c, Joe Bratby, Jeremy Corr, Oscar Farrelly, Noah Filo, Ethan Giddings, Jett Grundy c, Sam Hancock, Liam Hanley, Max Hibbs, Zac Hinck, Harper Hodgens, Ned Howe, Oliver Lythgo, Angus Martin, Joey Mizzi, Max Paetow, Harry Pysing, Seb Rossi, Archie Stevens, Jimmy Webb, Liam Westerway.
Coaches: Dan Farrelly, Jack Pysing.
White Hills:
Oliver Allan, Tamba Basha, Lucas Boyle, Cohen-James Brown, Patrick Conlan, Dustin Crawford, Liam Cummings, Brodie Doyle, Nathan Finch, Mason Holm, Noah Jorgensen-Slimmon c, Tom Kuchel, Jackson Lowery, Will Malone, Ben Masters, Jack McGrath, Finn Millar, Harry Miller, Max Miller, Ari Morrissey, Angus O’Brien, Talan Schultz. Emergencies: Dustin Murley, Jacob Langtree.
Coaches: Nick Wallace, Harry Sheilds.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve:
Under-18s at 9.30am: North Bendigo v White Hills.
Reserves at 11.50am: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.
Seniors at 2.20pm: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.