THE rematch of last season’s A-grade netball grand finalists, Mount Pleasant and Colbinabbin highlights Saturday’s fourth round in the Agnico Eagle Fosterville Gold Mine Heathcote DFNL season.
Mount Pleasant has home-court advantage in Toolleen when it takes on the reigning premier from 2.30pm.
Both teams take unbeaten records into this contest.
The Anthea McCleary-coached Mount Pleasant won last Sunday’s match against Lockington Bamawm United at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval by 36 goals.
Key inclusion to the Blues line-up since last season’s grand final is gun goaler Kelsey Meade from Sandhurst.
A multiple premiership winner with the maroon and blue, Meade is also assistant coach for a talented Mount Pleasant team.
Unbeaten in the run to premiership glory in ’25, Colbinabbin won its latest hit-out at home at M.J. Morgan Oval by 27 goals.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Grasshoppers were too slick for the Demons in all thirds of the court.
In the centre Colbinabbin has Olivia McEvoy who added the 300-game milestone to an incredible record which includes three Esther Cheatley Medals as league fairest and best, and multiple premiership victories in the green and gold.
White Hills will be aiming to bounce back from defeat when it hosts Elmore from 2.30pm at Scott Street.
The Demons began the season with back-to-back wins at home against Huntly, 47-37, and Lockington Bamawm United, 68-41.
Been a tough start for Elmore which was at home against Colbinabbin in round one, had a bye, and then hosted North Bendigo last Sunday.
The Adam Boldiston-coached Bloods have been beaten by margins of 36 and eight goals.
Elmore’s defensive pressure and work to capitalise on attacking moves will be crucial in taking the points from the Demons’ den.
It’s the Bombers against the Hawks as Leitchville Gunbower faces Harlowe Huntly Hawks in Gunbower from 2.30pm.
The Katie Pollock-coached Leitchville Gunbower had the bye last round.
After starting with a 59-goal loss at home to Mount Pleasant in round one the LG Bombers struck back to beat Heathcote at Gunbower by six goals.
A first semi-finalist last season, Huntly rolls into this round on a one-two record.
Outpointed by White Hills and Mount Pleasant in the opening two games the Kym Bell and Ashlea Sherlock-coached Hawks soared to a 26-goal win against Heathcote last Sunday.
Heathcote or Lockington Bamawm United will break their winless run when they meet at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve from 2.30pm.
The Brooke Price-coached Heathcote will be rapt to be at home after being on the road to Gunbower and Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Lockington Bamawm United started the season with a 10-goal loss at home against North Bendigo.
Since then the Stacy Barcon-coached Cats have faced White Hills and Mount Pleasant.
North Bendigo has the bye.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL A-grade netball competition:
Mount Pleasant 228 per cent, 12 points; Colbinabbin 190, 12; White Hills 107, 8; North Bendigo 92, 8; Huntly 86, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 56, 4; Heathcote 69, 0; Lockington Bamawm United 62, 0; Elmore 58, 0.
Heathcote DFNL netball ladders after three rounds:
A-reserve:
Mount Pleasant 237 per cent, 12 points; Colbinabbin 130, 12; North Bendigo 147, 8; White Hills 113, 8; Huntly 117, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 68, 4; Elmore 60, 0; Heathcote 45, 0; Lockington Bamawm United 42, 0.
B-grade:
White Hills 203 per cent, 12 points; Mount Pleasant 171, 12; Elmore 116, 8; Leitchville Gunbower 89, 4; Huntly 84, 4; Colbinabbin 73, 4; North Bendigo 93, 2; Lockington Bamawm United 49, 2; Heathcote 75, 0.
B-reserve:
Huntly 143 per cent, 12 points; Lockington Bamawm United 141, 12; North Bendigo 150, 8; Heathcote 153, 4; White Hills 121, 4; Elmore 115, 4; Mount Pleasant 89, 4; Colbinabbin 33, 0; Leitchville Gunbower 31, 0.
17-and-under:
White Hills 162 per cent, 12 points; Mount Pleasant 145, 12; Elmore 129, 6; Colbinabbin 66, 6; Leitchville Gunbower 104, 4; Lockington Bamawm United 103, 4; Huntly 94, 4; North Bendigo 72, 0; Heathcote 47, 0.
15-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United 229 per cent, 12 points; White Hills 162, 8; Colbinabbin 100, 8; Mount Pleasant 90, 8; Heathcote 118, 4; Elmore 94, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 91, 4; Huntly 49, 0; North Bendigo 45, 0.
13-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United 261 per cent, 12 points; Colbinabbin 145, 12; Leitchville Gunbower 475, 8; Huntly 119, 8; Elmore 123, 4; Mount Pleasant 100, 4; North Bendigo 49, 0; White Hills 46, 0; Heathcote 4, 0.
Meanwhile in the football action……..THE unbeaten run by Mount Pleasant or Colbinabbin will be broken in Saturday’s fourth round in the Agnico Eagle Fosterville Gold Mine Heatchcote DFNL senior footy match at Toolleen.
It’s first against second from 2.20pm.
The Blues and Grasshoppers have made strong starts to their season.
Mounts won last Sunday’s match at Lockington by 59 points as Colbinabbin marked a 53-point win at home against White Hills.
There will be plenty of exciting match-ups in the battle of the Blues and Grasshoppers.
Mounts on-ballers in Jack Hickman, coach Josh Hann, ruckman Jett Nicholas and Brodie Montague will take on Isaac Carracher, Aidan Basile, Jasper McArdle and Laine Fitzgerald.
Key players for a Blues team which has Cam Carter as non-playing co-coach include William Wallace, Ben Weightman, Caelan Smith, Brodie Montague and Alex Wharton.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin welcomes back the skilful Domonic Grant who recently played in the Northern Territory for St Mary’s.
Brandyn Grenfell is again the main target in the Grasshoppers’ attack.
Colbinabbin’s line-up to play the Blues includes Jai Carn, Tanner Nally, William Le Deux, and Charlie, Jue and Sam Ryan.
Another big match will be at nearby Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve where the Saints take on Lockington Bamawm United.
The Saints fought on for a 70-64 win at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve last Sunday.
A Heathcote team coached by Andrew Saladino, non-playing, and Liam Jacques, playing, will be keen to win its first home game of the season.
Gun recruit Stefan Rasinac was Heathcote’s best against Leitchville Gunbower and then at Huntly.
The Saints’ squad includes Rhys Bolton, Hugh Freckleton, Daniel and Dylan Johnstone, Will Tobin, and Dillon and Sean Williams.
After starting the season with a four-point win against North Bendigo at home Lockington Bamawm United was beaten at White Hills by three points and then by Mount Pleasant.
Big keys to the Jayden Howe-coached Cats squaring the ledger will be the play of Marcus Angove, Brodie Collins, Charlie Hinks, Thomas Leech, Tyler Phillips, and Bowden Stone.
It’s the Bombers against the Hawks as Leitchville Gunbower and the Harlowe Huntly Hawks meet in Gunbower.
The Joel Donehue-coached LG Bombers had the bye last round after an 11-point win at home against Heathcote.
Huge role to be played by Jye Keath at full-back against Huntly’s gun forward Sam Dunstan.
In the centre it will be Nic Cattapan opposed to Hawks’ skipper Steve Kairn.
A talented on-ball group for the Bombers of Sam Cheatley medallist Jobee Warde, Josh Koster and James Brereton will take on Nathan Dunstan, Todd Stevenson and Nic Roberts.
LG’s key targets in attack in Jack Dye and Ryan Allan lock horns with Will Lee and Kyle Forster.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Huntly knows a nil-four start will make it incredibly difficult to reach the finals.
White Hills is back on its turf in Scott Street to play Elmore.
The Brad McConnell and Lachie Sawyer-coached Demons were outplayed at Colbinabbin last Sunday.
A superb start to the season by the red and black included back-to-back wins against Huntly and LBU.
Key players for White Hills include captain Jake Thompson, Tom Conlan, Cohen Kekich, Ben Irvine, Mitch Dole and Jack Lawton.
Elmore is bolstered by the inclusion of former Castlemaine on-baller Matt Filo.
The Luke Freeman-coached Bloods will be eyeing a stronger start to this match.
Players to watch for Elmore include captain Rhys Holmberg, James Harney at full-forward, ruck-rover Matt O’Dwyer, Thomas Hughes, and Xavier Coghill.
North Bendigo has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Mount Pleasant 159 per cent, 12 points; Colbinabbin 133, 12; White Hills 85, 8; North Bendigo 113, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 104, 4; Heathcote 96, 4; Lockington Bamawm United 77, 4; Huntly 73, 0; Elmore 67 , 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
11 Brandyn Grenfell, C.
11 Tyler Phillips, LBU; Jake Thompson, WH.
9 Dylan Klemm, NB.
7 Bryce Hinneberg, MP.
6 Ryan Allan, LG; Tom Conlan, WH; Sam Dunstan, Huntly; Dylan Johnstone, H’cote; Ben Weightman, MP.
5 Bailey Cain, NB; Laine Fitzgerald, C; Alex Wharton, MP.