MARONG renews its rivalry with Pyramid Hill in Saturday’s start to the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy finals series.
The Panthers and Bulldogs meet in the qualifying final at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval at 2.30pm.
Marong’s run of four consecutive premierships includes wins against Pyramid Hill in 2024 by six goals, and a year earlier in Inglewood by 16 points.
This season’s meetings between the clubs stand at one-all.
The Jarrod Fitzpatrick-coached Pyramid Hill won the Michael Herrick Memorial in round four at Jackal Oval in Malone Park by 47 points.
In the 13th round the James Flaherty-coached Panthers fired up for a 78-46 victory at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
A win-loss tally of 16-2 meant Marong ended the home-and-away series in second place.
Pyramid Hill has a 15-3 record.
Leaders in Marong’s attack have been Cooper Hale, 53 goals; Shaun Knott, 27; and Ryley Taylor, 26.
The Panthers have shown they do not rely on two or three players to slot goals as Noah McCaig, Michael Bradbury, Lachlan Lee, Brad Matthews and Ray McNamara have regularly featured on the goalkicking list.
A key focus for Marong in this final will be cutting supply or limiting the impact of Pyramid Hill’s Jhye Baddeley-Kelly.
After crossing from Boort for this season, Baddeley-Kelly has kicked 119 goals.
Next best for the Bulldogs are Zach Alford, 21 goals; and Will Quinlivan, 18.
There will be many crucial match-ups in the qualifying final.
Marong full-back Brodie Hartland has first go against Baddeley-Kelly.
A Panthers’ defence which includes Matt Willox, Jacob Ede and Declan Highgate takes on Zach Alford, Jarrod Fitzpatrick and James Sala.
In the centre, Marong captain Nathan Devanny has plenty of big-game experience to draw on against Harrison Goodes.
On-ball duels are crucial at every level of the game.
Marong ruckman Michael Bradbury will team up with Jai Gretgrix and Jimmy Gadsden against Tom Downie, Bulldogs’ captain Ben Knight, and Levi Moss.
Panthers’ forwards Cooper Hale, Shaun Knott and Ryan Taylor will be opposed by Robby Bartee, Gavin James and Blake Gibson.
On Sunday it will be Inglewood and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles fighting to stay in the premiership race when they meet in the elimination final at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Blues and Eagles.
Inglewood won the round seven match in the Eagles’ nest at Marist College Oval by 59 points.
Next time around it was Maiden Gully YCW which won a 55-53 thriller on the Blues’ turf at Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
An 11-7 record meant the Jackson Hood-coached Blues finished the home-and-away series in fourth place.
The Eagles soared into the finals after last Saturday’s 14-goal win against Calivil United as Macorna was thrashed by the ladder-leading Bridgewater.
Key players for Inglewood include ruck-rover Liam Marciano, Bregon Cotchett in the centre, ruckman Thomas Kennedy, and Will Allen, Luke Matheson and Gabe Nevins in defence.
The Blues’ attack is led by Mishca Fraillon, 37 goals.
Other targets include Charles Ingham, Kai Cavallaro and captain Daniel Polack.
The play of Daniel Russell at centre half-back, Tahlan Brook at full-back, ruck-rover Mitch Hill, and Tye Bedford in the centre will have a huge bearing on the Eagles’ chances.
In attack Todd Delahey teams up Ed Crisp and captain Josh Worsley.
The Eagles also regain co-coach Angus Monfries who has not played since the round 16 win on Inglewood’s turf.
Monfries brings experience from AFL level at Essendon and Port Adelaide to an Eagles’ team which has Shawn Filo as non-playing co-coach.
In the reserves competition, Inglewood meets Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the qualifying final at 12.30pm.
The Blues have won both showdowns with the Eagles by margins of 53 and 11 points.
Inglewood’s run includes 15 wins, a draw, and two defeats.
A 13-5 record put the Eagles on the third rung.
Best for Inglewood in last Saturday’s big win at Serpentine were Harry King, Jackson Rutter, Riley Tresize, Andrew Bennett, Matt Rowe and Mason Lane.
Leading goalkickers for Inglewood are Mason Lane, 52; Callum March, 26; Andrew Bennett and Jayden Leach, 25.
The Eagles’ attack is led by Tyler James, 45; Joey Doolan, 31; and Jaxon Thompson, 24.
Maiden Gully YCW’s squad includes captain Hayden Devanny, Mason James, Travis Mercadante, Thomas Calverley, Jayden Magnusson and Joel Wittingslow.
Newbridge tackles Marong in Sunday’s elimination final.
It’s one-all between the Maroons and Panthers.
Newbridge won the round seven clash by 38 points at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Panthers struck back for a 52-38 victory at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Newbridge’s Riverside Park.
Newbridge’s attack includes Chris Lakey, 39 goals; and Chris Dixon, 25.
For Marong it’s David Blume on 66 goals who has capped many attacks.
The Panthers also have Kyle Manley, 30; and Lachlan Frankel, 20, in the forward 50m arc.
Newbridge’s team for this match includes Aidan Moore, Damien Whan, Thomas Wilson, Cooper Hoye, Aidan Browne, Matt Adams and Cory Van Aken.
Best for Marong in last Saturday’s win at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo were Kyle Manley, Kai Terrill, David Blume, Fletcher Waters, Jayden Stacey and Kaidyn Higgins.
The winner will play the unbeaten Bridgewater in the second semi-final.
In the under-18s competition, Bridgewater takes on Marong in the qualifying final.
Bridgewater will start favourite as it won at Marong in round five by 26 points and then scored a 74-28 victory against the Panthers at home in the 14th round.
A strong attack for Bridgewater is led by Will Smith, 45 goals; Logan Moss, 37; and Harry Arnett, 27.
Bridgewater warmed up for the finals by scoring 29 goals in last Saturday’s match against Macorna.
Best for the Mean Machine were Will Smith, Kolby Shay, Ollie Clapp, Ryan Wilson, Lachie Bray and Dylan Goddard.
Leaders on Marong’s goalkicking list are Cooper Murphy, 32; Caleb Dudderidge, 30; and William Baird, 21.
The Panthers had the bye last round.
In round 17, Marong took on the ladder-leading Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Best for Marong in that clash were Harry Wilson, Max O’Donnell, William Baird, Liam Henson, Kaidyn Higgins and Noah Howarth.
The winner of Saturday’s qualifying final meets Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the second semi-final.
On Sunday it will be Newbridge against Inglewood in the elimination final.
The Indigenous Round match between these teams ended in a 67-5 win for Newbridge at Riverside Park.
A fortnight ago the Maroons won 131-37 on Inglewood’s turf at Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
Players to watch for Newbridge include Blake Wells, Elliot Bird, Alec and Levi van Dillen, Harry Allison, Oliver Steen and Oskar Chilver.
Inglewood’s team includes Mitch Pickering, Campbell Hancock, Riley Murphy, Jamie Penrose, Ryder Smith, Tate Lovett, and Evan McCoy.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Centre State Scaffolding Oval in Inglewood:
Under-18s at 10.40am: Bridgewater v Marong.
Reserves at 12.30pm: Inglewood v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Seniors at 2.15pm: Marong v Pyramid Hill.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Mitchell Park in Pyramid Hill:
Under-18s at 10.40am: Newbridge v Inglewood.
Reserves at 12.30pm: Newbridge v Marong.
Seniors at 2.15pm: Inglewood v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles
In the netball…….Eight clubs represented as netball finals tip-off
THERE will be eight clubs represented across this weekend’s start to the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL netball finals campaign.
Qualifying finals will be on Saturday at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval ahead of the elimination finals on Sunday at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
In the A-grade competition it’s Bridgewater up against Newbridge in the qualifying final.
The Mean Machine will face the Maroons from 3pm in Inglwood.
Both teams ended the home-and-away series locked on 13-5 records.
Newbridge won both contests in the run to the finals action.
Newbridge scored a 42-40 victory on Bridgewater’s court in round one.
It was the same margin when they met again in the 10th round as the Hayley Mariniello-coached Maroons won 47-45 at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Newbridge’s Riverside Park.
Bridgewater ended the home-and-away series in second place and 31 per cent clear of the Maroons.
Across the past month the Carly Wild and Lou Dupuy-coached Bridgwater had a three-one record.
The Mean Machine won the home clash Macorna in the 15th round by 59 goals and a week later won at Calivl by 34 goals.
Bridgewater could not halt the unbeaten Mitiamo charging to a 32-goal victory on the Superoos’ court at John Forbes Oval in the 17th round.
The Mean Machine warmed up for the finals by scoring a 41-goal win on the Maiden Gully YCW Eagles’ court at Marist College Oval.
Bridgewater’s squad for the qualifying final includes Erin Delahunty, Dannielle and Natalie Flood, Sidney Niemann, Holly Normoyle and Claudia Petri.
Newbridge is on the rebound from a four-goal loss on Pyramid Hill’s court at Mitchell Park in the 18th round.
The previous three rounds the Maroons won at Serpentine by 30 goals, beat Marong in Riverside Park by 13 goals, and won in Inglewood by four goals.
Newbridge’s squad for Saturday’s match includes Alyssa Cole, Isabelle Egan, Jemma Gordon, Maddy Keighran and Lauren Knight.
The winner will face the Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo in the second semi-final on August 29 at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
On Sunday, Inglewood will cap a dramatic rise to the fourth rung when it plays Inglewood in the elimination final.
Many of the players in the Dani O’Toole-coached Inglewood team will play their first finals.
It’s a vastly different look for Pyramid Hill which was runner-up last September.
A brilliant start to this season by Inglewood began with a 48-44 win on its court at Centre State Scaffolding Oval against Pyramid Hill.
When these teams met again in the 10th round the Blues won 51-49 on the Mitchell Park court.
A record of 11 wins, a draw, and six defeats put Inglewood on the ladder’s fourth rung.
After a four-goal loss to Newbridge in the 17th round, Inglewood hit back to win last Saturday’s match in Serpentine by 35 goals.
The Blues’ squad includes Georgi Short and Casey Zass in defence; Kath Hocking, Dani O’Toole and Anika Bysouth in mid-court; and Alex Marshall and Aleisha Shay in attack.
Pyramid Hill had to fight incredibly hard to stay in the premiership race.
The Bulldogs clinched fifth place as it won last Saturday’s clash with Newbridge by four goals.
Pyramid Hill had won its previous two hit-outs.
The Bulldogs won at Macorna in round 17 by 16 goals and defeated Bears Lagoon-Serpentine by 20 goals.
It was a great fightback by the red, white and blue after a 15-goal loss at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval in the 15th round.
Chelsea Emmerson, Amber Dingwall and Darci Tierney have teamed up to coach Pyramid Hill.
The Bulldogs’ squad for Sunday’s must-win match includes Ash Alford, Imogen Broad, Alina Gould, Emily Prout, Trish Soulsby and Teagan Stewart.
In the A-reserve competition, Newbridge takes on Marong in the qualifying final.
These teams first met in round seven where the Bianca Garton and Larni Taylor-coached Marong won 46-34 on its court at Jackal Oval in Marong Park.
The round 16 match ended in a win for the Rachel Pettifer-coached Maroons on their court at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Riverside Park by five goals.
The winner will face the unbeaten Bridgewater in the second semi-final.
Calivil United and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles will fight to stay in the title race when they contest the A-reserve elimination final.
The Demons and Eagles played last Saturday at Marist College Oval in Maiden Gully.
It was confidence-lifting 58-38 win for the Christie Griffiths-coached Eagles.
In round nine the Alex Ingram-coached Calivil United won 45-40 against Maiden Gully YCW in the Demons’ den.
Bridgewater and Maiden Gully Eagles will contest the B-grade qualifying final.
In round six the Georgia Mamouney-Brown coached Bridgewater beat the Eagles in the home of the Mean Machine by 12 goals.
A showdown in round 15 ended in a 23-goal win for Bridgewater at Marist College Oval against the Lauren Lloyd-coached Eagles.
The unbeaten Newbridge awaits the winner of Saturday’s clash.
Marong and Calivil United meet in the B-grade elimination final.
When these teams last met in round 12 it was the Kate Larkins and Jess Ede-coached Marong which won 56-35 at Jackal Oval in Malone Park.
Just four goals separated the Demons and Panthers at Calivil in round three.
Marong took the points in a 51-47 victory against a Calivil United team coached by Nicole McPhee and Emma Ryan.
It’s a duel between the Demons and Blues as Calivil United faces Inglewood in the B-reserve qualifying final.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings.
The Lauren Bell-coached Blues won on their court by nine goals.
In the return match the Jeannie Wagner-coached Demons won by eight goals.
Bridgewater achieved a record of 16 wins, a draw, one loss to end the home-and-away series on top of the ladder.
The elimination final features Newbridge against Mitiamo.
A Newbridge team coached by Sharna Frawley and Selina Holland won at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo by 23 goals.
Next time around the Caitlyn Battersby-coached Superoos scored a 39-33 victory on Newbridge’s court at Deepcore Drilling Oval.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles will play Mitiamo in the 17-and-under qualifying final.
The Christie Griffiths-coached Eagles won in round four by 15 goals.
It was a 14-goal win for the Eagles against the Alicia Hay and Jen Wilson-coached Superoos in the 13th round.
The winner meats the unbeaten Calivil United in the second semi.
Pyramid Hill will face Bridgewater in the elimination final.
In round two the Kelly Gould-coached Pyramid Hill won its Mitchell Park court by five goals.
The Caz Wood-coached Bridgewater scored a 14-goal win in the next contest.
Calivil United takes on Marong in the 15-and-under qualifying final.
The Karen Pascoe and Michelle Balic-coached Calivil United won at home by 17 goals.
The Demons then beat the Erin Stewart and Chrissie Gray-coached Marong at Jackal Oval by 17 goals.
Newbridge was unbeaten in the run to the finals.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles meet Bridgewater in Sunday’s elimination final.
The Skye Griffiths-coached Eagles soared to a 50-31 win on Bridgewater’s court.
The Mean Machine hit back for an eight-goal victory on Maiden Gully YCW’s court.
Milla and Samara Finch have teamed up to coach Bridgewater.
In the 13-and-under competition, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles take on Mitiamo in the qualifying final.
The Payton Saxton-coached Eagles have beaten the Superoos by 16 and four goals.
Mitiamo is coached by Amy and Caitlin Corry.
An 18-nil record put Calivil United on top of the ladder.
On Sunday it will be Newbridge against Marong in the elimination final.
The Abbi Wells and Mikeeley Hufer defeated the Panthers by four and 16 goals in the home-and-away series.
Marong is coached by Alisha Pickering and Arabella Brennan.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval:
15-and-under, 10.30am on court one: Calivil United v Marong.
17-and-under, noon on court one: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Mitiamo.
13-and-under, noon on court two: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Mitiamo.
B-reserve, 1.30pm on court two: Calivil United v Inglewood.
A-reserve, 1.30pm on court one: Newbridge v Marong.
B-grade, 3pm on court two: Bridgewater v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
A-grade, 3pm on court one: Bridgewater v Newbridge.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park:
15-and-under, 10.30am at court one: Maiden Gully YCW Eagles v Bridgewater.
17-and-under, noon on court one: Pyramid Hill v Bridgewater.
13-and-under, noon on court two: Newbridge v Marong.
B-reserve, 1.30pm on court two: Newbridge v Mitiamo.
A-reserve, 1.30pm on court one: Calivil United v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
B-grade, 3pm on court two: Marong v Calivil United.
A-grade, 3pm on court one: Inglewood v Pyramid Hill.