Demons fight to take Heathcote’s place on fifth rung
WHITE Hills meets Heathcote in a fight likely to determine who makes the finals in Saturday’s 16th round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League season.
The Demons will start the clash on their ground at Scott Street in sixth place, a win and eight per cent behind the fifth-placed Saints.
Victory for Heathcote is likely to clinch a long-awaited appearance in the finals.
After Saturday’s match the Saints have a bye and then play Leitchville-Gunbower at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve in the final round of the home and away series.
The run for the Demons is Leitchville-Gunbower, away in round 17, and then host Huntly a week later.
When the Saints and Demons met in round seven it was Heathcote which won 130-82.
Kai Cavallaro and Braden Padmore kicked four goals apiece for the Andrew Saladino-coached team as Mitchell McLean, Jack Brooks, Ryan Bailey and Rhys Bolton were best.
The Demons’ attack on that day was led by Bayden Fallon, three goals, to be among the best with Ryan Walker, Ben Bacon and Hamish Richards.
White Hills had the bye last round as Heathcote beat Elmore.
Key players for the Jack Fallon-coached Demons include captain Rhys Irwin, Liam Bartels and Mitch Dole in attack, David Wright, Ben Bacon, Jake Dickens, Bayden Fallon and Cohen Kekich.
A player White Hills must limit is Braden Padmore.
The Saints’ midfielder/forward has kicked 16 goals across the past three rounds.
Other players to watch for Heathcote include Joseph Beedle, Victor Butler, Kai Cavallaro, Will Direen, Shaun Harrison and Codie Price.
North Bendigo’s bid to claim third place and the double chance for the finals hinges greatly on beating Lockington Bamawm United.
The Bulldogs and Cats will clash at Hibo Hotel Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
In round seven, North Bendigo led 69-53 at three quarter-time but could not stop LBU’s charge to an 86-76 victory.
Best for the Cats included Charlie Hinks, Joss Howlett and Jesse Collins.
A highlight of Saturday’s showdown will be the ruck duels where Jeremy Lambden who has starred in many of North Bendigo’s wins takes on Tyler Phillips, last season’s Sam Cheatley medallist as league fairest and best.
Both teams have plenty of attacking power.
North Bendigo has Dylan Klemm as the main focal point, but it will be a different looking attack as Matt Gray, concussion, and Hakeem Johnson, hamstring, are on the sidelines.
Cody Riddick will start the day needing three goals to hit the century mark in the under-18s and then will play in the seniors along with the skilful Riley Paetow from the under-18s.
The Robert Bennett-coached North Bendigo will also be without captain Aarryn Craig, ankle, but do regain Tim Deveraux, Ryan Gow, Shane Harris and Bailey Wingrave.
The Brodie Collins-coached LBU made a flying start to lead 32-nil at quarter-time on their way to a win on Mount Pleasant’s ground at Toolleen last round.
The Cats have had many multiple goalkickers this season.
Last week it was Jarod Bacon who kicked four goals against the Blues.
In-form players for LBU include Lachlan Atherton, Trent Bacon, Harley Cobb, Riley McIvor, Rhys Woodland and Joseph Wolfe.
Elmore will mark is third win of the season or Leitchville-Gunbower it’s second when the Bloods and Bombers clash at Elmore Recreation Reserve.
In round seven, Elmore won 121-85 at Leitchville.
Bloods’ gun forward Darcy Laffy kicked eight goals in that contest and will be a major threat to the Bombers again.
Other players to watch for the Dylan Friedberger and Dylan Gordon-coached Elmore include Tyler Amor Beale, Kyle Armstrong, Liam Gundry, Rhys and Zach Holmberg, Nic Kellow, and Bailey Sawyer.
Leitchville-Gunbower made another strong start to be within four points of Colbinabbin in last Saturday’s clash.
The Tim Bannan-coached LG was beaten by 46 points as Billy Hawken, three; James Barratt and Joel Regan, two, played their part in a remarkably accurate score of 12.0 (72).
The play of Hoby Bussey, Mitchell Candy, Billy Hawken, Sam Lewis, Nathan McLellan, Joel Regan and Jobee Warde will be crucial to the Bombers’ bid to beat the Bloods.
Colbinabbin will be wary against a Huntly line-up that finished within 26 points of it in round seven.
The Grasshoppers are back on home turf at M.J. Morgan Reserve for this match.
A win for the Hoppers and a loss for LBU would put Colbo back on top of the ladder.
Key players for the Julian Bull-coached Colbinabbin include Ben Barton, James and Jed Brain, Michael Battista, Laine Fitzgerald, ruckman Hadleigh Sirett, and Jimmy McMurtrie.
It will be another big test for Huntly’s onballers and midfield.
The Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks had Harrison Campbell, key defender Jake Maher, Tyler Miles, and Mitch Christensen play well against North Bendigo last Saturday.
Huntly will also look to Connor Aldous, Flynn Campbell, Jayden Cordy, Jayden Cowling and captain Steven Kairn to win plenty of contests.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Lockington Bamawm United 209 per cent, 48 points; Colbinabbin 177, 46; Mount Pleasant 175, 44; North Bendigo 150, 42; Heathcote 85, 24; White Hills 77, 20; Elmore 63, 8; Huntly 57, 4; Leitchville-Gunbower 42, 4.
Leading goalkickers:
59 Ben Weightman, MP.
46 Dylan Klemm, NB.
40 James Brain, Colbo.
39 Darcy Laffy, Elm.
33 Braden Padmore, H’cote.
32 Jed Brain, Colbo.
29 Liam Bartels, WH; Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo; Anthony McMahon, LBU.
28 Matt Gray, NB; Thomas Leech, LBU.
24 Ben Fulford, LBU.
23 Jarod Bacon, LBU.
22 Mitchell Bennett, MP; Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Billy Hawken, LG; Hakeem Johnson, NB.
21 Jack Brooks, H’cote; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
20 Jordan Ford, NB.
19 Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.
18 Dean Tydell, MP.
17 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Jackson Conforti, H’cote.
16 Tyler Phillips, LBU; Cody Riddick, NB.
15 Adam Baird, MP; Luke Gray, Huntly.
