BY NATHAN DOLE
RISING stars from the Central Murray, Golden Rivers and Heathcote District leagues showed their skills in Saturday’s under-18s inter-league football clash at Gunbower.
Central Murray and Golden Rivers joined forces to take on the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL’s line-up.
After dominating the previous Sunday’s AFLCV gala day backed by Agnico Gold Fosterville at Marist College in Maiden Gully, Heathcote DFNL was aiming to keep the winning run rolling.
The CRL team led 22-12 at quarter-time and scored 1.1 to a point in the second.
Although it did plenty of attacking in the third, Murray/Rivers added 1.7 as Heathcote DFNL scored two goals.
Going into the last the CRL squad led 5.12 (42) to 4.1 (25).
Led by the play of Jai Milligan, Fletcher Ball and Jasper McArdle, Heathcote DFNL slammed on 4.4 in the last, but the opposition’s tally of 2.3 was enough to clinch a 7.15 (57) to 8.5 (53) victory.
The Heathcote DFNL attack was led by North Bendigo’s Zavier Holmes on four goals.
A first-year player at the Bulldogs, Holmes has kicked 62 goals in the team’s unbeaten run of seven matches.
Other goalkickers for Heathcote DFNL against Central Murray and Golden Rivers were Cody McKenzie, two; Bryce Barnstable and Judd Gilchrist.
Best on Ground medals were presented to Charlie Boulton from Nyah Nyah West United, and Jai Milligan from Lockington Bamawm United.
Others to star for CRL were Mitch Uhlhorn from Woorinen, Mallee Eagles’ clubmates Harry McGregor and Billy O’Meara, Hay’s Jensen Hargreaves, and Otto Conlan from Woorinen.
Best for HDFNL were Milligan, Leitchville Gunbower’s Fletcher Ball, Colbinabbin’s Jasper McArdle and Jude Ryan, Leitchville Gunbower’s Bryce Barnstable, and Lockington Bamawm United’s Cooper Mitchell.