BY NATHAN DOLE
AS REIGNING premier, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles are perched on top of the A-grade ladder at the halfway mark of the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
After a general bye on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend teams will be back on court this Saturday.
The Adam Boldiston-coached Eagles start the second half of the home-and-away series by playing on Marong’s court at Malone Park.
It’s been a terrific run by the Eagles who were third and second after two rounds and then on top at the end of the next three.
A 48-51 loss to Newbridge in round six pushed Maiden Gully YCW off top spot, but the Eagles clawed to number one after an 18-goal win against Pyramid Hill the following round.
It’s been a brilliant run by the Gemma Scott-coached Pyramid Hill to be in second place on a win-loss tally of 6-1 and a draw.
Highs for the Bulldogs include the 48-48 draw at Marong, and a six-goal victory on Mitiamo’s court at John Forbes Oval.
It’s an extended break for Pyramid Hill as it has the bye this Saturday before a home game against Calivil United at Mitchell Park.
Last season’s runner-up, Mitiamo is poised for another tilt at premiership glory.
The Jen Wilson-coached Superoos are third on a 6-2 record.
Stung by the six-goal loss to Pyramid Hill, Mitiamo has struck back to beat Calivil United, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine and then Marong.
The Marong Panthers will be striving to claw their way from the fourth rung to a top-three position and double chance at finals time.
Coached by Sue Borserio, Marong is home at Malone Park this Saturday to take on the ladder-leading Maiden Gully YCW.
Locked on identical records of 4-4 and 16 points, Newbridge and Bridgewater are likely to fight it out to be fifth or higher.
The Selina Holland-coached Newbridge showed what it’s capable of when it triumphed 51-48 on Maiden Gully YCW’s court at Marist College Oval in round six.
After being on the road across the first half of the season as its venue was refurbished after the floods, Newbridge does not leave Holloway Air Riverside Oval in the second half.
The Maroons take on Calivil United this Saturday.
Bridgewater faces a crucial home game this Saturday against Mitiamo.
In round one the Superoos bounded their way to a 35-goal victory.
The Aimie Brown-coached Bridgewater will be determined not to allow Mitiamo to dominate the return showdown.
Although two wins behind Newbridge and Bridgewater, Calivil United will not have given up hope of a finals berth.
The Chelsea Hicks-coached Demons went down Newbridge and Bridgewater by just two and six goals.
Inglewood marked its return to A-grade by winning the first-round match at home against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine by 12 goals.
It’s been a tough run for an Inglewood team coached by Helen Ward and Dianne Wayman since then.
A highlight was the 33-43 result against Bridgewater in round three.
The Stacee Burns-coached Bears-Lagoon Serpentine will want to pounce on a great chance to break its season duck when at home to Inglewood this Saturday.
Maiden Gully YCW, 7-1, 189%, 28 points, 1st.
So far – d Marong 56-47, d Bridgewater 61-29, d Mitiamo 70-51, bye, d Inglewood 86-19, lt Newbridge 48-51, d Pyramid Hill 68-46, d Calivil United 68-26, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 99-25.
Run home – v Marong, away; v Bridgewater, h; v Mitiamo, a; bye; v Inglewood, h; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, a; v Calivil United, h; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, a
Pyramid Hill, 6-1-1, 125%, 26 points, 2nd.
So far – bye, d Calivil United 38-25, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 53-39, dr Marong 48-48, d Bridgewater 47-28, d Mitiamo 43-37, lt Maiden Gully YCW 46-68, d Inglewood 59-30, d Newbridge 41-25.
Run home – bye, v Calivil United, h; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, a; v Marong, h; v Bridgewater, a; v Mitiamo, h; v Maiden Gully YCW, h; v Inglewood, a; v Newbridge, a.
Mitiamo, 6-2, 152%, 24 points, 3rd.
So far – d Bridgewater 73-37, bye, lt Maiden Gully YCW 51-70, d Inglewood 81-25, d Newbridge 61-33, lt Pyramid Hill 37-43, d Calivil United 59-45, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 88-29, d Marong 62-53.
Run home – v Bridgewater, a; bye; v Maiden Gully YCW, h; v Inglewood, a; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, a; v Calivil United, a; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, h; v Marong, a.
Marong, 5-2-1, 160%, 22 points, 4th.
So far – lt Maiden Gully YCW 47-56, d Inglewood 74-21, d Newbridge 67-33, dr Pyramid Hill 48-48, d Calivil United 75-37, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 101-31, bye, d Bridgewater 77-49, lt Mitiamo 53-62.
Run home – v Maiden Gully YCW, h; v Inglewood, a; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, a; v Calivil United, h; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, a; bye; v Bridgewater, h; v Mitiamo, h.
Newbridge, 4-4, 101%, 16 points, 5th.
So far – d Calivil United 39-37, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 53-16, lt Marong 33-67, lt Bridgewater 34-35, lt Mitiamo 33-61, d Maiden Gully YCW 51-48, d Inglewood 63-20, bye, lt Pyramid Hill 25-41.
Run home – v Calivil United, h; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, h; v Marong, h; v Bridgewater, h; v Mitiamo, h; v Maiden Gully YCW, h; v Inglewood, h; bye; v Pyramid Hill, h.
Bridgewater, 4-4, 80%, 16 points, 6th.
So far – lt Mitiamo 37-72, lt Maiden Gully YCW 29-61, d Inglewood 43-33, d Newbridge 35-34, lt Pyramid Hill 28-47, d Calivil United 42-36, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 58-37, lt Marong 49-77, bye.
Run home – v Mitiamo, h; v Maiden Gully YCW, a; v Inglewood, h; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, h; v Calivil United, a; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, h; v Marong, a; bye.
Calivil United, 2-6, 78%, 8 points, 7th.
So far – lt Newbridge 37-39, lt Pyramid Hill 25-38, bye, d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 41-27, lt Marong 37-75, lt Bridgewater 36-42, lt Mitiamo 45-59, lt Maiden Gully YCW 26-68, d Inglewood 48-26.
Run home – v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, a; bye; v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, h; v Marong, a; v Bridgewater, h; v Mitiamo, h; v Maiden Gully YCW, h; v Inglewood, h.
Inglewood, 1-7, 45%, 4 points, 8th.
So far – d Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 47-35, lt Marong 21-74, lt Bridgewater 33-43, lt Mitiamo 25-81, lt Maiden Gully YCW 19-86, bye, lt Newbridge 20-63, lt Pyramid Hill 30-59, lt Calivil United 26-48.
Run home – v Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, a; v Marong, h; v Bridgewater, a; v Mitiamo, h; v Maiden Gully YCW, a; bye; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, h; v Calivil United, a.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, 0-8, 44%, 0 points, 9th.
So far – lt Inglewood 35-47, lt Newbridge 16-53, lt Pyramid Hill 39-53, lt Calivil United 27-41, bye, lt Marong 31-101, lt Bridgewater 37-58, lt Mitiamo 29-88, lt Maiden Gully YCW 25-99.
Run home – v Inglewood, h; v Newbridge, a; v Pyramid Hill, h; v Calivil United, a; bye; v Marong, h; v Bridgewater, a; v Mitiamo, a; v Maiden Gully YCW, h.