BY NATHAN DOLE
Bombers outrun North Bendigo to reach grand final
THE Leitchville Gunbower Bombers outran the North Bendigo Bulldogs on Saturday to qualify for the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy grand final.
In a preliminary final marked by many momentum switches it was Leitchville Gunbower which marked a 91-72 victory at Toolleen.
Two seasons after just one victory and a wooden spoon, Leitchville Gunbower will now take on the Winslow White Hills Demons in Saturday’s grand final at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Although it had been beaten by North Bendigo in three previous showdowns in ’24, Leitchville Gunbower played with plenty of dare.
Gusty winds made it tough for both line-ups, but there were plenty of passages of great teamwork.
It was North Bendigo which was first to goal through Jake Dean in the seventh minute of the match.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers then marked a hat-trick of goals as co-captain Hoby Bussey, Fraser Buchanan and Lachlan Sverns were on target.
After a series of passes which began with Lucas Keating at half-back, Dylan Klemm goaled for North Bendigo in the 26th minute.
After being awarded a 100m penalty, Matt Gray took the footy from deep in North Bendigo’s defence to pass to Jordan Ford.
A shot at goal after the quarter-time siren had sounded by Ford sailed through as the Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs led 22-18.
Although North Bendigo did plenty of attacking in the early minutes of the second it could not capitalise with goals.
Not so at the other end of the field as Billy Hawken goaled on the run from a tight angle and Blake Dye nailed a set-shot from outside the 50m arc as LG led 31-23 in the fourth minute.
Hakeem Johnson’s soccered goal in the 10th minute was followed by another snap shot a minute level as scores were 35-all in the 16th minute.
Defences were well on top for the rest of the quarter.
The deadlock was broken in the 30th minute when Buchanan’s ferocious tackle earned a free kick and he slotted the shot for the Bombers to lead 43-37 at half-time.
When Dye was freed in a marking contest he goaled in the second minute of the third quarter for the LG team.
The Bombers lifted their defensive intensity.
A run of four points by North Bendigo included a Johnson shot which slammed into the post.
The hard-working Billy Hawken goaled to give the Bombers a 15-point lead in the 15th minute.
North Bendigo as Dean kicked his second and then gun recruit Ryan Hartley was on target for the red, white and blue.
A Brad Green goal gave the Bombers a 14-point buffer in the 28th minute.
After a mark deep in defence, Matt Gray again took advantage of a 50m penalty to pass to Hartley for a mark and goal in the 31st minute.
When the three quarter-time sounded it was LG which led 63-60.
North Bendigo took the lead when Cody Riddick marked and goaled in the sixth minute.
Dye was again on target with a long distance set-shot as LG led 71-65 at the 14-minute mark.
Goal of the day honours went to Billy Hawken when he dodged opponents in the social rooms pocket and slotted his kick from an acute angle.
The Bulldogs hopes were not over when Ryan Alford goaled on the run in the 21st minute.
After a turnover on North Bendigo’s half-forward line the Bombers had a chain of passes along the outer wing and worked the ball to Thomas Guerra who was unmarked and ran into an open goal.
When Sverns spun out of trouble and kicked truly as he fell to the ground the Bombers were home as they led 90-72 in the 25th minute.
There were many stand-out performances for Leitchville Gunbower.
Best on ground honours went to co-captain Jye Keath for his play in defence.
Others to shine for LG were James Brereton, ruckman Jobee Warde, Billy Hawken, Chris Horman and Brad Green.
Young defender Will Gilmore marked another great game for North Bendigo along with Jordan Quirk in defence, Ryan Hartley, Jordan Ford, captain Aarryn Craig, and Lucas Keating.
After being beaten on day one of the finals series, Leitchville Gunbower will now fight for the cup.
They are up against a White Hills team desperate for success.
The Demons have not won a senior premiership since 1988.
Mount Pleasant will again vie for reserves premiership glory after a hard-fought preliminary final win against Leitchville Gunbower.
Little separated the Blues and Bombers all match on the Toolleen turf.
Leitchville Gunbower led 19-14 at quarter-time, but the Blues fought back to win the second term, 20-10.
It was four points the difference going into the last quarter.
Mounts scored four goal straight goals in the windy conditions as LG added 3.2.
At the final siren the Blues led 71-63.
Cody Dunlop kicked a match-high three goals and captain Jacob Smith booted two as Mount Pleasant made its way into a grand final showdown with White Hills.
The Bombers’ attack was led by Zac Dye, three, and Dylan Hawken on two goals.
Best for Mount Pleasant were Baxter Ash, Coby Dunlop, Callum Crai and Dylan Barber.
Leitchville Gunbower’s best were Thomas McGillivray, Lachlan Martini, Tyler Jones and Dylan Jardine.
Preliminary final day kicked off with the under-18s match between Lockington Bamawm United and Huntly.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks led 12-8 at quarter-time before the LBU Cats upped their play to score 4.1 to a goal in the second term.
Huntly turned a 15-point deficit at the start of the third quarter into a one-point lead by the end after it added 4.1 to 1.3.
The Hawks’ accuracy was a highlight as they scored 7.1 across the opening three quarters.
In the last it was LBU which scored three goals and held Huntly to just one.
A 61-51 victory put the LBU Cats into the grand final against White Hills.
Leading goalkickers in LBU’s latest win were James Brentnall, Brayden Hull, Jonathan McAsey and Nicholas Mitchell 2 on two.
Archer Billings capped a superb match for Huntly by kicking five goals as Nathaniel Keune kicked two.
Best for the Cats were Bowden Stone, Jacob Haines, Eddie Dudley and Patrick Keele.
Huntly’s best wereJudd Gilchrist, Hunter Connors, Drew Costigan and Archer Billings.
Heathcote DFNL footy preliminary finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Leitchville Gunbower 3.1 6.7 9.9 13.13 (91)
North Bendigo 3.4 5.7 8.11 10.12 (72)
GOALS – Leitchville Gunbower: Blake Dye, Billy Hawken 3, Fraser Buchanan, Lachlan Sverns 2, Hoby Bussey, Brad Green, Thomas Guerra. North Bendigo: Jake Dean, Ryan Hartley, Hakeem Johnson 2, Ryan Alford, Jordan Ford, Dylan Klemm, Cody Riddick.
BEST – Leitchville Gunbower: Jye Keath, James Brereton, Jobee Warde, Billy Hawken, Chris Horman, Brad Green. North Bendigo: Will Gilmore, Jordan Quirk, Ryan Hartley, Jordan Ford, Aarryn Craig, Lucas Keating.
Reserves
Mount Pleasant 2.2 5.4 7.5 11.5 (71)
Leitchville Gunbower 3.1 4.5 6.7 9.9 (63)
GOALS – Mount Pleasant: Coby Dunlop 3, Jacob Smith 2, Baxter Ash, Jack Craig, Sam Mitchell, Jesse O’Connell, Ryan Pontell, Harvey Sims. Leitchville Gunbower: Zac Dye 3, Dylan Hawken 2, Dylan Jardine, Jonathan Morphett, Rowan Pollock, Bailey Taylor.
BEST – Mount Pleasant: Baxter Ash, Coby Dunlop, Callum Craig, Dylan Barber, Nick Edwards, Tyson White. Leitchville Gunbower: Thomas McGillivray, Lachlan Martini, Tyler Jones, Dylan Jardine, Josh Edgar, Hawley Wells.
Under-18s:
Lockington Bamawm United 1.2 5.3 6.6 9.7 (61)
Huntly 2.0 3.0 7.1 8.3 (51)
GOALS – Lockington Bamawm United: James Brentnall, Brayden Hull, Jonathan McAsey, Nicholas Mitchell 2, Eddie Dudley. Huntly: Archer Billings 5, Nathaniel Keune 2, Evan McAuley.
BEST – Lockington Bamawm United: Bowden Stone, Jacob Haines, Eddie Dudley, Patrick Keele, Jonathan McAsey, James Brentnall. Huntly: Judd Gilchrist, Hunter Connors, Drew Costigan, Archer Billings, Felix Barber, Mason Bird.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve:
Under-18s at 9.30am: White Hills v Lockington Bamawm United.
Reserves at 11.50am: White Hills v Mount Pleasant.
Seniors at 2.20pm: White Hills v Leitchville Gunbower.