BY NATHAN DOLE
Bulldogs bolster team to take on Bombers
NORTH Bendigo has made four changes for the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy preliminary final clash with Leitchville Gunbower on Saturday.
The Bulldogs and Bombers will contest the big match in Toolleen from 2.30pm.
Stung by a 64-point loss to White Hills in the second semi-final, North Bendigo is up against an opponent which it beat in a hard-fought qualifying final by a goal.
Although it has won all three showdowns with Leitchville Gunbower this season the Rob Bennett-coached North Bendigo is under pressure to make it number four.
Key inclusions for North Bendigo are midfielder Nic Waterson, key defender Matt Gray, on-baller Manny Thalasinos, and talented youngster Jett Grundy.
Players to make way were Sam Barnes, Harlan Draper, Senna Marsili and Jack Towers.
At Leitchville Gunbower, Bryce Barnstable is in for Charles Hancock who was booked for rough conduct in the first semi-final against Heathcote and handed a one-match ban at the tribunal hearing.
Both clubs endured mixed fortunes in week two of the finals campaign.
As North Bendigo was outplayed by the Winslow White Hills Demons, Leitchville Gunbower advanced after the first semi final against Heathcote was abandoned in the third quarter.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers led 50-48 in the 13th minute of the third term when play was called off because of concerns for player safety and the ground condition after heavy rain and lightning lashed the White Hills ground.
Heathcote appealed the decision, but it was upheld at a special meeting of the Heathcote DFNL board.
Now the focus is on the preliminary final as the Bombers try to find a way to beat a team which has marked wins by margins of 89, 27 and six points this season.
A key for LG will be to limit or affect the quality of supply to North Bendigo forwards Dylan Klemm, Jake Dean and Jordan Ford.
Although he played a lot of the season in midfield or across half-forward, Cody Riddick is another option deep in attack for Bulldogs’ coach Rob Bennett.
The Bombers’ defence is led by Chris Horman, Hoby Bussey, Max Hagan and Thomas Guerra.
At the other end of the field, North Bendigo defenders Hamish McCartney, Will Gilmore, Jordan Quirk and Billy Robertson are up against Blake Dye, Fraser Buchanan, Billy Hawken and Tom Brereton.
North Bendigo has the experience of triple premiership players Ryan Alford, Aarryn Craig and Jordan Ford.
A highlight of this match will be in the ruck where the Bulldogs have Aidan Brohm to take on Sam Cheatley medallist Jobee Warde.
Other players to watch for the Bombers include Brady and Noah Hore, Jye Keath and Austin Windridge.
In the reserves competition, Leitchville Gunbower takes on Mount Pleasant from 11.50am.
The LG Bombers are on the rebound from a 50-49 loss to White Hills in the second semi-final.
Best for Leitchville Gunbower in that match were Zac Dye, Thomas McGillivray, James Kervin and Bailey Taylor.
Mount Pleasant won the first semi-final against Lockington Bamawm United by three points.
The LBU team led 37-25 at half-time and 50-47 at a quarter to go.
Inspired by the play of Jack McKenzie who kicked five in a best on ground performance and three goals by Jesse O’Connell it was Mounts which marked a 66-63 victory against the Cats.
The Blues’ best included Nick Edwards, Coby Dunlop and Callum Craig.
Leitchville Gunbower has won both clashes with Mounts this season by 35 and 31 points.
Preliminary final day kicks off with the under-18s match at 9.45am between Lockington Bamawm United and the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
The LBU team will be determined to rebound from a seven-goal loss to White Hills in the second semi-final.
Huntly carries the momentum of a brilliant final quarter in which it scored 5.9 to 1.2 to beat North Bendigo in the first semi-final by 29 points.
The Cats and Hawks met in the qualifying final where LBU won 58-30.
Nicholas Mitchell kicked three goals and Charlie Mundie added two.
Best for the Cats were Bowden Stone, Nicholas Mitchell, Will Hann and Riley Carr.
Ben Miller kicked two goals for Huntly and was best for the brown and gold along with Daniel Artavilla, Felix Barber and Hunter Connors.
Best in the Hawks’ latest victory were Deacon Wheelhouse, Kye Fitzpatrick and Judd Gilchrist.
The Cats and Hawks had 10-4 records across the home-and-away series.
Huntly beat LBU by 11 points in round four at Strauch Reserve, and by 28 points in the 13th round on Lockington’s turf.