THE Lockington Bamawm United Cats fought back to draw their clash with Harlowe Huntly Hawks in Saturday’s 10th round in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy season.
The Hawks and Cats played out a great match at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
After being awarded a free kick in the dying seconds of the match, LBU ruckman Tyler Phillips had a shot at goal after the siren sounded.
A behind meant scores were locked on 65-all.
Although disappointed not to have gained the full quota of four points, LBU coach Jayden Howe praised the team’s fighting spirit.
The Cats led 42-30 at half-time, but were then overrun in the third as the Hawks scored 3.3 and kept LBU to a tally of four behinds.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Huntly led 51-46 going into the final term.
LBU scored three goals as the Hawks booted two.
Goalkicking accuracy was a factor as Huntly racked up 8.17 and LBU scored 9.11.
The Huntly attack was led by Sam Dunstan on three goals as Lachy Wilson kicked two.
For LBU it was Bart Phillips with a match-high five goals to be among the best.
Thomas Leech booted two goals for the Cats.
Best for Huntly were Mitch Billings in defence, on-baller Dale Lowry, Flynn Campbell, Joseph Artavilla, Harry Campbell and Sam Dunstan.
Matt Hore, Bart Phillips, Jack O’Callaghan, Brodie Collins, Jeremy Mundie and Bowden Stone were best for LBU.
Although it did not win, Heathcote played its best match of the season against Mount Pleasant at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
A 16-point margin was a dramatic improvement on the 19 goals Mounts beat the Saints by in the opening round at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
On Saturday the Blues led 25-19 at quarter-time and 63-50 at the main break.
Mounts scored 5.3 in the third, but Heathcote’s tally of 4.1 kept the home team within 21 points going into the final term.
The Saints won the last, 26-21, but it was the Blues who took the premiership points in a 117-101 victory.
Mount Pleasant co-coach Adam Baird kicked a match-high five goals as Mitch Rovers booted three.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Blues were Riley McNamara, Jack Teasdale and Jesse Tuohey on two.
Dylan Johnstone and Ibrahim Taha led Heathcote’s on three goals each.
The Saints had Connor Hamilton and Jackson Jones chip in with two majors.
Best for Mount Pleasant were Adam Baird, Fletcher White, Riley McNamara, Deklan Wille, Jesse Tuohey and Mitch Rovers.
The Blues will await the return of co-coach Josh Hann to playing and have Cameron Carter as director of coaching.
Best for Heathcote were Jackson Jones, Will Tobin, Codie Price, Rhys Bolton, Aaron Gundry and Zak Saad.
The Saints are jointly coached by Andrew Saladino and Liam Jacques.
A strong first quarter set up Leitchville Gunbower’s win against Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons at Gunbower.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers faced a vastly different White Hills team to the one which beat LG’s line-up in last season’s grand final.
On Saturday the Bombers soared to a 45-20 lead by quarter-time.
White Hills struck back to win the second term, 18-15.
Led by the play of Charles Hancock, James Brereton and Sam Keogh it was Leitchville Gunbower which controlled most of the final hour.
As the Bombers scored 9.4 in the second half they kept the Demons to a tally of 4.3.
At the final siren Leitchville Gunbower led 118-65.
Blake Dye capped a fine match with five goals as Billy Hawken and Charles Hancock added four and three goals.
The White Hills attack was led by Jake Thompson with three goals.
Best for Leitchville Gunbower included Nic Cattapan, Josh Hawken and Austin Windridge.
Ruckman Jack Lawton, Patrick Crawford, co-coach Ben Taylor, Patrick Eefting, Noah Jorgensen-Slimmon and Mitch McConnell played well for White Hills.
The Demons have Brad McConnell as non-playing co-coach.
North Bendigo dominated on Elmore’s turf.
The Bulldogs slammed on nine goals straight to lead by 35 points at quarter-time.
The Bulldogs’ did not let up in the second as they added eight goals and kept the Bloods to a tally of 1.1.
By half-time the unbeaten North Bendigo led 107-26.
The contest was in stark contrast to round one when Elmore finished within eight points on the Bulldogs’ turf at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street.
Closest quarter in the return match was the third as Elmore scored 3.2 and the Bulldogs added 5.7.
With Nic Waterson, ruckman Jordan Hargreaves and midfielder Riley Paetow leading the way, North Bendigo scored another seven goals in the last to complete a 187-47 victory.
Dylan Klemm marked a return to form with a season-high six goals as Jake Dean and Nic Waterson booted four each.
Other multiple goalkickers for the red, white and blue were Bailey Cain, co-coach Ryan Hartley, Brayden Oates and Cody Riddick on three each.
Elmore’s Liam Bianco and James Harney kicked two goals.
Best for a Bulldogs team which has Rob Bennett as non-playing co-coach included Bailey Cain, Dylan Klemm and Jake Dean.
Bloods’ coach Nathan Kay was best along with Lachie Munro, Lachie Gawel, Jake Dick-O’Flaherty, Matt O’Dwyer and captain Rhys Holmberg.
Colbinabbin had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
North Bendigo 267 per cent, 36 points; Huntly 101, 26; Colbinabbin 189, 24; Mount Pleasant 151, 24; Leitchville Gunbower 106, 18; Lockington Bamawm United 76, 14; Elmore 66, 12; White Hills 47, 4; Heathcote 61, 2.
In next Saturday’s 11th round it will be the Harlowe Huntly Hawks against Leitchville Gunbower at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Colbinabbin takes on Heathcote from 2.15pm on the Grasshoppers’ turf at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
It’s the Blues against the Cats as Mount Pleasant faces Lockington Bamawm United at Toolleen.
The Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons will be in their Scott Street den to play Elmore.
It’s a bye for the unbeaten and ladder-leading North Bendigo.
Leading goalkickers:
36 Sam Dunstan, Huntly.
30 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
27 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
26 Brandyn Grenfell, Colbinabbin.
25 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
25 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
22 Dylan Johnstone, Heathcote.
19 Darcy Richards, North Bendigo.
18 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
18 James Harney, Elmore.
18 Nick Knight, Colbinabbin.
16 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
16 Brodie-Leonard-Shannon, Mount Pleasant.
14 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
14 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
14 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
14 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
13 Blake Dye, Leitchville Gunbower.
13 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
12 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
12 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
11 Liam Dillon, North Bendigo.
11 Jackson Jones, Heathcote.
11 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
11 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
11 Ibrahim Taha, Heathcote.
10 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
10 Matt O’Dwyer, Elmore.
10 Bart Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
10 Jack Teasdale, Mount Pleasant.
10 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.
9 Jake Thompson, White Hills.