LOCKINGTON Bamawm United marked a 17th consecutive victory in senior footy as it dominated the final term of Saturday’s match against Mount Pleasant in round six of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League season.
Unbeaten in 12 matches on the way to being declared premier in 2021, the Brodie Collins-coached LBU marked win number five in a hard-fough match on Mounts’ turf at Toolleen.
A high-quality opening term ended with scores locked on 31-all.
LBU gained a 14-point break by half-time and led 78-67 at a quarter to go.
Led by the play of Jesse Collins, Lachlan Atherton, Tyler Phillips and gun forward Ben Fulford, the Cats scored 6.4 to 3.2 in the last to claim a 118-87 victory.
Fulford kicked a team-high four goals as Anthony McMahon and Rhys Woodland added three each.
The Blues’ attack was led by Ben Weightman, five; Adam Baird and Mitchell Bennett, two each.
LBU’s best included Jeremy Mundie, Ben Fulford and Jacob Gardiner.
It was the end of an unbeaten run in ’22 for the Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Blues in which Fletcher White, Mitchell Bennett, Adam Baird, Billy Mahony, Ben Weightman and Chris Down were best.
Heathcote dominated the second half of its match on Elmore’s turf.
The Saints led 49-38 at half-time and then scored 4.9 to 2.2 in the third term.
Inaccuracy let Heathcote down, but there was plenty to like in its run and linkwork from defence to attack on the way to a 17.25 (127) to 9.6 (60) result.
Jack Brooks led the Saints’ attack on five goals as Jackson Conforti added four.
Leading goalkicker for the Bloods was Dylan Oaff with four.
The classy Codie Price was best afield for Heathcote as Braden Padmore, Jack Brooks, Jordan Marcroft, Jordan Cavallaro and Mitchell McLean played well.
Elmore’s best were Kyle Armstrong, Dylan Oaff, Rhys Holmberg, Dylan Gordon, Matt Gilmour and Nick Page.
North Bendigo held onto the Golden City Cup after an 87-point win against Huntly on the Bulldogs’ turf at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
The match took on extra significance for North Bendigo, just days after the death of club great Keith Robertson who played a key role in the club’s fight to survive in the early 90s.
Robertson served two terms as Bulldogs’ president, and was later president of the Heathcote DFNL.
The Robertson family links to the club go back many decades.
On the field, two of Keith’s grandsons, Billy Robertson and Ryan Alford lined up on a forward flank and back pocket for a team coached by another of Keith’s grandsons, Robert Bennett.
It was the Stacy Fiske-coached Huntly Hawks who made a great start to lead 18-15 after the Bulldogs scored 1.9 in the first term.
North Bendigo fixed the radar at the break and added 7.2 to 1.2 in the second to lead 59-26 at half-time.
Athletic key forward Dylan Klemm took plenty marks on his way to a match-high tally of seven goals to earn the Keith Robertson Medal as best afield in a 134-47 victory.
Matt Gray kicked three goals in a match where Billy Robertson marked his return to the red, white and blue with a goal.
Ryan Alford goaled from near the coaches box at the Atkins Street end for goal of the day honours.
The Hawks had seven individual goalkickers.
Best for the Bulldogs included wingman Nic Waterson, rover Nathan Newlan, centreman Aarryn Craig, Lachlan Ford and Sean Moyle.
Stacy Fiske, Jaydon Cowling, Jake Maher, Brandon Dimech, Travis Mercadante and Mitch Billings played well for the Hawks.
A dozen goals between Jed and James Brain helped Colbinabbin to a big win against Leitchville-Gunbower at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Reserve.
The Grasshoppers led 43-3 at quarter-time and then slammed on 9.4 a goal in the second term.
The intensity of the Julian Bull-coached Colbo did not ease up in the final hour on the way to a 29.18 (192) to 3.3 (21) victory as Jed Brain kicked seven goals and James Brain added five majors.
Other multiple goalkickers for the green and gold were Luke Moore and Stephen Tuohey, four; and Clint Shields, three.
The Bombers had three individual goalkickers.
Colbinabbin’s best were Jed Brain, Luke Moore, William Lowe, Ben Barton, James Brain and Stephen Tuohey.
Jobee Warde, Billy Hawken, Mitchell Candy, Nathan McLellan, James Kervin and Thomas Guerra worked hard for the Tim Bannan-coached Bombers.
A highlight of Saturday’s seventh round will be the showdown between the Cats and Bulldogs as Lockington Bamawm United takes on North Bendigo at Lockington.
Leitchville Gunbower tackles Elmore at Leitchville.
Heathcote is back at Barrack Reserve to take on White Hills.
Huntly and Colbinabbin clash at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior ladder:
Colbinabbin 241 per cent, 24 points; Lockington Bamawm United 225, 20; Mount Pleasant 197, 20; North Bendigo 142, 16; Heathcote 85, 8; White Hills 69, 8; Leitchville Gunbower 30, 4; Elmore 59, 0; Huntly 49, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
31 Ben Weightman, MP.
20 Jed Brain, Colbo.
19 Dylan Klemm, NB.
17 Ben Fulford, LBU; Matt Gray, NB.
16 James Brain, Colbo.
15 Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo.
14 Adam Baird, MP; Anthony McMahon, LBU.
12 Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Braden Padmore, H’cote.
11 Jack Brooks, H’cote; Jordan Ford, NB; Darcy Laffy, Elm.; Luke Moore, Colbo.; Tyler Phillips, LBU; Clint Shields, Colbo.; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
10 Jackson Conforti, H’cote.
9 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Cohen Kekich, WH; Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.; Dean Tydell, MP.
8 Mitch Dole, WH; Dylan Oaff, Elm.
Written by Nathan Dole