BY NATHAN DOLE
BENDIGO Thunder will be aiming to roll Eaglehawk in Friday night’s start to the seventh round of the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy season.
After a general bye for the King’s Birthday holiday weekend, Bendigo Thunder and Eaglehawk will clash under the Canterbury Park lights in Eaglehawk from 7pm.
It’s a huge contest for both teams.
Eaglehawk has a win-loss tally of 3-2 and is second on the ladder.
Although Thunder is fifth it’s only a win behind the Hawks.
A win for the Two Blues will give them a decisive break on Thunder which is well clear of fourth-placed Golden Square on percentage but also a win behind the Bulldogs.
The league celebrated the start of Indigenous Round with a Saturday night match behind Eaglehawk and Strathfieldsaye in the Borough.
The Geoff West and Molly Metcalf-coached Eaglehawk won 102-1.
Best for the Two Blues in that match were Grace Edlin, Rhian Hobbs, Pearl Sullivan and Chloe Green.
Bendigo Thunder was beaten at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve, but will have taken plenty of confidence from a 49-30 result against the unbeaten reigning premier.
Players to watch for the Thunder which has Terry Burt as coach and Hannah Perry as assistant include Louise Bibby, Brit Jackson, Jessica Kennedy and Shasta Martion.
Key match-upson Friday include Eaglehawk full-forward Jasmine Burzacott opposed by Karla Donovan, Hawks’ rover Taylah Petrusma up against Thunder captain Shae-Lee Murphy-Burke.
The league’s two other matches will be on Sunday from 1pm.
It’s an all-Bulldogs showdown as North Bendigo faces Golden Square at Hibo Hotel Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
North Bendigo’s latest hit-out ended in a 20-goal loss at Woorinen.
Best for the red, white and blue in Tigers’ territory were Maddison Hargreaves-Hale, Tallulah Duffy, Ashlyne McInnes and Kira Gibbons.
Other key players for the Jie Thomson-coached North Bendigo include captain Aisha Mansfield, Tanika Thomson, Matilda Henley-Johnstone and Quetta Holloway-Jinks.
It’s been a longer break for the Nathan Manuel-coached Golden Square which had the bye in round six.
Players to watch for the blue and gold include Rebecca Berry, Bree Heiden, Paynton Jolliffe, Claire Picone, Laura Stilo and Jorja Vandenberg.
Strathfieldsaye Storm is home at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane to take on Woorinen.
Best for Storm in their latest hit-out at Eaglehawk were Katrina Alford, Hannah Cue, Tracey Anderson and Jessica Jackson.
It’s another big test for the Tim McCormick-coached Storm against a Woorinen line-up which has a 3-2 record in its first season in the competition.
Key players for the yellow and black include Rachel Booth, Tenay Fellows, Carlee Hazlett, Natasha Kelly and Freda Wosomo.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy ladder:
Castlemaine 873 per cent, 24 points; Eaglehawk 241.9, 12; Woorinen 241.8, 12; Golden Square 66, 12; Bendigo Thunder 230, 8; North Bendigo 5, 4; Strathfieldsaye 5, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
25 Eloise Gretgrix, Castlemaine.
12 Aisling Tupper, Castlemaine.
9 Natasha Kelly, Woorinen.
8 Charlotte Beavan, Castlemaine.
8 Sienna Hobbs, Eaglehawk.
8 Paynton Jolliffe, Golden Square.
7 Grace Edlin, Eaglehawk.
7 Keely Fullerton, Eaglehawk.
7 Britney Mueck, Bendigo Thunder.
7 Jaime Sawers, Bendigo Thunder.
6 Jo Allan, Castlemaine.
6 Jasmine Burzacott, Eaglehawk.
6 Ella Cochrance, Castlemaine.