GOLDEN Square will play its first home game of the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy season in Friday night’s fourth round clash with Castlemaine.
The Bulldogs and Magpies will play at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Wade Street from 7pm.
It’s a rematch of the ’25 grand finalists who kicked off the season on Castlemaine’s turf at The Railway Hotel Oval in Camp Reserve.
The Jordan Cochrane-coached Castlemaine began its quest for a fifth consecutive victory by scoring a 13-point win against the blue and gold on Good Friday.
Since then the Darren Walsh-coached Golden Square has won at Eaglehawk by 62 points, and at Woodend’s Racecourse Reserve against Wedge-Tailed Eagles by 83 points.
An unbeaten run by the Magpies includes big wins against Bendigo Thunder and Sandhurst.
A key to the chances of the Darren Walsh-coached Bulldogs in this showdown with the Magpies will be in the midfield and on-ball contests.
Key players for Golden Square include Kate Douglass, Gabby Drage, Ruby Demeo, Carly Geary, Kira Gibbons, Karley Hynes, and Sarah Mannes.
A formidable Castlemaine team includes Tiffany Bradley, Tiahna Cochrane, Paynton Jolliffe, Abbey Klemm, Taylah Sartori, and Tarni Williams.
On Anzac Day it will be Bendigo Thunder against Wedge-Tailed Eagles from 12.15pm at Weeroona Oval in Bendigo’s Napier Street.
The Mick McInnes-coached Thunder will have a gained a lot of confidence from a 34-20 win against Marong last Sunday.
In-form players for Thunder include Stacey Barbagallo, Sarah Lean, Hollie Maher and Archie Mclachlan.
Thunder’s squad to face the Eagles includes Chandie Antopina, Shasta Martion, and Serina O’Loughlin.
The Phil Hawkes-coached Eagles will be keen to hit back from their first defeat.
After superb wins against Thunder and Marong the WTE line-up could not halt Golden Square in the Eagles’ nest in Woodend.
Players to watch for the Eagles include Teagan Ainslie, Alicia Chadwick, Brooke Cowan, Courtney Johns, Natalie Korinfsky, and Emma Williams.
Two matches will be played on Sunday from 1pm.
Eaglehawk is back on its turf at C & M Oval in Canterbury Park to play Sandhurst.
The Molly Metcalf-coached Hawks were beaten in the Good Friday match with Sandhurst by 37 points.
Eaglehawk’s best in a hard-fought win against White Hills last Sunday were Eliza Long, Ellie Bailey, Lexie Moss, Emily Galtieri, Caitlin Evans and Shanae Sawyer.
Sandhurst is on the rebound from a seven-goal loss to Castlemaine.
Key players for Sandhurst include Sarah Baldwin, Lily and Ruby Campbell, Kodi Jacques, Chelsea Reeves, and Lauren Suleiman.
The team in maroon and blue is coached by Liam Ireland and Andrew Saladino.
Marong will be back on its turf at Malone Park to take on White Hills.
It’s another massive test for the Brett Carter-coached Marong which played well against Thunder last round.
Marong’s in-form players include Bridget Chalkley, Hayley Greig, Cayden Luca, Jaime Sawers and Tianna Shay.
Victory for the White Hills Demons will keep the heat on the third and fourth-placed Golden Square and Sandhurst.
The Sharni Barker and Allara Jackson-coached White Hills has a one-two record.
Players to watch in the red and black include Tracey Anderson, Acacia and Chelsea Edwards, Sasha Pearce, Nadia Peebles, and Pearl Sullivan.
Standings in the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy competition:
Castlemaine 821 per cent, 12 points; Wedge-Tailed Eagles 375, 8; Golden Square 297, 8; Sandhurst 142, 8; White Hills 330, 4; Eaglehawk 29, 4; Bendigo Thunder 8, 4; Marong 5, 0.
Leading goal kickers:
15 Shelby Knoll, Cm.
9 Gabby Drage, GS; Emma Williams, WTE.
7 Jorja Bennett, WTE; Paynton Jolliffe, Cm;
6 Kareena Jacobsen-Logan, WTE; Lily Mansfield, GS;
5 Brooke Cowan, WTE; Acacia Edwards, WH; Kira Gibbons, GS;
4 Abbey Klemm, Cm; Natalie Korinfsky, WTE; Seisia White, WH.
Round one in the Champions IGA-backed CVFL under-18 girls competition kicks off with Friday night’s match between Kangaroo Flat and Castlemaine on the Roos’ turf in Dower Park from 5.45pm.
Four matches will be played on Sunday from 11am.
Eaglehawk tackles Echuca United at C & M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
Woorinen hosts Sandhurst in the Tigers’ den at Woorinen Recreation Reserve.
Storm will play Marong at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
Golden Square and White Hills clash at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.