COLBINABBIN will fight to keep its season alive this Sunday when it tackles the Harlowe Huntly Hawks in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy preliminary final.
The Grasshoppers and Hawks will clash at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval from 2.15pm.
A Colbinabbin team coached by Linton Jacobs is on the rebound from a 33-point loss to Mount Pleasant in the qualifying final.
Huntly marked its return to finals action by scoring a 103-76 win against Leitchville Gunbower in the elimination final at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
This season’s meetings between Colbinabbin and Huntly stand at one-all.
In round eight the Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks clung on for a 65-64 victory at Strauch Reserve.
Colbinabbin dominated the round 17 showdown on its turf at M.J. Morgan Oval to win by nine goals.
There is plenty of goalkicking power in both teams.
Colbinabbin’s attack is led by Brandyn Grenfell, Alex Carr and Nick Knight.
At the other end of the ground the brown and gold has Sam Dunstan who has kicked 80 goals in 17 matches.
The Hawks also have Lachy Wilson, Harry Whittle and Abe Sladden capable of finishing or setting up attacking moves.
A major strength of the Colbinabbin line-up is the on-ball group which includes Nathan Basile, Isaac Carracher and Will Lowe.
The Grasshoppers also have the experience, height and marking power of Julian Bull and Hadleigh Sirett.
Other players to watch for the green and gold include Alex Van Ruiswyk on a wing, Jai Carn, Connor Aldous, and Charles, Jude and Sam Ryan.
Huntly goes into this match without experienced forward Jacob Greenwood who was handed a two-match penalty after an early guilty plea for abusive, insulting or obscene language towards or in relation to an umpire.
Greenwood’s pressure on the opposition and goal-nous will be sorely missed by the Huntly team.
Key players for the Hawks include ruckman Nathan Dunstan, captain Steve Kairn, Dale Lowry, Mitch Billings, Jayden Cowling, Ben Daley and Darby Walsh.
On Saturday it will be North Bendigo and Mount Pleasant fighting to be first to the September 13 grand final at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
The Bulldogs and Blues will contest the second semi-final at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings.
The Bulldogs broke clear in the final term to score an 86-52 win on Mount Pleasant’s turf at Toolleen in round five.
It was a dramatic finish to their round 14 showdown at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
The Blues ended the Bulldogs unbeaten streak with a goal on the siren to capture a 78-75 victory.
As North Bendigo had a rest in week one of the finals the Blues took charge after quarter-time to win the qualifying final against Colbinabbin by 33 points.
Top two at the end of the home-and-away series, North Bendigo and Mount Pleasant are stacked with goalkicking power.
The Bulldogs’ attack is led by Jake Dean, 44 goals; and Dylan Klemm, 40 goals.
The Rob Bennett and Ryan Hartley-coached North Bendigo will be without Darcy Richards who starts a two-match ban after lodging an early guilty plea for rough conduct against Leitchville Gunbower.
Cody Riddick has kicked 38 goals for the red, white and blue, but was not named in the team on Thursday night.
The Mount Pleasant defence is brilliantly led by William Wallace, Bryce Hinneberg and Deklan Wille.
Co-coaches of the Blues’ premiership team of ’23, Adam Baird and Ben Weightman will be in action.
This year it’s Josh Hann and Adam Baird who are playing co-coaches for Mounts and Cam Carter is director of coaching.
Weightman has kicked 43 goals in eight matches since he rejoined Mounts in the 11th round.
A strong attack includes Brodie Leonard-Shannon and Mitch Bennett who have kicked 33 and 32 goals.
Add the flair and run of Jack Hickman, Mitch Rovers and Jack Teasdale and the Blues have plenty of scoring options.
On-ball duels will be a highlight.
Bulldogs’ ruckman Jordan Hargreaves will take on Blues’ co-captain Chris Down.
At ground level North Bendigo has the run and skill of Bailey Cain, Ryan Hartley, Nathan Newlan and Riley Paetow.
There’s also the experience of Ryan Alford, captain Aarryn Craig, Tyson Findlay, Jordan Ford, Ryan Gillingham and Nic Waterson in the Bulldogs’ line-up.
Players to watch for Mounts include Joey Bell, Sam and Seb Greene, Riley McNamara, Caelan Smith, Fletcher White and Michael Whiting.
In the reserves competition, North Bendigo puts its unbeaten record on the line against Mount Pleasant in the second semi-final at noon.
The Bulldogs beat the Blues by 48 and 36 points in the home-and-away series.
North Bendigo’s squad includes Pat Bogers, Josh Newlan, Jack Pysing, Zaiyden Richards, Austin Robinson, Manny Thalasinos and Jack Towers.
Mount Pleasant won the qualifying final against Huntly by 55 points as Jaxson Nihill, Jack Mackenzie, Zac Featherby and Harvey Sims were best.
The Blues’ squad to take on the Bulldogs includes Oliver Bish, Hayden Gillingham, Tyler McNamara, Jesse O’Connell and Shaun Young.
On Sunday the Harlowe Huntly Hawks will contest the reserves first semi-final against Lockington Bamawm United.
The Hawks beat the Cats in round one at Lockington by 10 goals.
In round 10 the Huntly line-up beat LBU by 114 points at Strauch Reserve.
The Hawks are on the rebound from a 55-point loss to Mount Pleasant in the qualifying final.
Huntly’s squad to play LBU includes Daniel Artavilla, Lachlan and Toby Brook, Brad Chalmers, Jack Daley and Lachie Ross.
The Cats won the elimination final against Colbinabbin by 69 points as Lachlan Holthuisen, Matt Cartwright, Oliver Bray and Bart Phillips were best.
LBU’s squad for Sunday includes Cody Betts, Jake Rorke, Sam Wolfe and Zac Zula.
First of the weekend’s matches will be the under-18s second semi-final between North Bendigo and White Hills at Colbinabbin from 9.45am.
An unbeaten run by the Bulldogs includes wins against the Demons by 23 and 30 points.
The Bulldogs’ squad includes on-baller and David Roulston medallist Will Bennett, gun forward Sam Hancock, Jett Grundy, Jimmy Webb, Max Paetow, Ethan Giddings, Liam Westerway, Harper Hodgens and Oliver Lythgo.
White Hills won the qualifying final against Heathcote by 23 points.
Finn Millar Will Malone, Ari Morrissey and Brodie Doyle were best for the Demons against the Saints.
The White Hills line-up to take on the Bulldogs includes Tamba Basha, Patrick Conlan, Noah Jorgensen-Slimmon, Tom Kuchel, Jackson Lowery, Harry and Max Miller.
By midday Sunday it will be season over for Heathcote or Lockington Bamawm United.
The Saints and Cats meet in the first semi at Lockington.
Heathcote is on the rebound from defeat, while LBU marked a 33-point win against Mount Pleasant in the elimination final.
The Saints beat the Cats by three points at Lockington in round four.
Next time Heathcote beat LBU, 60-35 at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
Best for the Saints last Saturday were Nicholas Masullo, Archer Obst, Seb Barnett and Walter Butler.
The Heathcote squad includes Seb Barnett, Ryan Foster, Alfie Taylor and Caleb Tobin.
James Brentnall, Flynn and Riley Carr, Jett Huddle, Brayden Hull, Nicholas Mitchell and Mitch Scurrah will play key roles in LBU’s fight to reach the preliminary final.