Lockington Bamawm wins hard-fought preliminary with Colbinabbin
THE Cats from Lockington Bamawm United have earned a showdown with Mount Pleasant to decide the senior footy premiers in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League.
Beaten just once in the home and away series, LBU was stung by a Mount Pleasant in the second semi, but earned another crack at the Blues by winning Saturday’s preliminary final against Colbinabbin.
With so much at stake, fans witnessed a bruising encounter between the Blues and Grasshoppers at the Scott Street ground in White Hills.
LBU led 18-14 at quarter-time and then scored 2.2 to 1.5 in the second for a seven-point lead at the long break.
The Cats dominated general play in the third term, but inaccuracy meant Colbinabbin was right in the game.
Lockington Bamawm added 1.7 to 1.2 in the third quarter and the margin was soon back to just five points early in the final term.
It was the Brodie Collins-coached Cats who steadied and were rewarded for their play at stoppages and run from half-back as they scored 3.3 to 1.2 in the final term.
At the final siren it was LBU which marked a 66-41 victory and another duel with the Blues in a match of greater significance than when they last met.
Anthony McMahon and Jarod Bacon, who is one of three co-captains, led Lockington Bamawm’s attack on three goals apiece as Harley Cobb and Jesse Collins added singles.
Colbinabbin’s attack was led by James Brain on two goals as Laine Fitzgerald, Luke Moore and Sam Ryan added singles.
Best for LBU were Jarod Bacon, Marcus Angove, Tyler Phillips, Lachlan Atherton, Nathan Bacon and Jacob Gardiner.
Luke Moore, David Price, Hugh Barlow, Lachlan Ezard, Joel Sacco and Will Lowe played well for the Julian Bull-coached Grasshoppers.
Mount Pleasant ensured it would be in the fight for two premierships after the reserves won the preliminary final against Heathcote.
The Saints led 8-4 at quarter-time, but Mount Pleasant lifted to score 3.2 to nil in the second term.
In an evenly-contested third quarter, Mounts added 2.3 to 2.0.
Led by the play of James Walsh, Matt Fitzgerald and Jackson Hufer it was the Blues who scored 5.4 to 6.2 in an entertaining final term.
At the final siren the Taig Griffin and Luke Marchesi-coached Blues led 73-58.
Multiple goalkickers for Mount Pleasant were Jesse O’Connell, co-captain Jacob Smith and James Walsh on two each.
Oliver Bish, Jack Hetherington, Jack Mackenzie and Connor Moore chipped in with a goal each.
The Saints’ Liam Edwards kicked a match-high four goals as Joseph Beedle, Lachlan Freeman Taber, Rylie Merkel, William Pointer and Josh Shaw were also on target.
The Blues’ best included Ned Burke, Jacob Hopley and Daniel Kerr.
Dillon Hardy, Lachlan Freeman Taber, Joseph Beedle, Liam Edwards, Ryan Kealey and Dallas Middleton were best for the Michael Ayres-coached Saints.
White Hills dominated after half-time of the under-18s clash with Leitchville-Gunbower.
The Demons led 25-24 at half-time and then slammed on 7.8 to nil in the third quarter.
Seth Boyd, Sam Lowes and Darcy Lawler were in hot form as White Hills bounced back from a second semi-final loss to North Bendigo.
The Bombers fought the game out as they scored 3.3 to 3.6 in the final term.
At the final siren, White Hills led 99-45.
Zavia Roberts led the Demons’ attack on five goals as Fraser Banfield and captain Xavier Meersbergen added two each.
Other goalkickers for White Hills were Riley Beard, Andrew Beens, Seth Boyd and Hamish Goggin.
The Bombers’ goalkickers were James Barrat on four, Riley Armstrong with two, and Oskar Smartt.
Best for the Rob Lowes-coached White Hills included Dylan Arnold, Josh Harris and Zavia Roberts.
Leitchville-Gunbower’s best were Oskar Smartt, James Barrat, Fletcher Ball, Abel Prout, Silas Kingma and Noah Hore.
The young guns from the Bombers were jointly coached by Xav Colvin and Tim Kingma.
It will be a showdown between Mount Pleasant and Lockington Bamawm United for the senior footy premiership cup next Saturday at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
The Blues and Cats clash starts at 2.20pm.
White Hills and Mount Pleasant will fight for the reserves premiership from 11.50am.
First of the footy grand finals will be from 9.30am when North Bendigo plays White Hills in the under-18s decider.
Written by Nathan Dole.
