Hot start sets up Cats win against Mount Pleasant
FIVE goals to nil in the first quarter set up Lockington Bamawm United’s victory against Mount Pleasant in Saturday’s 15th round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League season.
The Cats led 32-0 at the first break of the showdown between first and second at Lockington.
Mount Pleasant hit back to win the second term, 27-14, but the Brodie Collins-coached LBU put the result beyond doubt when it added 6.2 to 1.2 in the third quarter.
The Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Blues fought on to score 5.6 to 1.4 in the last as LBU won 94-71.
Cats’ captain Jarod Bacon led the attack on four goals as nine team-mates added a goal each.
Ben Weightman marked a return from injury for Mounts and kicked a match-high five goals.
Last season’s Sam Cheatley medallist as league fairest and best, LBU ruckman Tyler Phillips was best afield as Jarod Bacon, Riley McIvor, Lachlan Atherton, Harley Cobb and Trent Bacon were in top form.
Ben Weightman, Sam Greene, Adam Baird, Chris Down, Bryce Hinneberg and William Wallace were best for the Blues.
Heathcote made a superb start to its clash with Elmore on the Saints’ turf at Barrack Reserve.
The Saints scored 9.1 to 1.1 in the opening quarter.
The margin was 22 points by the long break after the Bloods scored 5.3 to 1.1 in term two.
Heathcote held a six-goal lead at the final term and went on to win 105-78.
Best afield honours went to Braden Padmore who kicked seven goals as Kai Cavallaro chipped in with three.
Bloods’ vice-captain Darcy Laffy booted six goals.
Best for the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints were Padmore, Will Direen, Shaun Harrison, Kai Cavallaro, Joseph Beedle and Victor Butler.
Zach Holmberg, Conor Beckmans, Regan Williams, Tyler Amor Beale, Bailey Sawyer and Liam Gundry played well for the Dylan Friedberger and Dylan Gordon-coached Bloods.
Leitchville-Gunbower marked another strong first half when it was within four points of Colbinabbin at half-time of the match at Gunbower.
The Julian Bull-coached Grasshoppers led 46-42 at the long break and then added 8.3 to 3.0 in the third term.
Led by the play of James Brain, Laine Fitzgerald and Michael Battista, Colbinabbin kicked on to win 118-72.
Laine Fitzgerald kicked four goals as James and Jed Brain added three apiece.
It was a rare feat by Leitchville-Gunbower which finished with 12 goals, zero behinds.
Billy Hawken led the Bombers’ attack on three goals as James Barrat and Joel Regan added two each.
Colbinabbin’s best included Jimmy McMurtrie, Ben Barton and David Price.
Jobee Warde, Billy Hawken, Joel Regan, Mitchell Candy, Hoby Bussey and Sam Lewis played well for the Bombers.
North Bendigo won every quarter on its way to a 102-40 victory on Huntly’s turf at Strauch Reserve.
The Bulldogs led 28-14 at the first break and then seized control in the second as they added 6.1 to 1.5.
Bulldogs’ ruckman Jeremy Lambden continued his outstanding season at centre ball-ups and stoppages as Jordan Ford was strong in defence, Storm Giri’s attack at the contest and tackling was a highlight.
After kicking 12 goals in the under-18s clash to move to a season tally of 97, North Bendigo young gun Cody Riddick added four goals in the senior match.
The classy Hakeem Johnson booted three goals, but injured his hamstring late in the game.
Dylan Klemm’s return of two goals included a running shot from well outside 50m, while Jonas Somerville’s running shot from the pocket on the clubrooms side at the northern end of the ground was a highlight.
Huntly had five goalkickers.
Best for the Robert Bennett-coached Bulldogs’ included wingman Nic Waterson, key defender Sam Demeo and rover Nathan Newlan.
Harrison Campbell, Jake Maher, Tyler Miles, Mitch Christensen, Jayden Cordy and Connor Aldous were best for the Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks.
Bulldogs’ key forward Matt Gray was concussed in the final quarter, and captain Aarryn Craig did not play the second half after injuring an ankle in the second term.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Lockington Bamawm United 209 per cent, 48 points; Colbinabbin 177, 46; Mount Pleasant 175, 44; North Bendigo 150, 42; Heathcote 85, 24; White Hills 77, 20; Elmore 63, 8; Huntly 57, 4; Leitchville-Gunbower 42, 4.
Highlight of Saturday’s round 16 action will be North Bendigo against Lockington Bamawm United at Hibo Hotel Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
White Hills and Heathcote meet in a contest that could decide fifth place in the Demons’ den at Scott Street.
Colbinabbin tackles Huntly at M.J. Morgan Reserve in Colbinabbin.
Elmore plays Leitchville-Gunbower at Elmore.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
59 Ben Weightman, MP.
46 Dylan Klemm, NB.
40 James Brain, Colbo.
39 Darcy Laffy, Elm.
33 Braden Padmore, H’cote.
32 Jed Brain, Colbo.
29 Liam Bartels, WH; Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo; Anthony McMahon, LBU.
28 Matt Gray, NB; Thomas Leech, LBU.
24 Ben Fulford, LBU.
23 Jarod Bacon, LBU.
22 Mitchell Bennett, MP; Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Billy Hawken, LG; Hakeem Johnson, NB.
21 Jack Brooks, H’cote; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
20 Jordan Ford, NB.
19 Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.
18 Dean Tydell, MP.
17 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Jackson Conforti, H’cote.
16 Tyler Phillips, LBU; Cody Riddick, NB.
15 Adam Baird, MP; Luke Gray, Huntly.
Written by Nathan Dole.
