Blues outplay Cats to reach grand final
MOUNT Pleasant has advanced to the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League’s senior footy grand final after a superb second semi-final win against Lockington Bamawm United.
The Mounts and LBU line-ups fought out a fierce contest at Gunbower Recreation Reserve.
The Blues led 20-16 at quarter-time and then seized control in the second term as it scored 4.3 to 1.3.
Mount Pleasant gun ruckman Chris Down took on dual Cheatley medallist Tyler Phillips and was in great touch, not just at centre ball-ups, but at stoppages and in field play.
The Blues’ on-ballers in Adam Baird, Billy Mahony and Zebb Murrell also set up plenty of moves into the forward 50m arc where Travis Baird, Dean Tydell and Ben Weightman were threats to the Cats’ defence.
LBU was first to goal in the third term, but the Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Blues worked hard to score 2.1 as the Cats rued some missed chances in a quarter return of 3.4.
Unlike the previous two showdown where the Cats dominated the last term it was Mounts who did so this time.
The Blues scored 4.2 to 1.2 to complete an 86-55 victory.
Baird and Tydell led the attack on three goals apiece as Jack Hamilton scored twice on the run in a match where the Blues showed they do not need gun forward Ben Weightman, one goal, to dominate play.
For the Brodie Collins-coached LBU, Nathan Bacon kicked a match-high four goals as Riley McIvor kicked two.
The Blues’ best included William Wallace in defence, and Tydell’s strong marking and physical presence inside the forward 50m arc.
Best for the Cats were Lachlan Atherton, Jarod Bacon, Marcus Angove, Harley Cobb, Trent Bacon and Charlie Hinks.
Mount Pleasant has advanced to the September 3 grand final at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Lockington Bamawm United will take on Colbinabbin in next Saturday’s preliminary final at White Hills.
The Cats and Grasshoppers will do battle from 2.15pm at the Scott Street ground.
Colbinabbin stayed in the premiership race after a 35-point win against White Hills in Sunday’s first semi-final at Toolleen.
The Grasshoppers charged to a 38-8 lead by quarter-time before the Demons struck back to win the second term, 32-21.
Again it was the Julian Bull-coached Colbinabbin which controlled play in the vital third quarter to score 5.1 to 1.4.
The Jack Fallon-coached White Hills had made some great comebacks throughout the season, including the previous Sunday’s elimination final, but could not do so this time.
Although the Demons outscored Colbo in the last, 26-21, it was the Grasshoppers who claimed an 111-76 victory.
Ben Southam capped best afield honours by kicking four goals for Colbinabbin as James Brain and Matt Riordan chipped in with three each.
The Grasshoppers had Jed Brain, Luke Moore and Sam Ryan boot two goals apiece.
Leading goalkicker for White Hills was Mitch Dole on four as Liam Bartels and Matt Sawyer added two each.
Best for Colbinabbin were Ben Southam, Logan Fitzgerald, Laine Fitzgerald, Ben Barton, Tom Hill and Hadleigh Sirett.
Doolan Nihill, Mitch Dole, Jack Fallon, Liam Bartels, Ben Bacon and Patrick Eefting played well for the Demons.
White Hills has made its way to another reserves grand final after a hard-fought 64-54 victory in the second semi-final clash with Mount Pleasant.
The Demons led 20-nil at quarter-time, but Mounts fought back well to score 2.1 to 2.2 in the second.
It was the Blues who did plenty of attacking in the third and were rewarded with a score of 4.4 to 2.3 to be within eight points going into the final term.
Led by the play of Hamish Richards, Daniel Trull and Rohan Bowles it was the Demons who added 2.3 to 2.1 in the term to win 9.10 (64) to 8.6 (54).
The White Hills attack was led by Ethan Arnold and Daniel Trull with two goals apiece.
Jack McKenzie kicked two goals for the Blues.
The Demons’ best included Will Richardson, Rohan Cadzow and Brock Allsop.
A list of Mount Pleasant’s best players was not supplied.
In the reserves preliminary final at 11.50am it’s Mount Pleasant up against Heathcote.
The Saints fought back from a four-goal deficit at quarter-time of Sunday’s first semi-final against Lockington Bamawm United.
In a brilliant start to the contest, LBU led 31-7 at the first break, but Heathcote lifted to score 5.1 to a goal in the second to lead by a point at half-time.
The Saints dominated most of the third quarter to score 3.6 to 1.2.
Despite a 17-point deficit at the start of the final term, LBU put the heat on the Saints as it scored four goals to 3.2 in a great finish to the match.
At the final siren, Heathcote led 82-69.
Leading goalkickers for the Saints were Will Pointer, three; Bo Davidson, Liam Edwards and Josh Shaw, two.
LBU’s attack was led by Jamie Maddison, three; Damian Dalziel and Lachlan Collins, two.
Best for the Saints were Josh Shaw, Joseph Beedle, Lachlan Freeman Taber, Liam Edwards, Kyle Seidel and Dillon Hardy.
The Cats’ best were Damian Dalziel, Luke Collins, Lachlan Collins, Michael Ovens, Jamie Maddison and Mitchell Laursen.
North Bendigo charged clear in the last term to mark a 28-point victory in the under-18s second semi-final against White Hills.
The Bulldogs’ only defeat in the run to the finals had been a 78-49 result at White Hills in round three.
It was a closely-fought final between the competition’s top two.
North Bendigo led 20-6 at quarter-time, but the Demons kept the pressure on to be within two goals at half-time and 11 points going into the final term.
In the final term it was the Bulldogs’ on-ballers in Riley Paetow, Nathan Anderson and Zandyr Barilari who capitalised on the tapwork of ruckman Jack Pysing to keep pumping the ball into attack.
The Storm Giri and Tony Keating-coached Bulldogs scored 4.3 to 1.4 in the last quarter to win 67-39.
A century goalkicker in the home and away series, Cody Riddick kicked a match-high three goals as Brandyn Barilari booted two majors.
Bulldogs’ captain Tyler Green, Luke Anderson, Nathan Anderson, Riley Paetow and Corey May added one goal each.
Goalkickers for the Rob Lowes-coached Demons were Andrew Beens, Sam Lowes, Macauley Johnson, Zavia Roberts and Ben Wallace.
The Bulldogs’ best included wingman Luke Anderson, Tyler Green and Denzel Cooper.
Best for White Hills were Dylan Arnold, Mitchell Griffin, Sam Lowes, Alex Wallace, Darcy Lawler and Josh Harris.
The Demons will take on Leitchville-Gunbower when preliminary final day at the Scott Street ground kicks off at 9.45am.
Fifth at the end of the home and away series on a 9-7 record, Leitchville Gunbower beat Colbinabbin in the elimination final and followed up by defeating Lockington Bamawm United in Sunday’s first semi.
It was a superb contest between the Bombers and Cats.
LBU led 20-6 at quarter-time before the LG line-up won the second term, 8-1.
Pressure was high in the third term Leitchville Gunbower scored 3.2 to 1.4 to lead 34-31 at a quarter to play.
Led by the play of Oskar Smartt, Darby Jones and Beau Trahar it was the Bombers who fought on for a 43-41 victory to keep their season alive.
James Barrat kicked a match-high three goals for Leitchville Gunbower as Darby Jones kicked two and Oskar Smartt added the other.
Goalkickers for the Cats were Baxter Anderson, Sam Felmingham, Finn Palmer, Bowden Stone and Nick Stone.
Best for Leitchville-Gunbower included James Barrat, Fletcher Ball and Noah Hore.
Joel Priestley, Kingsley Bambling, Ed Brentnall, Bowden Stone, Cody Betts and Cooper Mitchell were best for Lockington Bamawm United.
Written by Nathan Dole.
