BY NATHAN DOLE
Bloods, Bulldogs add lots of experience
THERE’S been plenty of experience added to Elmore’s and North Bendigo’s senior football playing lists in the build-up to the 2025 Bendigo Bank Heathcote District FNL season.
After just the one victory in what was its 150th year, Elmore was incredibly active on the recruiting front.
Newcomers for the Bloods include Phil Smith and Matt O’Dwyer who both had stints on AFL lists.
Both join Elmore after being team-mates at Tullamarine.
Likely to play in defence, Smith was selected by Brisbane Lions in the 2008 AFL rookie draft.
Although he did not play at the highest level, Smith brings plenty of experience from VFL stints with Box Hill and Williamstown.
O’Dwyer was with Sydney Swans in 2008, ’09 and ’10 and played seven AFL matches.
He was also a Tiger as he represented Werribee in the VFL.
The Nathan Kay-coached Elmore has gained ruckman Reilley Porter from White Hills, Joel King from Echuca United, Jackson Lowry from Kyabram, Kyan Evans from Lyndhurst, Liam Bianco from Avondale Heights, and Nash Kerr from Wycheproof-Narraport, now known as Calder United.
Beaten in last season’s preliminary final, North Bendigo has brought in a wealth of premiership-winning experience.
The Bulldogs’ gun recruits include Ryan Gillingham, a nine-time premiership winner with Kerang and Blues’ team-mates Jesse Clark and Lachlan Ross.
A triple premiership player at North Bendigo, Darcy Richards returns from a stint with Eaglehawk.
The Bulldogs have signed ruckman Jordan Hargreaves and Jacob Piccoli from Wedderburn.
Premiership-winning ruckman Jeremy Lambden returns to the kennel after not playing in ’24.
Other newcomers for a team now coached by Rob Bennett, non-playing, and Ryan Hartley, playing, include Liam Dillon from Kyabram, Ryan Domaille from Tooleybuc Manangatang, and Harrison Jarvie from Yea.
Although there was mass exodus after a breakthrough premiership victory, Winslow White Hills Demons still has a strong squad.
The Demons go into next season as reigning premier in all three football grades.
After the departure of co-coaches Jack Fallon and Kaiden Antonowicz to South Bendigo, White Hills appointed Peter Learmonth and Ben Taylor as co-coaches of the senior team.
Learmonth brings more than 400 games experience from stints that included Union and Golden Square to a non-playing role.
A gun on-baller, Taylor capped a brilliant season by earning the Eddie Scarff medal as the Demons’ champion player of the ’24 season.
Newcomers to the den in Scott Street include forward/wingman Andrew Bennett from Eaglehawk, Strathfieldsaye defender Jacob Beattie, and Ben Irvine from Bridgewater.
On the netball front, Elley Lawton crosses from Eaglehawk to coach the A-grade team.
Key recruit for the red and black is goaler Annie Spear from Kangaroo Flat.
After a hat-trick of premierships at Marong, Linton Jacobs returns to Colbinabbin as coach.
The Grasshoppers also welcome back Matt Riordan, a premiership winner with the green and gold in 2008 who starred in the Panthers latest grand final triumph.
A huge plus for Colbinabbin was the signing of gun forward Brandyn Grenfell, a century goalkicker in Marong’s premiership years of ’22 and ’23 who starred in Nyah Nyah West United’s run to grand final glory in ’24.
Another player to have celebrated a premiership last September, Isaac Carracher makes his way from Sandhurst to M.J. Morgan Oval.
Other recruits for the Grasshoppers include Sam Ryan, University Blues; Daniel Hill, Curtin University Perth; Dean Smith, Nullawil; Dougal McKindlay, Moama; and Nicholas Palmer, Elmore.
Most of Leitchville-Gunbower’s team which played in the ’24 grand final has signed on.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers played inspired football to bounce back from a qualifying final loss to then win the first semi and preliminary finals.
LG also marked a great run to the A-grade netball finals and has appointed Grant Mathews who had coaching stints across VFNL senior and junior levels, as well as time at Deniliquin Rovers, Echuca, and Koondrook Barham.
After finishing fourth in ’24, Heathcote has bolstered key position stocks.
Key recruits for the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints include full-forward Dylan Johnstone from Cohuna Kangas; defender Harley Burmeister-Lyons; Will Tobin from Bell Park; Oscar Keogh from Dunolly; and mid/forward Justin Bateson from Kangaroo Flat.
The Saints have recruited goalkeeper Chloe Meulenmeesters as A-grade netball coach.
A much-improved Huntly will aim to build on this season’s momentum.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Harlowe Huntly Hawks marked a win-loss tally of 6-10 which included beating North Bendigo twice.
Recruits for the brown and gold include Jameson Barber from Sandhurst; Jack Burns from Pyramid Hill; and Lachlan Ross from Golden Square.
It’s a new-look coaching panel at Mount Pleasant as the Blues recruited Josh Hann to be playing co-coach.
A premiership winner at Kerang and Sandhurst, Hann will team up with Cameron Carter.
Co-coach of the ’23 premiership team, Adam Baird returns to Toolleen as midfield coach.
Gun recruits for the Blues include Brodie Montague, a premiership winner with Sandhurst in 2016; and key position player Brodie Leonard-Shannon and the skillful Seb Greene from Maldon.
A huge plus is the return of ’23 premiership stars William Wallace and Bryce Hinneberg to the defence.
Joey Bell is also back with Mounts after a three-season stint in the VAFA with Prahran.
The Lockington Bamawm United Cats will be fired up after a 5-11 tally and eighth place last season.
After joining the club from Echuca in ’23, Jayden Howe steps up to be LBU’s new senior coach.
The Cats’ recruits include Echuca ruckman/forward Cody Mann; forward-mid Nick Sheldon and defender Jack O’Callaghan who had played in the Goulburn Valley and Picola leagues.