Netballers duel to make grand final on White Hills courts
QUALIFICATION for the grand final is at stake in this Saturday’s preliminary finals in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League’s netball action.
Seven of the league’s nine clubs will be represented on the netball courts at Scott Street in White Hills.
In the A-grade competition, Elmore takes on Colbinabbin.
The Bloods won both of the home and away series matches against the Grasshoppers.
The season opener on April 2 featured the Colbinabbin and Elmore clash under lights at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Reserve.
Elmore won that showdown, 55-41.
Three weeks later and the teams faced off against Elmore in round three.
On that occasion the Grasshoppers upped the defensive intensity by a significant margin and were almost rewarded with the premiership points as Elmore fought for a 48-47 victory.
Unbeaten in what was a shortened ’21 season and dominant for much of the ’22 campaign, Elmore will be desperate to earn another shot at White Hills in the grand final.
The Bloods began the finals campaign by scoring a 29-goal win against Mount Pleasant in the qualifying final, but were beaten 56-61 by White Hills in the second semi at Gunbower.
It’s been a must-win scenario for Colbinabbin to stay in the premiership race.
The Grasshoppers won the elimination final against Huntly by six goals and then followed up with a dramatic 36-34 result against Mount Pleasant in the first semi on the Blues’ court at Toolleen.
It’s a showdown between Elmore and White Hills in the A-reserve competition.
The Bloods have beaten the Demons in both contests this season.
In round five, Elmore won 40-33 at White Hills and then 54-30 at home in the 14th round.
The Bloods will be on the rebound from a dramatic second semi-final in which Colbinabbin progressed to the grand final because of a scoresheet error by Elmore.
White Hills bounced back from a qualifying loss to the Grasshoppers to score a 45-43 win against Huntly in the first semi-final.
It’s Bloods against Hawks in the B-grade match between Elmore and Huntly.
In round eight, Elmore won 42-27, but the Hawks fired up in a 38-39 loss to the Bloods in the 17th round at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
Elmore was beaten by Colbinabbin, 49-42 in the second semi-final.
The Hawks’ finals campaign began with a 46-48 loss to the Hoppers in the qualifying final and a 40-38 result against Mount Pleasant in the first semi.
Leitchville Gunbower takes on Mount Pleasant in B-reserve.
This season’s meetings between the Bombers and Blues stand at one-all.
Mounts won 42-34 in round four at Toolleen, but LG hit back for a 40-32 result in the 13th round at Gunbower.
After a 42-33 win against Elmore in the elimination final, Mount Pleasant scored a 36-35 victory against White Hills in the first semi.
The Bombers won 29-27 against White hills in the qualifying final, but were beaten 34-42 by Huntly in second semi-final at Gunbower.
Mount Pleasant faces White Hills in the 17-and-under preliminary final.
The Blues won the round two match against the Demons at Toolleen by nine goals.
In round 11, White Hills outplayed Mounts, 41-24 at the Scott Street ground.
These teams met in the qualifying final where the Blues won 39-27.
Mounts was beaten 39-44 in the second semi-final clash with Lockington Bamawm United.
The Demons struck back from defeat in week one of the finals to score a 16-goal victory against Leitchville-Gunbower in the first semi.
Mount Pleasant’s first appearance on preliminary final day will be in the 15-and-under match against Elmore.
The Blues defeated the Bloods by margins of two and 22 goals in the run to the finals.
After a 15-goal win against North Bendigo in the qualifying final, Mount Pleasant was beaten 54-43 by Lockington Bamawm United in the second semi.
Elmore won the elimination final against Huntly by 20 goals and stayed in the premiership race when it won 37-29 against North Bendigo in the first semi on the Toolleen court.
The 13-under preliminary final features Lockington Bamawm United against Leitchville-Gunbower.
The Cats beat the Bombers by two goals in round three and by 10 in the 12th round at Lockington.
LBU will be keen to strike back after a 20-22 loss to Elmore in the second semi-final.
Leitchville-Gunbower was beaten by three goals in the qualifying final clash with Elmore, but hit back for a 39-11 victory in the first semi against the Saints from Heathcote.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Scott Street, White Hills:
13-and-under at 8.45am: Lockington Bamawm United v Leitchville-Gunbower.
15-and-under at 8.45am: Mount Pleasant v Elmore.
17-and-under at 10am: Mount Pleasant v White Hills.
B-reserve at 10am: Leitchville-Gunbower v Mount Pleasant.
B-grade at 11.30am: Elmore v Huntly.
A-reserve at 1pm: Elmore v White Hills.
A-grade at 3.30pm: Elmore v Colbinabbin.
Written by Nathan Dole.