Hawks eye chance to gain break on chasing pack
HUNTLY will eye a great chance to gain a two-win buffer on teams still fighting to gain fifth place in this Saturday’s 15th round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League.
The fifth-placed Hawks will be on their court at Strauch Reserve to take on North Bendigo.
For teams in pursuit of Huntly it will be a tough task.
It’s a logjam just outside the five as Lockington Bamawm United, Heathcote and Leitchville-Gunbower are locked on 16 points each and percentages of 88, 87 and 84.
They will all face higher-placed opponents in a crucial round.
Huntly will start favourite to take the points against North Bendigo.
The Hawks won the sixth-round match for the Golden City Cup at North Bendigo’s Hibo Hotel Oval by 14 goals.
Huntly will be keen to rebound from a 20-goal loss in last Saturday’s play against Mount Pleasant at Toolleen.
The Shellie Davies-coached North Bendigo worked hard in a 50-54 loss at home to Leitchville-Gunbower.
Lockington Bamawm United will aim to capitalise on home-court advantage in their 15-round clash with Mount Pleasant.
In the previous meeting it was the Blues who won by more than 20 goals.
Mount Pleasant has a two-game lead on Colbinabbin in the duel for the all-important double chance at finals time and will not want to slip up against the Cats.
Leitchville-Gunbower will again aim for consecutive wins when the Bombers take on Colbinabbin at Leitchville.
In round five, Colbinabbin won a great match on the M.J. Morgan Reserve court by four goals.
Heathcote faces a daunting task against an Elmore line-up on the rebound from its first defeat in 23 matches.
The Saints will have home-court advantage at Barrack Reserve against the Bloods.
The ladder-leading White Hills has the bye after a great performance to win at Elmore by nine goals on a day Heathcote district marked 60 years of netball action.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL’s A-grade netball competition:
White Hills 168 per cent, 48 points; Elmore 162, 44; Mount Pleasant 104, 32; Colbinabbin 96, 24; Huntly 81, 20; Lockington Bamawm United 88, 16; Heathcote 87, 16; Leitchville-Gunbower 84, 16; North Bendigo 60, 8.
Written by Nathan Dole.
