BY NATHAN DOLE
Saints gun forwards fire in win against Mounts
EIGHT goals straight in the third quarter put Heathcote in control of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy grand final rematch against Mount Pleasant in Saturday’s opening round.
After an evenly-fought first half on Mounts’ ground at Toolleen, Heathcote led 46-40.
In the third term the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints took charge through centre breaks and stoppages to slam on 8.0 as the Blues added 4.1.
Heathcote won the last quarter 17-14 to complete a 111-79 victory.
Gun forward Corey Grindlay kicked eight goals in a best on ground performance as highly-rated recruit Zak Saad from Rupertswood booted six majors for the Saints.
Multiple goalkickers for the Cameron Carter-coached Mount Pleasant were Mitchell Bennett and Bailey White on two.
Best for Heathcote included ruckman James Orr, Jonty Kelly, Mitch McLean and key defender Daniel Johnstone.
The Blues’ best wre Ben Bisset, Jack Hickman, Riley McNamara, Zac Featherby, Sam Greene and Daniel Frame.
A brilliant start set up Lockington Bamawm United’s win against Leitchville Gunbower at Nichol Trading Oval in Lockington.
The Stacy Fiske-coached LBU led 31-13 at quarter-time.
Leitchville Gunbower struck back to win the second term, 22-19.
A 15-point buffer for the Cats at the start of the second half was 25 at a quarter to go.
Recruited from Moama, Stuart Taylor kicked six goals for LBU as Thomas Leech and Anthony McMahon added three each in a 94-56 result.
Among the many pleasing aspects for the Cats was its accuracy, 15.4 as LG racked up 7.14.
Leading goalkicker for the Bombers was Blake Dye on three.
Best for LBU were Stuart Taylor, ruckman Tyler Phillips, Jacob Gardiner, Charlie Hinks, Ben Holman and Thomas Leech.
Jye Keath, James Brereton, Dylan Jardine, Will Brereton, Blake Dye and Caleb Hislop played well for the Shannon Keam-coached Bombers.
White Hills charged to a 56-point by lead half-time of the clash with Harlowe Huntly Hawks at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
The Demons led 31-21 at quarter-time and then slammed on 8.5 to 1.1 in the second.
In what Hamish Morcom’s senior coaching debut, Huntly fought back well in the second half.
The Hawks scored 5.4 and kept the Demons to 6.8.
Jointly coached by Jack Fallon and Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills won the contest, 128 to 62.
Leading goalkickers for the Demons were James Davies and Cohen Kekich on three as Kaiden Antonowicz, Liam Bartels, Jake Miller and Ryan Walker added two each.
Huntly’s attack was led by Hamish Morcom on three.
Best afield honours went to Liam Bartels from White Hills as Patrick Eefting, James Davies, Ben Taylor, Nick Warnock and Jack Fallon played well for the red and black.
Tori Ferguson, Hamish Morcom, Jarrod Spry, Jackson Fry, Flynn Campbell and Ben Daley were best for the Hawks.
The day’s play was completed under Elmore’s lights where the Bloods took on Colbinabbin.
Elmore started well and led 25-18 at quarter-time.
The Grasshoppers took a two-point buffer into the long break after they scored 2.5 to 1.2 in the second term.
From there it was the Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin which dominated play.
The green and gold won the third term, 32-7, and slammed on 7.5 to nil in the last.
At the final siren Colbinabbin led 114 to 40.
Alex Carr capped off many of Colbo’s attacking drive by booting a match-high five goals as Clint Shields added three.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Grasshoppers were Jed Brain, Charles Ryan and Jordan Wilson.
Elmore’s attack was led by James Harney on two.
Best for Colbinabbin were Nathan Basile, Alex Carr, Angus Martin, Patrick Taban, Jude Ryan and William Lowe.
Joseph Harney, Rhys Holmberg, Nathan Kay, Jake Dick-O’Flaherty, Cobi Fitzpatrick and Jarrad Kyne worked hard for the Mick Woolhouse-coached Bloods.
North Bendigo had the bye.
First round winners, Heathcote and Lockington Bamawm United meet next Saturday on the Saints turf at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve at 2.15pm.
Leitchville Gunbower tackles Colbinabbin at Gunbower Recreation Reserve.
Elmore and North Bendigo clash on the Bloods’ turf.
The day’s play will be completed with the twilight clash between White Hills and Mount Pleasant in the Demons’ den at Scott Street in White Hills from 5.45pm.
Huntly has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior ladder:
Colbinabbin 285 per cent, 4 points; White Hills 206 per cent, 4 points; Lockington Bamawm United 167, 4; Heathcote 140, 4; Mount Pleasant 71, 0; Leitchville Gunbower 59, 0; Huntly 48, 0; Elmore 35, 0; North Bendigo 0, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
8 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
6 Zak Saad, Heathcote; Stuart Taylor, LBU.
5 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
3 James Davies, White Hills; Blake Dye, LG; Cohen Kekich, White Hills; Thomas Leech, LBU; Anthony McMahon, LBU; Hamish Morcom, Huntly; Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.