BY NATHAN DOLE
League leaders clash on Colbinabbin’s court
SECOND and first in the A-grade netball premiership race, Colbinabbin and Winslow White Hills Demons meet in Saturday’s 13th round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
Colbinabbin has home-court advantage at M.J. Morgan as it strives to end the Demons unbeaten run.
Just two goals separated these teams when they met in round four.
A high-scoring contest between last season’s grand finalists went the way of White Hills, 61-59.
The Lauren Bowles-coached White Hills will be expecting another fierce contest.
Both teams had great wins last round.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Grasshoppers jumped to the second rung following a 63-53 win at home against Elmore.
The Demons were superb in all thirds of their home court.
The White Hills attack capped off the work of the mid-courters by scoring 63 goals.
Just as crucial was the Demons’ defensive heat to restrict the Harlowe Huntly Hawks to 18 goals at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street.
Another big match will be at Elmore where the Bloods will aim to bounce back from defeat when they take on Leitchville Gunbower.
A loss at Colbinabbin meant the Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore dropped to the fourth rung.
The Bloods will be desperate to take the points against Leitchville Gunbower and claim the crucial double chance at finals time.
A brilliant start to the season by the Caitlyn Hamilton-coached Bombers was ended in a 57-70 loss to Elmore at Gunbower in the fourth round.
The LG line-up won its latest hit-out with Lockington Bamawm United by 31 goals at Leitchville.
North Bendigo will be fired up for its home game with Heathcote at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street.
The Bulldogs start the day’s play 16 points and more than 20 per cent behind the fifth-placed Heathcote.
A charge by the Kiralee Kinder and Stacey Kingdon-coached North Bendigo to qualify for the finals would start by beating the Saints.
Will not be easy for the red, white and blue as the Brooke Bolton and Kelsey Hayes-coached Heathcote won the round four clash with the Bulldogs by 11 goals.
Lockington Bamawm United will eye its third win of the season against a Huntly team chasing its second.
The Ash Cullen-coached LBU will start favourite to take the points against the Hawks.
A great match on Huntly’s court at Strauch Reserve in the fourth round ended in a 42-38 victory for the Cats against the Kym Bell-coached Hawks.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL A-grade netball competition:
White Hills 175 per cent, 44 points; Colbinabbin 137, 32; Leitchville-Gunbower 133, 32; Elmore 116, 32; Heathcote 99, 24; North Bendigo 78, 8; Mount Pleasant 76, 8; Lockington Bamawm United 64, 8; Huntly 55, 4.