BY NATHAN DOLE
WHITE Hills will be striving to end Elmore’s unbeaten run when they meet in Saturday’s 13th round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The Lauren Bowles-coached White Hills has home-court advantage at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street for the big clash.
It’s another showdown between last year’s grand finalists.
When these clubs met in round four at Elmore it was the Bloods who took control in the second term.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore led 14-13 at quarter-time and then won the second term by five goals.
Scores were 15-all in the third and 14-all in the last as the Bloods took the points in a 62-56 result.
Both line-ups are in great form.
Elmore won its latest match against Leitchville Gunbower by 23 goals, and the Demons were too strong for the Saints in a 51-31 result at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
Another crucial match will be at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve where the Harlowe Huntly Hawks take on North Bendigo.
North Bendigo goes into this match with Imogen Davies now as A-grade coach instead of Shellie Davies.
Plenty has happened off-court since North Bendigo won at Lockington on July 1.
The Bulldogs are in a great battle with Heathcote and Mount Pleasant in deciding fourth and fifth placings and who qualifies for the August-September finals.
All three teams have achieved five wins.
A win for the Bulldogs at Huntly will put them back in the five as Heathcote has the bye.
When these clubs met in round four it was North Bendigo which fought for a 44-42 win against the Hawks at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
On that day it was the Kym Bell-coached Huntly which led 24-20 at half-time before the team in red, white and blue turned the contest by winning the crucial third quarter, 16-9.
As North Bendigo had the bye last round, Huntly won 54-38 against Lockington Bamawm United at Nichol Trading Oval in Lockington.
The third-placed Colbinabbin is back on its court at M.J. Morgan Oval to take on Lockington Bamawm United.
In last Saturday’s play Colbainbbin won 59-51 against Mount Pleasant at Toolleen.
The Jen McIntyre-coached Grasshoppers will start favourite to take the points against the Cats.
The fourth-round match at Lockington ended in a 49-goal win for Colbainbbin against the Jessie Hardess-coached LBU.
Leitchville Gunbower takes on Mount Pleasant at Gunbower.
The Carine Comer-coached Mount Pleasant beat the Bombers by 19 goals at Toolleen in round four, but will be wary against the Gemma Angove-coached Bombers on their court.
Heathcote has the bye.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL A-grade netball competition:
Elmore 182 per cent, 44 points; White Hills 199, 36; Colbinabbin 131, 32; Heathcote 103, 20; Mount Pleasant 91, 20; North Bendigo 80, 20; Huntly 81, 12; Lockington Bamawm United 54, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 49, 4.