BY NATHAN DOLE
LOCKINGTON Bamawm United withstood a strong final quarter fightback by Colbinabbin to win Saturday’s fourth round match in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy season.
The LBU Cats raced to a 20-3 lead by quarter-time of the clash at Lockington.
Colbinabbin hit back to win the second, 14-9, and was within two goals at the main break.
In the third LBU added 4.2, but the Grasshoppers kept the pressure on as they added 3.3.
It was 55-38 in favour of the Cats as the final quarter began.
Led by the play of Logan Fitzgerald, Connor Aldous and Riley Hogan, Colbinabbin did plenty of attacking in the last.
The Grasshoppers scored 3.2, but LBU’s tally of 1.4 was enough to clinch a 65-58 victory.
Ruckman Tyler Phillips kicked three goals in a best afield performance for the Cats as Thomas Leech and Riley McIvor chipped in with two goals.
Colbinabbin’s attack was led by Laine Fitzgerald, three; and Jai Carn, two.
Recruited from Kangaroo Flat, key position player Max Johnson was among the best for LBU.
Also in form for the Stacy Fiske-coached Cats were Jeremy Mundie, Baxter Anderson, Riley McIvor and Jai Milligan.
It was Jed Brain’s first match as playing coach of Colbinabbin.
The Grasshoppers’ best included Laine Fitzgerald, Jasper McArdle and Jai Carn.
Heathcote had the bye.
Newly-appointed co-coach of Mount Pleasant, Ben Weightman dominated in attack against Leitchville Gunbower.
Weightman kicked 10 goals as the Blues won by 96 points at Toolleen.
It was a great start by the Shannon Keam-coached Bombers as Mounts led 27-26 at quarter-time.
The Blues then slammed on 7.2 to 1.2 in the second and 6.4 to 1.3 in the third.
In a match where they combined as coaches for the first time, gun on-baller Adam Baird and Ben Weightman were best afield for Mounts.
It was Weightman who dominated inside the forward 50m arc, but the Blues also had Riley McNamara and the skilful Mitch Rovers chipped in with three goals each.
Chris Horman stood out in Leitchville Gunbower’s attack with four goals.
Best for the Blues included ruckman Chris Down, Riley McNamara, Mitch Rovers and Fletcher White.
Young ruckman Jobee Warde continued a superb season for the Bombers as Dylan Jardine, Jye Keath, Nathan McLellan, Bailey Taylor and Josh Hawken all played well for the LG line-up.
A brilliant first quarter set up a big win for White Hills at Elmore.
The Bloods slammed on 7.6 and kept the Bloods scoreless in the opening stanza.
A closely-fought second term was won by the Demons, 17-9.
Defences were on top for a lot of the final hour.
White Hills added 3.2 to 1.2 in the third, and 1.4 to nil in the last for a 95-17 victory.
The classy Kaiden Antonowicz kicked four goals for the red and black as James Davies, three; and Cohen Kekich, two; were the other multiple goalkickers.
Elmore’s goals were kicked by Nathan Kay and Darcy Laffy.
Brodie Johnson, captain Rhys Irwin, Eli Pearce, Thomas Brereton, Jake Pallpratt and James Davies were best for the Jack Fallon and Jake Pallpratt-coached Demons.
Jarrad Kyne, Jack Trewick, Nathan Kay, Dylan Gordon, Rhys Holmberg and Mitchell Carson worked hard for the Dylan Friedberger-coached Bloods.
A 17-goal first half put North Bendigo well in control of its clash with Huntly on the Bulldogs’ turf at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street.
The Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs scored 8.5 to 2.3 in the first term, and then slammed on 9.3 to 2.2 in the second.
Just as brilliant as North Bendigo’s first half was, the third was a flip in form.
As the Bulldogs tried to do too much with the ball, went for low percentage shots at goal and allowed their opponents lots of space, Huntly capitalised.
It was the Harry Whittle and Jayden Cordy-coached Hawks who played as if they were 13 goals up, not down, throughout most of the third quarter.
Huntly’s pressure and run resulted in a score of 4.3 as the wasteful Dogs scored 1.6.
To the Bulldogs’ credit they went back to how they had played for a lot of the first half to score 5.5 to just two points in the last.
At the final siren, North Bendigo led 157-58.
Jordan Ford led the Bulldogs’ attack on five goals as rover Nathan Newlan added four.
Other multiple goalkickers were Jake Hall, Hakeem Johnson, Dylan Klemm, three; captain Aarryn Craig, Rhys Healey, Riley Paetow and Cody Riddick on two.
Key forward Lachy Wilson booted three goals for the Hawks as Abe Sladden added two.
Shane Harris took many intercept marks in defence to be best afield for the Bulldogs.
Jake Hall, Nathan Newlan, Ben Knight and Billy Robertson won plenty of the footy and Ford also starred in attack.
Best for Huntly was Harry Whittle who racked up plenty of possessions across half-back.
Jackson Fry, Ben Daley, Harrison Campbell, Mitch Billings and Abe Sladden all played well for the brown and gold.
Heathcote had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Mount Pleasant 211 per cent, 12 points; White Hills 175, 12; North Bendigo 150, 12; Heathcote 167, 8; Lockington Bamawm United 129, 8; Elmore 91, 8; Colbinabbin 72, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 41, 0; Huntly 39, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
24 Ben Weightman, Mount Pleasant.
18 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
16 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
13 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
10 Laine Fitzgerald, Colbinabbin.
10 Christopher Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
9 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
9 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
9 Darcy Laffy, Elmore.
8 Riley McNamara, Mount Pleasant.
8 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
7 Jordan Buckley, Elmore.
7 Jesse Collins, Lockington Bamawm United.
7 Tyler Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
6 Brodie Collins, Lockington Bamawm United.
6 Aarryn Craig, North Bendigo.
6 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
6 Anthony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
Match of the day in next Saturday’s fifth round will be at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street, White Hills where the Demons take on Mount Pleasant from 2.30pm.
It’s the battle of the Grasshoppers and Bulldogs when Colbinabbin meets North Bendigo at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Reserve.
Heathcote marks its return from the bye by playing Elmore on the Saints’ ground at Barrack Reserve.
Leitchville Gunbower hosts Lockington Bamawm United at Leitchville.
Huntly has the bye.