BY NATHAN DOLE
Mounts on rebound against Grasshoppers
MOUNT Pleasant will aim to bounce back from defeat when it takes on Colbinabbin in Saturday’s sixth round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy season.
The Blues have home-ground advantage at Toolleen for a big match against the Grasshoppers starting at 2.15pm.
Players and fans will also mark what is Community Umpiring Round.
A 1-3 record has the Cam Carter-coached Mount Pleasant in seventh place on the ladder.
Latest hit-out for the Blues was at Lockington where the Cats won by six goals.
The Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin starts the day’s play in fourth place on the ladder on a two-three record.
The Grasshoppers won last Saturday’s home game against Huntly by four goals at M.J. Morgan Oval.
Key players for Mount Pleasant include captain and ruckman Chris Down, Sam Greene, on-baller Jack Hickman and Fletcher White.
The Blues’ attack is led by Ben Bisset, Chris Hatzis, Caelan Smith and Mitch Bennett.
Colbinabbin’s best against the Hawks was long-time player and former coach Nick Knight.
Other players to watch for the green and gold include Connor Aldous in defence, Aidan and Nathan Basile, captain Will Lowe and Jude Ryan.
Colbinabbin will look to Clint Shields and Jai Carn to cap the attacking moves with goals.
Another big match will be at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve where the Saints take on Leitchville Gunbower.
Stung by its only defeat of the season in round four at home, Heathcote hit back to win last Saturday’s match at Elmore by 64 points.
Gun ruckman James Orr is in superb form for Heathcote and has teamed brilliantly with Liam Jacques and Braden Padmore at centre ball-ups and stoppages.
A powerful Saints attack is led by Corey Grindlay.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote has the run of Codie Price, Liam Birch and Rhys Bolton to test the Bombers all match.
Leitchville Gunbower is back in action after the bye.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers are fifth on a two-two record.
In round four, LG beat Elmore by eight goals at Gunbower.
Chances of the Bombers upsetting the Saints will rely greatly on the play of ruckman Jobee Warde, Mitch Candy in the centre, Chris Horman and Tom Brereton in attack, and defenders Will Brereton, Billy Hawken and Thomas Guerra.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks are on home turf at Strauch Reserve to tackle the unbeaten North Bendigo.
Huntly teamed brilliantly on its ground in round four to beat Lockington Bamawm United by 34 points.
Massive test for the Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks against an opponent which has dominated first quarters all season.
The Hawks will rely a lot on the experience of Dale Lowry, captain Steve Kairn, Harry Whittle, Jacob Greenwood and Brodie Fry.
Huntly also the skilful Abe Sladden and Harry McCormick, and strong marking Lachy Wilson in attack.
Big test for Huntly’s defence in nullifying the impact Dylan Klemm, Jake Dean and Hakeem Johnson have on the game.
Best for the Bulldogs in their win against the Winslow White Hills Demons included young guns Will Gilmore and Riley Paetow, and the experienced Hamish McCartney and Nic Waterson.
North Bendigo will be without captain Aarryn Craig, concussion protocols, but have the leadership of Tyson Findlay, Matt Gray and Nathan Newlan.
The Bulldogs will also have Jett Grundy and Senna Marsili play their first senior matches.
On the rebound from its first defeat in ’24, the Winslow White Hills Demons are home at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street to take on Elmore.
A Demons line-up jointly coached by Jack Fallon and Kaiden Antonowicz is likely to have too much scoring power for Elmore to match.
Main targets in the White Hills attack include Antonowicz, Mitch Dole, James Davies and Cohen Kekich.
Best for the Demons against the Bulldogs were Alex Davis, Ben Taylor and Jack Lawton.
A tough three-match stretch for the Mick Woolhouse-coached Elmore which played at Gunbower, then took on Heathcote and now rolls into White Hills.
In the club’s 150th year, Elmore’s team has put some greater quarters together, but also had others where it has scored 10 points or less.
Massive challenge for the likes of James and Joseph Harney, Rhys Holmberg, Dominic Dick-O’Flaherty, Daniel Russell and Nicholas Mayne for the Bloods to maintain a high level of pressure across four quarters in the den.
Players to watch for the Blllods include captain Daniel Russell in the ruck, ruck-rover Nathan Kay, and Connor Walsh on a wing.
Lockington Bamawm United has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
North Bendigo 180 per cent, 16 points; White Hills 179, 16; Heathcote 161, 16; Colbinabbin 79, 8; Leitchvile Gunbower 78, 8; Lockington Bamawm United 69, 8; Mount Pleasant 101, 4; Huntly 59, 4; Elmore 46, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
24 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
19 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
17 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
15 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
14 James Harney, Elmore.
14 Anthony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
11 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
11 James Davies, White Hills.
10 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
9 Ben Bisset, Mount Pleasant.
8 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
8 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
8 Cooper Webber-Mirkin, Heathcote.
8 Lachy Wilson, Colbinabbin.
7 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
7 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
7 Christian Hatzis, Mount Pleasant.
7 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
7 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
6 Sam Barnes, North Bendigo.
6 Jed Brain, Colbinabbin.
6 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
6 Jeremy Mundie, Lockington Bamawm United.
6 Braden Padmore, Heathcote.
6 Stuart Taylor, Lockington Bamawm United.