BY NATHAN DOLE
Demons, Bloods clash to reach finale first
THE Winslow White Hills Demons or Elmore will be first to the A-grade netball grand final after Saturday’s second semi-final in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
A showdown between the league’s premier teams of the past two years will be played at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.
After an extended break because of a round 18 bye and rest because of finishing on top of the ladder, White Hills will be fired up for this contest.
The reigning premiers thrashed Elmore when they met at Winslow Constructors Oval in White Hills in round nine by 38 goals.
On that occasion the Lauren Bowles-coached Demons won every quarter by margins of 10, 7, 17 and 4.
At the final siren White Hills led the Bloods, 71-33.
Next time around it was reminiscent of matches between the clubs of ’23 and ’22.
Elmore led 13-10 at quarter-time of the round 15 match at Elmore Recreation Reserve.
The Bloods held a one-goal buffer at the long break, before scores were locked on 38-all at a quarter to play.
Both teams scored 15 goals in the final term as a top contest ended on 53-all.
Chasing back-to-back premierships, White Hills achieved a win-loss record of 13-1 and drew two matches in the run to the finals.
The Demons’ winning streak was ended in a 48-56 loss at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval in the 13th round.
The Allira Holmes and Gabe Richards-coached Elmore had a win-loss tally of 13-2 and drew one match in the home-and-away series.
Elmore’s desperation was to the fore as it won last Saturday’s qualifying final against Colbinabbin by a goal.
A high-scoring clash between the Bloods and Grasshoppers ended up in favour of the team in the red and white, 57-56, at Lockington.
On Sunday it will be Colbinabbin against Leitchville Gunbower in the first semi-final at White Hills.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Jen McIntyre-coached Colbinabbin and Caitlyn Hamilton-coached Leitchville Gunbower.
Their first meeting in ’24 was in round two at Gunbower where a new-look LG team won 54-46.
Margin was eight goals as Colbinabbin netted a 62-54 victory at home against the Bombers in the 11th round.
The Grasshoppers will be keen to bounce back from a one-goal loss in the qualifying final and to stay in the premiership race.
Leitchville-Gunbower tipped off its finals campaign by scoring a 56-43 victory against Heathcote in the elimination final at Leitchville.
Seven of the league’s nine clubs are represented across this weeekend’s semi-finals.
Most teams on court are Huntly and Lockington Bamawm United on six.
There will be five teams from White Hills, and four from Elmore in action.
Leitchville Gunbower and Mount Pleasant have three teams vying for victory, and there is one line-up in the green and gold of Colbinabbin.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve:
13-and-under at 8.45am, court two: Leitchville Gunbower v Lockington Bamawm United.
17-and-under at 8.45am: Mount Pleasant v Lockington Bamawm United.
15-and-under at 10am: Mount Pleasant v White Hills.
B-grade at 11.15am: Leitchville Gunbower v Huntly.
B-reserve at 12.30pm: White Hills v Lockington Bamawm United.
A-reserve at 1.45pm: White Hills v Huntly.
A-grade at 3pm: White Hills v Elmore.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at Winslow Constructors Oval in Scott Street, White Hills:
13-and-under at 9.30am: Huntly v Elmore.
17-and-under at 9.30am: Huntly v Elmore.
15-and-under at 11am: Lockington Bamawm United v Huntly.
B-grade at 11am: White Hills v Lockington Bamawm United.
B-reserve at 12.30pm: Huntly v Mount Pleasant.
A-reserve at 12.30pm: Elmore v Lockington Bamawm United.
A-grade at 2pm: Colbinabbin v Leitchville Gunbower.