BY NATHAN DOLE
Colbinabbin marks best win of season at Heathcote
COLBINABBIN marked its best win of this season’s Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy action in Saturday’s round 10 clash at Heathcote.
The Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin outran and outworked the Saints for most of the contest on Heathcote’s turf at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve.
Inaccuracy was the only blight in Colbo’s hot start to the game as it scored 2.6 and held the Saints to a tally of 1.2 in the first quarter.
Colbinabbin charged to a 21-point lead by half-time after it won the second term, 21-10.
Despite James Orr controlling many of the ruck contests it was the Grasshoppers who were superb at ground level.
Colbinabbin’s run and teamwork was outstanding as it scored 5.4 to 3.2 in the vital third term.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote won the last, 28-19, but it was the green and gold which marked a 92-66 victory.
Clint Shields led Colbinabbin’s attack on five goals as Logan Fitzgerald and Jordan Wilson added two each.
The Saints’ attack was led by Corey Grindlay on four goals.
Colbinabbin’s dominance in many of the on-ball and midfield duels was shown in its list of best players which was led by Nathan Basile, captain Will Lowe, Logan Fitzgerald and Alex Van Ruiswyk.
The Grasshoppers’ best included Charles Ryan and Clint Shields.
A first-year player at Heathcote after crossing from Kyneton, James Orr continued his outstanding season to be best for the Saints.
Rhys Bolton, Corey Grindlay, Daniel Johnstone, Connor Hamilton and Lachlan Freeman Taber were in Heathcote’s best.
Another strong opening quarter set up North Bendigo’s away win against Leitchville Gunbower.
The Bulldogs and Bombers played for premiership points at Leitchville for the first time this season.
Five goals as it kept LG to a tally of one in the opening term gave North Bendigo a 26-point buffer by the first break.
A closely-fought second term went the Dogs’ way, 25-21.
There was plenty of play between the respective half-forward lines in the third quarter.
As the Bulldogs added three behinds the Bombers added one.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers won the last, 19-14, but it was the Rob ‘Bomber’ Bennett-coached North Bendigo which marked a 74-47 victory.
Sam Barnes, Jake Dean, Jordan Ford and Nic Waterson all kicked two goals for North Bendigo.
Leitchville Gunbower’s attack was led by Fraser Buchanan and Austin Windridge on two each.
It was North Bendigo’s experienced players who were to the fore in this match.
Best for the Bulldogs were Nic Waterson, Tyson Findlay, Nathan Newlan, Aarryn Craig, Ryan Alford and Jordan Quirk.
Ruckman Jobee Warde, Brad Green, Xavier Colvin, Billy Hawken, Jye Keath and Max Hagan played well for Leitchville Gunbower.
After an evenly-fought first half, Mount Pleasant unleashed a brilliant third quarter to win on the Harlowe Huntly Hawks ground at Strauch Reserve by 38 points.
A Mount Pleasant team which has Ben Bisset and Jack Hickman as co-coaches and Cam Carter as director of coaching led 38-27 at half-time.
In the third the Blues stormed clear as they slammed on 6.5 to a goal.
Huntly hit back to win the last, 28-20, but it was Mount Pleasant which led 99-61 at the final siren.
Mitch Bennett was in superb touch as he kicked seven goals to be best on ground for Mounts as Jack Hickman added two.
The Hawks’ attack was led by Flynn Campbell, three; and Abe Sladden and Lachy Wilson, two.
Mount Pleasant’s best included Riley McNamara, ruckman Chris Down, Bailey White, Reardon McIvor and Sam Greene.
Ben Daley, Jacob Greenwood, Harrison Campbell, Steve Kairn, Mitch Avard and Flynn Campbell worked hard for the Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks.
An eight-goal blitz in the first quarter put the Winslow White Hills Demons on track for victory at home against Lockington Bamawm United.
The Demons made a hot start as they slammed on 8.5 to 1.1 in the opening term at the Scott Street ground.
A high-scoring second quarter was won by White Hills, 38-27.
In the third the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU lifted its play.
As the Cats scored 5.2 they held the red and black to a score of 1.5.
The Jack Fallon and Kaiden Antonowicz-coached Demons fired up to win the last, 36-13, and the match, 138-79.
An eight-goal haul meant Antonowicz took the lead in the league’s goalkicking race on 41 as the classy Mitch Dole booted five goals.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Demons were James Davies and Cohen Kekich on two.
The Cats’ attack was led by Anthony McMahon and Jack Reiter on three as Thomas Leech added two.
Best for White Hills were Mitch Dole, Ben Taylor, Kaiden Antonowicz, Jack Lawton, Callum Crisp and Liam Bartels.
Tyler Phillips, Brodie Collins, Stacy Fiske, Elijah Bruns, Joseph Wolfe and Noah Turner worked hard for the Cats.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
White Hills 220 per cent, 32 points; North Bendigo 167, 32; Heathcote 119, 20; Leitchville Gunbower 92, 20; Mount Pleasant 127, 16; Colbinabbin 82, 16; Huntly 64, 12; Lockington Bamawm United 63, 8; Elmore 49, 4.
There are several crucial matches to be played in round 11 next Saturday.
Colbinabbin will be back at M.J. Morgan Oval to take on Leitchville Gunbower from 2.15pm.
Lockington Bawawm United clashes with Heathcote on the Cats’ ground at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
Mount Pleasant and White Hills meet at Toolleen.
North Bendigo will be on home turf at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street to face Elmore.
The Harlowe Huntly Hawks have the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
41 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
40 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
31 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
30 James Harney, Elmore.
23 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
23 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
22 Anthony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
21 Ben Bisset, Mount Pleasant.
20 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
19 James Davies, White Hills.
16 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
15 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
15 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
15 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
14 Sam Barnes, North Bendigo.
14 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
13 Fraser Buchanan, Leitchville Gunbower.
13 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
13 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
12 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
11 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
11 Jaxson Nihill, Mount Pleasant.
11 Cooper Webber-Mirkin, Heathcote.
10 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
10 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
10 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
10 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
9 Jake Miller, White Hills.
9 Charles Ryan, Colbinabbin.