BY NATHAN DOLE
Bombers climb to third rung on the ladder
THE Bombers from Leitchville Gunbower have grabbed third spot on the ladder following Saturday’s round 12 action in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior footy action.
As the Shannon Keam-coached LG won a hard-fought contest at home with Lockington Bamawm United, Mount Pleasant outplayed the previously third-placed Heathcote.
It was a terrific contest between the Bombers and Cats at Leitchville.
Leitchville Gunbower led 15-8 at quarter-time before the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU hit back to win the second term, 20-19.
It was a dour struggle in the wet.
Goalkicking accuracy was a factor for both teams as LG scored 3.1 in the third and LBU added 2.1.
Both teams scored 1.3 in the last as Leitchville Gunbower fought on for a crucial 62-50 victory.
Fraser Buchanan, Billy Hawken and Caleb Hislop kicked two goals each for the Bombers.
Jack Reiter booted a match-high three goals for the Cats.
Best for the Bombers were Lachlan Sverns, Chris Horman, Blake Dye, Austin Windridge, Charles Hancock and Max Hagan.
Elijah Bruns, Brodie Collins, Tyler Phillips, Jacob Bruns, Jacob Haines and Cody Betts played well for LBU.
Five goals to nil in the second term set up Mount Pleasant’s important win on Heathcote’s ground at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve.
The Blues led 8-7 at quarter-time and then slammed on five goals across 15 minutes in the second to lead 38-8 at half-time.
Heathcote fought back to win the next two quarters, 17-13 and 19-9, but it was Mounts which led 68-51 at the final siren.
Mitch Bennett and Mitch Rovers both kicked two goals for the Blues.
The Saints’ attack was led by Jackson Conforti and Henry McCarthy on two goals.
It was a terrific performance by Mount Pleasant which has Cam Carter as director of coaching, and Ben Bisset and Jack Hickman as playing coaches.
Best for the Blues were Jack Hickman, captain Chris Down, Riley McNamara, Caelan Smith, Reardon McIvor and Fletcher White.
Bill Direen, Connor Hamilton, ruckman James Orr, Jonty Kelly, Braden Padmore and Callum Birch were best for the Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote.
The Winslow White Hills Demons won at home against Huntly by 23 points, but goalkicking practice is likely to be done at training this week.
The Demons had plenty of the play, but were let down by a final tally of 11.20 (86).
It was a much sharper focus by the Hawks in attack as they finished on 10.3 (63).
Huntly put the heat on the Demons as it led 31-22 at half-time.
The Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks then scored 5.1 to 4.4 in the third term.
White Hills faced a two-goal deficit going into the final term.
Inspired by the play of Ben Taylor, Patrick Eefting and Ryan Walker, White Hills slammed on 5.6 to a point in the last to win 86-63.
Co-coach Kaiden Antonowicz, Liam Bartels and Ben Taylor kicked two goals each for the red and black.
Huntly’s Lachy Wilson finished with a match-high three goals.
The Demons’ best included co-coach Jack Fallon, Liam Bartels and Jake Dickens.
Tori Ferguson, Jacob Greenwood, Darby Walsh, Jackson Fry and Hamish Morcom were best for the Huntly Hawks.
North Bendigo had the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
White Hills 200 per cent, 40 points; North Bendigo 181, 36; Leitchville Gunbower 96, 28; Heathcote 117, 24; Mount Pleasant 119, 20; Colbinabbin 90, 20; Huntly 64, 12; Lockington Bamawm United 65, 8; Elmore 46, 4.
Highlight of next Saturday’s round 13 action will be North Bendigo against Heathcote at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street from 2.15pm.
Colbinabbin tackles the Winslow White Hills Demons at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Reserve.
Elmore will be on home turf against Leitchville Gunbower.
It’s the Cats against the Hawks as Lockington Bamawm United faces the Harlowe Huntly Hawks at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
44 Kaiden Antonowicz, White Hills.
43 Corey Grindlay, Heathcote.
39 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
35 James Harney, Elmore.
29 Liam Bartels, White Hills.
27 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
24 Ben Bisset, Mount Pleasant.
23 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
23 Anthony McMahon, Lockington Bamawm United.
22 James Davies, White Hills.
20 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
18 Sam Barnes, North Bendigo.
18 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
18 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
17 Fraser Buchanan, Leitchville Gunbower.
17 Clint Shields, Colbinabbin.
16 Mitch Dole, White Hills.
16 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
15 Jordan Ford, North Bendigo.
14 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
14 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
12 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
12 Caleb Hislop, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Ben Taylor, White Hills.
12 Jaxson Nihill, Mount Pleasant.
11 Liam Birch, Heathcote.
11 Jed Brain, Colbinabbin.
11 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
11 Cooper Webber-Mirkin, Heathcote.
11 Jordan Wilson, Colbinabbin.
10 Hakeem Johnson, North Bendigo.
10 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
9 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
9 Jake Miller, White Hills.
9 Jeremy Mundie, Lockington Bamawm United.
9 Braden Padmore, Heathcote.
9 Tyler Phillips, Lockington Bamawm United.
9 Charles Ryan, Colbinabbin.
9 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.