STAKES are raised considerably as Pyramid Hill tackles Marong this Saturday in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy preliminary final.
A date with Bridgewater in the grand final is at stake in the contest to be played at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval from 2.15pm.
Two weeks ago the Jarrod Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs beat the Panthers in the qualifying final by two goals.
Win again and Pyramid Hill is a step closer to claiming its first senior premiership since 1950.
A victory for the Bulldogs would also end Marong’s run at a fifth consecutive premiership and mark the Panthers final game in a competition it joined in 1983 as the club joins the Bendigo FNL from next season.
The James Flaherty-coached Marong will be doing all it can to earn a crack at Bridgewater on September 12 at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
It’s two-one in favour of Pyramid Hill against the Panthers this season.
The Bulldogs won the Michael Herrick Memorial Match at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park by 47 points.
When the clubs met again in round 13 it was the Panthers who charged to a 32-point victory at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
The Bulldogs go into this match without ruckman/forward Tom Downie who is overseas.
Pyramid Hill regains Fraser Millar from suspension.
At Marong the attack is bolstered by the return of Shaun Knott who did not play in the first semi-final because of illness.
Ruck-rover David Johnstone has overcome an ankle injury.
Key match-ups for Pyramid Hill be Will Quinlivan in the ruck where he teams with captain Ben Knight and Levi Moss against Matt Willox, David Johnstone and Jimmy Gadsden.
A powerful attack for the Bulldogs is led by Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Zach Alford, James Sala and Lachlan Sidebottom.
Marong defenders Brodie Hartland, Jai Gretgrix, Lachlan Frankel and Richard Tibbett face a huge test.
At the other end of the field Pyramid Hill has Gavin James, Robby Bartee, Ryan McGhie and Dylan Morison working hard to limit the scoring output of Ryley Taylor, Lachlan Lee, Corey Gregg and Noah McCaig.
It’s the Blues against the Maroons as Inglewood and Newbridge contest the reserves match from 12.30pm.
After a 35-point win against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the qualifying final, Inglewood met the unbeaten Bridgewater in the second semi-final.
The Mean Machine beat the Blues by 20 points.
Best for Inglewood last Saturday were Sam Polack, Andrew Bennett, Callum March, Jack Nevins, Jackson Rutter and Harry Bogaski.
Newbridge’s run began with a 31-point win against Marong to put the Panthers out of the premiership race.
The Maroons marked a three-goal win against the Eagles in the first semi.
Newbridge’s team to tackle the Blues includes Lachie Costelow, Chris Dixon, Ben Hilson, Chris Lakey, Aidan Moore, Corey Van Aken and Damien Whan.
Preliminary final day kicks off at 10.40am with the under-18s match between Bridgewater and Marong.
The Bridgewater team is on the rebound from a 33-point loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the second semi.
Marong won the first semi-final against Newbridge by 27 points.
A fortnight ago it was Bridgewater which beat Marong in the qualifying final by 16 points.
Campbell Fraser, Ollie Clapp, Dylan Goddard, Ryan Wilson, Lachie Bray and Kolby Shay were Bridgewater’s best in its third win against the Panthers this season.
In-form players for Marong are Max O’Donnell, Cooper Murphy, Harry Wilson, Caleb Dudderidge, Liam Henson and Angus Costello.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo:
Under-18s at 10.40am: Bridgewater v Marong.
Reserves at 12.30pm: Inglewood v Newbridge.
Seniors at 2.15pm: Pyramid Hill v Marong.
In the netball…….IT’S the battle of the Bridges on Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL preliminary final day as Newbridge and Bridgewater meet in the A-grade netball match on Saturday in Mitiamo.
The Maroons and Mean Machine will be striving to qualify for the grand final when they play at John Forbes Oval from 3pm.
They met in the qualifying final which went Newbridge’s way, 41-39 at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
The Maroons could not stop the run of the unbeaten Mitiamo in last Saturday’s second semi-final.
The Jen Wilson-coached Mitiamo stayed on track for the premiership hat-trick as it won 62-50 at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
Bridgewater bounced back from defeat on day one of the finals series to score a 12-goal victory against Pyramid Hill in the first semi played at Bridgewater Recreation Reserve.
A Newbridge team coached by Hayley Martiniello includes Alyssa Cole, Cody Clark, Jasmine Daly, Lauren Knight, Jemma Gordon, Maddy Keighran and Leah Oxford.
Players to watch for Bridgewater include Dannielle and Natalie Flood, Keira Lane, Jorja Lee and Sidney Niemann.
It will be the Maroons or Mean Machine who face the premiers of ’24 and ’25, Mitiamo in the September grand final at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
In the A-reserve preliminary final it’s Newbridge against Marong from 1.30pm on court one.
The Rachel Pettifer-coached Newbridge scored a one-goal thriller against Marong in the qualifying final.
Week two of the finals campaign featured a 49-44 loss for Newbridge to Bridgewater in the second semi as the Bianca Garton and Larni Taylor-coached Marong won the first semi against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by 13 goals.
Newbridge’s squad includes Zoe Ferns, Tara Henkel, Mikeely Hufer and Paige Martin.
The play of captain Kirsty Hamilton, Brittany Hercus, Zoe Holland and Savannah Waters will be a key to Marong’s chances.
In B-grade, Bridgewater will play Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
One goal was the margin when the Mean Machine defeated the Eagles in the qualifying final at Inglewood.
Bridgewater is on the rebound from a 16-goal loss to Newbridge in the second semi.
The Eagles stayed in the premiership race as they won the first semi against Marong by nine goals.
A Bridgewater team coached by Georgia Mamouney-Brown includes Erin Farrar, Evie Pay, Alex Perera and Sophie Tyrrell.
The Lauren Lloyd-coached Eagles has Maddi Dobeli as captain to link up with Leisa Barry, Sophie Boxshall, Mollie Dobeli and Alex Pearce.
It’s the Blues against the Demons as Inglewood and Calivil United take to court two for the B-reserve match at 1.30pm.
Two weeks ago the Lauren Bell-coached Inglewood won the qualifying final against the Demons by nine goals.
The Blues played a thrilling second semi against Bridgewater.
A 42-40 victory put the Mean Machine into the grand final.
A Calivil United team coached by Jeannie Wagner hit back to win last Sunday’s first semi-final against Mitiamo by four goals.
Players to watch for the Demons include captain Camilla Moresi, vice-captain Fish Eldridge, Gemma and Tyla Maxted, and Harriett Slorach.
Inglewood’s line-up includes Bianca Rossen in the centre, Elyssa Amor-Atkins and Kaela Lenten in attack, and Caitlyn Cartwright as goalkeeper.
The Demons take on the Superoos as Calivil United and Mitiamo contest the 17-and-under match from 12pm on court one.
Stung by a 26-goal loss to Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the qualifying final, Mitiamo bounced back for a 38-35 victory against Pyramid Hill in the first semi.
The Alicia Hay and Jen Wilson-coached Superoos take on an opponent which was unbeaten in the home-and-away series but went down 53-51 in the second semi against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Players to watch for Mitiamo include Milly Blampied, Emily and Jess Diss, Emma Hay and Ruby Watts.
Coach Shae-Anna Wakefield will have the Demons’ rising stars fired up from the first pass.
The Calivil United team has Chelsea Doolan as captain, Georgia Pascoe as vice-captain, and includes Ruby Cullen, Paige Smith and Teagan Vinnicombe.
Newbridge meets Marong in the 15-and-under match on court one at 10.30am.
On day one of the finals series the Erin Stewart and Chrissie Gray-coached Marong was beaten in the qualifying final with Calivil United by two goals.
The Panthers struck back to win the first semi against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Players to watch for Marong include Darcie Coghill, Lily Finch, Grace Mannix, Paige Nalder, and Milahni Taylor.
A Newbridge team coached by Stacey Lakey is on the rebound from a 45-44 loss to Calivil United in the second semi-final.
The Maroons’ representatives include Abby and Emma Colt, Milla Lakey, Priya Lewis and Macey Neilsen.
In the 13-and-under competition it’s Mitiamo and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles striving to reach the decider.
The Superoos and Eagles will play on court two from 12pm.
When these teams met in the qualifying final it was Mitiamo which won 38-32.
The Superoos could not halt Calivil United’s charge to a 38-23 victory in the second semi.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles dominated the first semi against Newbridge to win by 23 goals.
The Amy and Caitlin Corry-coached Mitiamo team includes captain Alirah Norton, Eden and Lyra Haythorpe, Isabel Macumber and Kezia Taylor.
An Eagles’ team coached by Peyton Sexton has Mila Canfield, Delainey Galea, Evie Hardingham, Eden Rooke and Zoe Trotter to race up and down the court.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo:
15-and-under, court one at 10.3am: Newbridge v Marong.
17-and-under, court one at 12pm: Calivil United v Mitiamo.
13-and-under, court two at 12pm: Mitiamo v Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
A-reserve, court one at 1.30pm: Newbridge v Marong.
B-reserve, court two at 1.30pm: Inglewood v Calivil United.
A-grade, court one at 3pm: Newbridge v Bridgewater.