BY NATHAN DOLE
Huge match for Inglewood, Calivil United
FINALS aspirations for Inglewood and Calivil United could rise or fall in Saturday’s 16th round of the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy action.
The Blues and Demons will clash at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval from 2.15pm.
At three rounds to go in the home-and-away series, Inglewood and Calivil United sit in sixth and seventh place.
They start Saturday’s play a win behind the fifth-placed Newbridge which is up against the in-form Pyramid Hill.
When the Demons and Blues met in round seven it was the Anthony Dennis-coached Calivil United which won by 55 points.
As the Demons were beaten last Saturday at Serpentine by 69 points, Inglewood marked a 67-point victory against Mitiamo at home.
Key players for the Fergus Payne-coached Blues include Will Allen, Tom Kennedy, Daniel and Sam Polack, Lachlan Ford, Bowen Cauchi and Gabe Nevins.
The Demons will look to Sam and Jack Maher, Justin Hynes, Rhys Lourie, Evan Ritchie, Ben Baker and Sam Green to outplay the Blues once again.
Newbridge faces a huge challenge against Pyramid Hill.
The Maroons will have home-ground advantage at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge as fifth takes on third.
Pyramid Hill won the round seven clash with Newbridge by 85 points at Mitchell Park.
The Sam Gale and Daniel Smith-coached Newbridge will be keen to show it has improved dramatically since then.
A key factor for the Maroons will be the play of on-ballers Ricky Cathie, Brandon Etherington and Caleb Argus against Lachlan Sidebottom, Damon Hemphill and Ben Knight.
Chris Dixon, Andrew Padbury and Brandon Dimech will lead Newbridge’s attack against Dylan Morison, Scott Mann and Tom McGregor.
Big test for Maroons’ defenders Dylan Lloyd, Tyler McLeod, Lachie Costelow and Ed Aujard against Zach Alford, Bailey Scott, Thomas Brennan and Seb Relouw.
A blow for Newbridge is the in-form Ben McKinley not in for this match.
Marong will be back at East West Oval in Marong’s Malone Park to take on Maiden Gully YCW.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Marong always brings a high level of intensity to every match, no matter where their opponent is placed in the premiership race.
A talented squad chasing a premiership hat-trick includes Ben and Corey Gregg, Nathan Devanny, ruckman Michael Bradbury, Ryan Wellington, Kain Robins, Matt Willox, Jack and Noah McCaig.
The Eagles were kept to a goal when they met the Panthers in the seventh round.
Best for the Shawn Filo and Angus Monfries-coached Eagles in last Saturday’s match with Newbridge were Josiah Farrer, Mitch Whitham, captain Josh Worsley and Declan Phyland.
The in-form Bears-Lagoon Serpentine will be on its turf at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve to face Mitiamo.
An 11-3 record has the Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears in second place.
Key players for BLS include Tyler Miles, Ross Turner, Andy Gladman, Farran Priest, Nathan Twigg, Charlie Gadsden, James Rippingale and Justin Laird.
Another big test for the Jon Varcoe-coached Mitiamo in trying to limit the tally of attacks the opposition sets up.
The Superoos will look to captain Luke Lougoon, Zach Morrison, Brayden Baines, Jackson Falls, Eli Spiers, Kobe Galvin and Josh Diss to apply a high level of sustained pressure.
Bridgewater has the bye.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 318 per cent, 52 points; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 183, 44; Pyramid Hill 268, 40; Bridgewater 152, 36; Newbridge 74, 20; Inglewood 59, 16; Calivil United 54, 16; Maiden Gully YCW 45, 4; Mitiamo 32, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
106 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
93 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
47 Kain Robins, Marong.
43 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
38 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
37 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
35 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
29 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
29 Farran Priest, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
26 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
24 Noah McCaig, Marong.
23 Josh Martyn, Bridgewater.
23 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
19 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
18 Anthony Dennis, Calivil United.
18 Andy Gladman, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
17 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
15 Lachlan Lee, Marong.
14 Jack Neylon, Bridgewater.
14 Andrew Padbury, Newbridge.
14 Declan Phyland, Maiden Gully YCW.
14 Matt Riordan, Marong.
13 Harry Conway, Bridgewater.
13 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
13 Damon Hemphill, Pyramid Hill.
13 Daniel Polack, Inglewood.
13 James Rippingale, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13 Caleb Sanders, Newbridge.
12 Steven Gunther, Pyramid Hill.
12 Jack McCaig, Marong.
12 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
12 Seb Relouw, Pyramid Hill.
11 Todd Delaney, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Josiah Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Charlie Gadsden, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
11 Bailey George, Pyramid Hill.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
10 Ben Knight, Pyramid Hill.
10 Alex Lloyd, Mitiamo.
10 Kyle Manley, Marong.
10 Liam Marciano, Inglewood.
10 Ben McKinley, Newbridge.
10 Liam Shiell, Mitiamo.