BY NATHAN DOLE
Newbridge stitches up finals berth
NEWBRIDGE will feature in this season’s Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy finals after Saturday’s two-goal win against Calivil United.
The Sam Gale and Daniel Smith-coached Newbridge now leads Calivil United by a win and 13 per cent going into the final round of the home-and-away series.
It was a top contest between the Demons and Maroons on Saturday at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
Three straight goals in the opening term gave Calivil United an eight-point buffer at the first break.
Newbridge lifted its play in the second to add 4.4 as the red and blue scored two goals.
Just five points separated the teams at the final change after Calivil United had nailed all 10 shots on goal.
The scoreboard read 10.0 to 9.11 at the last change.
Inspired by the play of Brandon Dimech, Jack Teasdale and Andrew Padbury, Newbridge won the last term, 22-7, and the match, 87-67.
Caleb Sanders finished with a match-high four goals for the Maroons as Sam Gale kicked three and Angus Fortune added two.
The Demons’ leading goalkickers were Ben Baker, four, and Rhys Lourie, two.
Best for Newbridge included Brandon Butler, Will Daly and Kobe Friswell.
Jacob Mulquiny, Sam Green, Sam and Jack Maher, Rhys Lourie and Cody Thompson were best for the Anthony Dennis-coached Demons.
There were big wins for Bears-Lagoon Serpentine, Bridgewater and Pyramid Hill.
The Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears-Lagoon Serpentine marked a 197-22 win on Maiden Gully YCW’s turf at Marist College Bendigo.
The Bears unleashed a nine-goal blitz in the first quarter.
By half-time BLS led 94-15.
The Bears added 16 goals and kept the Eagles to a tally of 1.2 in the second half.
Doolan Nihill kicked seven goals in a best afield performance as Justin Laird and James Rippingale added five goals each.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Bears were Ross Turner, three; Jaxon Addlem and Miggy Podosky, two.
Thomas Pridgeon led the Eagles’ attack on two goals.
Best for the Bears were Doolan Nihill, Ross Turner, Justin Laird, Jaxon Addlem, Tyler Miles and Ryan Prendergast.
Ed Crisp, Declan Phyland, Lachie Sobina, Thomas Pridgeon, Josh Worsley and Mitch Whitham were best for the Shawn Filo and Angus Monfries-coached Eagles.
A 14-goal haul by Lachlan Sharp was a highlight of Bridgewater’s victory on Mitiamo’s ground at John Forbes Oval.
The Mean Machine led 28-7 at quarter-time and then slammed on 10 goals in the second to lead 90-13 at the long break.
It was a great effort by the Jon Varcoe-coached Mitiamo to strike back and win the third quarter, 19-13.
Seven goals to nil in the last capped a 149-32 win by the Rick Ladson-coached Mean Machine.
Sharp led the way on 14 goals as captain Josh Martyn kicked five and Tyler Estrada chipped in with two.
Mitiamo’s attack was led by Andrew Cussen on three.
Best for Bridgewater were Joseph Mayes, Boden Alexander, Lachlan Sharp, Harry McKinley, Harry Conway and Jack Neylon.
Mitiamo’s best were captain Luke Lougoon, Liam Shiell, Daniel Walters, Kobe Galvin, Ryan Duncan and Andrew Cussen.
At Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park the Bulldogs outran Inglewood.
After scoring seven goals to two in the first term, Pyramid Hill added another seven in the second to lead 88-20 by half-time.
The Nathan Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs did not ease up as they added eight goals in the third.
Braidy Dickens went on to kick a match-high five goals as Bailey Scott kicked four in a 169-34 victory for the red, white and blue.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Bulldogs were Zach Alford, Jaydon Cowling and Damon Hemphill, three; Brodie Carroll, Michael Dundon and Ben Knight, two.
Jack Nevins kicked two goals for the Blues.
Best for Pyramid Hill were Ben Knight, Brodie Carroll, Damon Hemphill, Zach Alford, Seb Relouw and Bailey George.
Lachlan Ford, Gabe Nevins, Tom Kennedy, Callum March, Luke Matheson and Darcy Hogan were best for the Fergus Payne-coached Blues.
Marong had the bye.
Loddon Valley senior footy ladder:
Marong 348 per cent, 56 points; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 223, 52; Pyramid Hill 289, 48; Bridgewater 162, 40; Newbridge 71, 24; Calivil United 58, 20; Inglewood 56, 16; Maiden Gully YCW 37, 16; Mitiamo 28, 0.
In next Saturday’s final round of the home-and-away series, Inglewood plays Marong on the Blues’ ground at Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
Newbridge takes on Mitiamo at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
Pyramid Hill and Maiden Gully YCW clash at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
Bridgewater will be at home to play Calivil United.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
120 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
93 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
53 Kain Robins, Marong.
50 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
40 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
38 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
37 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
34 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
31 Farran Priest, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
30 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
29 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
28 Josh Martyn, Bridgewater.
25 Noah McCaig, Marong.
25 James Rippingale, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
23 Justin Laird, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
20 Anthony Dennis, Calivil United.
20 Andy Gladman, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
19 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
18 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
17 Caleb Sanders, Newbridge.
16 Braidy Dickens, Pyramid Hill.
16 Damon Hemphill, Pyramid Hill.
16 Lachlan Lee, Marong.
16 Declan Phyland, Maiden Gully YCW.
15 Bailey George, Pyramid Hill.
15 Steven Gunther, Pyramid Hill.
14 Kyle Manley, Marong.
14 Jack Neylon, Bridgewater.
14 Andrew Padbury, Newbridge.
14 Seb Relouw, Pyramid Hill.
14 Matt Riordan, Marong.
13 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
13 Harry Conway, Bridgewater.
13 Jaydon Cowling, Pyramid Hill.
13 Charlie Gadsden, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13 Doolan Nihill, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
13 Daniel Polack, Inglewood.
12 Sam Gale, Newbridge.
12 Ben Knight, Pyramid Hill.
12 Jack McCaig, Marong.
12 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
12 Ross Turner, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
11 Todd Delaney, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Josiah Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
11 Liam Shiell, Mitiamo.
10 Brayden Baines, Mitiamo.
10 Jack Burns, Pyramid Hill.
10 Brodie Carroll, Pyramid Hill.
10 Tyler Estrada, Bridgewater.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
10 Alex Lloyd, Mitiamo.
10 Liam Marciano, Inglewood.
10 Ben McKinley, Newbridge.
10 Tyler McLeod, Newbridge.