BY NATHAN DOLE
Grand finalists meet on Mitiamo’s court
A REMATCH of last season’s A-grade netball grand finalists, Mitiamo and Maiden Gully YCW highlights Saturday’s third round of the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
The Jen Wilson-coached Superoos have home-court advantage at John Forbes Oval in Mitiamo for the Anzac round match which starts at 3pm.
There have been few changes to Mitiamo’s team of last September, but plenty for the Adam Boldiston-coached Maiden Gully YCW which is chasing a premiership hat-trick.
Mitiamo began a new season by scoring a 38-goal victory at Marong’s Malone Park.
The Superoos had a bye last round.
A one-one start has Maiden Gully YCW in sixth place in the premiership race.
After a 22-goal win against Calivil United in round one the Eagles went down, 34-53 against Bridgewater in round two.
The Eagles played consecutive home matches at Marist College Oval, but are on the road this round.
Marong takes on the ladder-leading Pyramid Hill at Malone Park.
Tough task for the Robyn Cunnington-coached Marong which bounced back from a big loss to Bridgewater in the season opener to mark a two-goal victory at Newbridge last Saturday.
It was a hard-fought victory for the Panthers on Newbridge’s court at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval.
After big wins against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine and Calivil United, the ???-coached Pyramid Hill can expect the pressure to be much higher in this match.
Bridgewater is back on its court to face Inglewood.
The Olivia Collicoat and Caz Wood-coached Bridgewater teamed brilliantly for a 53-34 victory against Maiden Gully YCW in round two.
It was a superb comeback after an 11-goal loss to Newbridge the previous week.
The Abbey Hayes-coached Inglewood had a bye in round one and could not halt Bears-Lagoon Serpentine’s run to a 67-21 victory at Centre State Scaffolding Oval in Inglewood last Saturday.
Being third on the ladder is a position Bears Lagoon-Serpentine has not occupied for a long time.
The Danielle O’Toole-coached Bears start the round in that place following the 46-goal win at Inglewood.
Big test for BLS this Saturday when it hosts Newbridge at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Selina Holland and Kristy Gandy-coached Newbridge is on the rebound from a two-goal loss to Marong.
Calivil United has the bye.
Standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Pyramid Hill 196 per cent, 8 points; Mitiamo 200, 4; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 138, 4; Newbridge 114, 4; Bridgewater 111, 4; Maiden Gully YCW 103, 4; Marong 67, 4; Calivil United 43, 0; Inglewood 31., 0.