BY NATHAN DOLE
League’s top two clash at Marong
LADDERS leaders Marong and Bridgewater clash in Saturday’s sixth round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
Unbeaten in its pursuit of a premiership hat-trick, Marong has answered all challenges as it heads into another home game at Malone Park.
The clash between the Panthers and Mean Machine starts at 2.15pm.
Latest hit-out for the Linton Jacobs-coached Marong was at Calivil where it won by 97 points.
Key inclusion for the Panthers this round is premiership-winning captain Corey Gregg who had not played since the first round win against Mitiamo.
Both teams are packed with plenty of scoring power.
Marong has Ryan Wellington, Kain Robins and Ryley Taylor as marking targets in attack.
At ground level there’s the skilful Jimmy Gadsden, Jack and Noah McCaig.
Massive test for a Bridgewater defence led by Jack Neylon, Joseph Mayes and Jack Symons.
The Rick Ladson-coached Bridgewater has captain Josh Martyn, and the brilliance of Andy Collins and Lachlan Sharp in attack.
Last round it was Collins who led the Mean Machine’s goalkicking on five goals.
In his first year at Bridgewater as assistant coach, Sharp was a multiple premiership winner with Strathfieldsaye and three-time Ron Best medallist as the Bendigo FNL’s leading goalkicker.
Last round, Bridgewater showed it does not have to rely on Sharp to cap off all attacks as he spent a fair amount of time in a midfield or on-ball role.
Marong’s defence includes Shaun Knott, Sam Dean, Will Gadsden and Richard Tibbett.
At centre ball-ups in Saturday’s clash, Marong has Matt Willock, Lachlan Lee, Ben Gregg and Nathan Devanny to take on Sam Dewar, Harry Donegan, Xavier Walsh and Charlton Hindle.
Across midfield Marong has Jonty Davis and Todd Davies to take on Darcy Wood and Peter Rothacker.
Inclusions for Bridgewater are Jack Symons, Charlton Hindle, and Zane Hoiles for his first senior game of the season.
The Mean Machine will be without gun recruits Lee Coghlan from Sandhurst, and Harry Conway from Strathfieldsaye for this match.
Both were premiership winners in the Bendigo FNL.
The Mean Machine is also without Boden Alexander who was best afield in last Saturday’s win against Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
After a nil-two start, Inglewood has squared the ledger at two-all after wins against Newbridge and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
The Fergus Payne-coached Inglewood is home at Centre State Scaffolding Oval to tackle Mitiamo this round.
Best in the Blues’ latest victory were Will Allen at centre half-back, Daniel Polack and Mitch Conlan.
Key match-ups for the Blues will be Tom Kennedy in the ruck against Eli Spiers, Luke Matheson and Callum March in defence against Andrew Cussen and Alex Lloyd.
Inglewood also has Aaron Lister and Matt Rowe in form.
The skilful Liam Marciano could kick plenty of goals in this match and there’s also Keelan Payne as a strong marking target close to goal for the Blues.
Was a tough hit-out at home for Mitiamo on John Forbes Oval against Pyramid Hill last Saturday.
Best for the Jon Varcoe-coached Superoos were Zach Morrison, Daniel Walters and Luke Lougoon.
The Mitiamo line-up to tackle the Blues includes Daniel Walters in the centre, Josh Diss and Rhys Varcoe on the wings, Bryce Laird and Jayden Matthews in defence.
Newbridge is on home turf at Walkers’ Doughnuts Riverside Oval to take on Maiden Gully YCW.
The Maroons had the bye last round and will be desperate to end their winless run.
Win this match and Maiden Gully YCW will be on zero premiership points after it was docked 12 by the LVFNL board before the season kicked off.
Key players for a Newbridge team coached by Sam Gale, playing, and Daniel Smith, non-playing, include Chris Dixon, captain Will Daly, Caleb Sanders, Will Copland, Tyler McLeod and Aidan Moore.
An Eagles team jointly coached by Shaun Filo, non-playing, and Angus Monfries, playing, has Ed Crisp, Bryce Franzini, Grayson Brown and Ryan Strauch in form.
After not playing last round, Monfries returns to the Eagles line-up.
The experience and skill he brings from 211 AFL matches in stints with Essendon and Port Adelaide is a huge plus for the Maiden Gully YCW team.
Todd Delaney leads the Eagles attack and will have Will Farrer and Will Anderson aiming to cap off the work of their team-mates.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine returns to Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve to take on Calivil United.
The Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears are likely to have too much scoring power for the Demons to stop across four quarters.
A tally of 45 goals has BLS gun recruit Josh Mellington leading the goalkicking race.
Mellington was cleared by the tribunal of striking in the Bears match at Bridgewater.
In-form players for the Bears include the experienced Tyler Miles who crossed to Serpentine from Maiden Gully, and Justin Laird who had coached BLS the previous two seasons.
The running power of Charlie Gadsden, Darcy Hawker, Miggy Podosky and Ross Turner is a major strength of the Bears game.
Calivil United worked hard in a 31-128 loss at home to Marong last round.
The Demons turned up the heat and won many of the stoppages in the first half of their clash with the Panthers.
Best for the Anthony Dennis-coached Demons against Marong were Jack and Sam Maher, Sam Green and Kane Shelton.
The Calivil United squad includes Ben Baker, Jordan Lea, Rhys Lourie and Blair Richards.
Pyramid Hill has the bye.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 310 per cent, 20 points; Bridgewater 177, 16; Pyramid Hill 250, 12; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 120, 12; Inglewood 70, 8; Calivil United 41, 4; Maiden Gully YCW 65, 0; Newbridge 45, 0; Mitiamo 35, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
45 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
39 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
19 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
19 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
16 Kain Robins, Marong.
14 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
14 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
12 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
12 Noah McCaig, Marong.
10 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
9 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
8 Todd Delaney, Maiden Gully YCW.
8 Ryley Taylor, Marong.