BY NATHAN DOLE
Panthers outrun Mean Machine at Marong
MARONG showed on Saturday it’s going to be tough to stop in pursuit of a senior footy premiership hat-trick in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL.
As clubs reached a third of the way point in the home and away series, Marong is unbeaten and two wins clear of its nearest rival.
Latest hit-out for the Panthers was the round six showdown with Bridgewater at Marong’s Malone Park.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Marong raced to a 41-7 lead by quarter-time.
In the second it was Bridgewater which upped its pressure and run to score 4.2 to 2.4.
Marong’s intensity in the third was a key factor in the contest as it slammed on 5.1 and held the Mean Machine to a score of 1.3.
A 46-point lead for Marong going into the final term was 56 at the final siren after it scored 4.1 to 2.3.
A Michelsen medallist and gun forward in his time at Eaglehawk, Kain Robins kicked five goals in Marong’s latest victory.
The Panthers also had Ryler Taylor, five goals; Nathan Devanny and Ryan Wellington cap off moves with two goals apiece.
Leading goalkickers for Bridgewater were Ben Derrick, three, and Lachlan Sharp, two.
Best for Marong were Jack McCaig, Matt Willox, Jonty Davis, David Johnstone, Jimmy Gadsden and Ryley Taylor.
Jack Neylon, Joseph Mayes, Harry McKinley, Ben Derrick, Xavier Walsh and Harry Donegan were best for the Rick Ladson-coached Bridgewater.
Both teams had several key players on the sidelines.
Marong will be eagerly awaiting the return of strong-marking forward Matt Riordan, number one ruckman Michael Bradbury, and the hard-running Cooper Hale.
Bridgewater will be significantly bolstered by the inclusion of Lee Coghlan, Andy Collins, Harry Conway and Bo Alexander as the season rolls on.
Newbridge broke its season duck in a 113-25 victory against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
The Maroons were in superb form at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge.
Jointly coached by Sam Gale, playing, and Daniel Smith, non-playing, Newbridge made a confident start to the game.
The Maroons led 28-2 at quarter-time and then scored 2.3 to a point in the second.
A 40-point buffer at the long break kept on growing.
Newbridge scored five straight goals in the third term as the Eagles line-up coached by Shawn Filo, non-playing, and Angus Monfries, playing, added 3.2.
The last was to be on of Newbridge’s best in recent seasons.
The Maroons slammed on 6.4 to 0.2.
Captain Angus Fortune, Thomas Hobson and Andrew Padbury kicked three goals in a 113-25 victory.
The Maroons also had Chris Dixon and Caleb Sanders chip in with two goals each.
Goalkickers for the Eagles were Angus Monfries, Declan Phyland and captain Josh Worsley.
Newbridge’s best were Dylan Lloyd, Thomas Hobson, Caleb Sanders, Tyler McLeod, Tyler Constable and Sam Gale.
Best for the Eagles were Grayson Brown, Ed Crisp, Josh Worsley, Bryce Franzini, Lachie Sobina and Jayden Magnusson.
Inglewood won a hard-fought contest with Mitiamo by 21 points.
The match was clearly the best by the Jon Varcoe-coached Mitiamo this seaons.
A Blues line-up coached by Fergus Payne won 15.10 (100) to 12.7 (79) at Centre State Scaffolding Oval in Inglewood.
The skilful Liam Marciano and captain Daniel Polack led the Blues’ attack on four goals each.
Bowen Cauchi added two goals for Inglewood.
Multiple goalkickers for Mitiamo were Kia Coatsworth, Alex Lloyd, Liam Shiell and Daniel Walters on two each.
Inglewood’s best were Daniel Polack, Liam Marciano, Campbell Love, Sam Polack, Tarran Kilcullen and Tom Kennedy.
Zach Morrison, Brayden Baines, Ryan Duncan, Liam Shiell, captain Luke Lougoon and Daniel Walters played well for the Superoos.
Gun forward Josh Mellington marked another 12-goal haul as Bears-Lagoon Serpentine beat Calivil United.
The Bears racked up 41 scoring shots in a 21.15 (141) to 9.7 (61) victory against the undermanned Demons at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The BLS line-up led 36-2 at quarter-time.
In the second it was the pressure and run by the Anthony Dennis-coached Calivil United which was to the fore.
The Demons scored 7.4 to 4.2 to be within 14 points of their highly-rated opponents at the main break.
In the final hour it was the Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears who won a lot of contests.
Many of the Bears’ attacks were finished off by Mellington, especially in the last quarter when BLS slammed on 9.3.
Another multiple goalkicker for BLS was Doolan Nihill, three.
The Demons’ attack was led by Ben Baker, three; Anthony Dennis and Evan Ritchie, two.
Best on ground honours went to Josh Mellington as Nash Kemp, ruckman Nathan Twigg, Tyler Miles, Doolan Nihill and Ross Turner played well for Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
Calivil United’s best were Lewis Fisher, Cody Thompson, Hamish Wall, Sam Maher, Mitchell Stephens and Evan Ritchie.
Pyramid Hill had the bye.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 286 per cent, 24 points; Bridgewater 143, 16; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 134, 16; Pyramid Hill 250, 12; Inglewood 79, 12; Newbridge 64, 4; Calivil United 41, 4; Maiden Gully YCW 55, 0; Mitiamo 42, 0.
In next Saturday’s seventh round, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles are home at Marist College Oval to take on Marong.
Mitiamo and Bears-Lagoon Serpentine clash on the Superoos’ turf at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
Calivil United hosts Inglewood in the battle of the Demons and Blues at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
Pyramid Hill will be back on home turf at Mitchell Park to take on Newbridge.
Bridgewater has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
57 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
41 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
21 Kain Robins, Marong.
21 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
19 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
14 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
14 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
13 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
13 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
12 Noah McCaig, Marong.
10 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
10 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.
10 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
9 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
9 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
8 Jaydon Cowling, Pyramid Hill.
8 Todd Delaney, Maiden Gully YCW.
8 Anthony Dennis, Calivil United.
8 Liam Marciano, Inglewood.