BY NATHAN DOLE
Classy goalkickers put on clinic
BIG name recruits Lachlan Sharp and Josh Mellington put on goalkicking clinics in their respective matches in Saturday’s eighth round of the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley senior footy season.
A multiple winner of the Ron Best Medal in a brilliant career with Strathfieldsaye, Sharp had never booted 20 goals in a match.
The Sharp-shooter did so on Saturday as Bridgewater dominated its home game against Mitiamo.
It was a remarkable feat by the gun forward as the Rick Ladson-coached Mean Machine turned a 25-point lead at quarter-time into a 16-goal lead by the long break after is scored 12 goals in term two.
From there Bridgewater added eight goals in the third and nine in the last.
A tally of 34 goals included 20 by Sharp as captain Josh Martyn kicked three, and Boden Alexander, Tyler Estrada and Jack Neylon added two each.
Mitiamo’s attack was led by Alex Lloyd on two.
Best for Bridgewater were Lachlan Sharp, Jack Neylon, Joseph Mayes, Boden Alexander, Darcy Wood and Tyler Estrada.
On a tough afternoon for the Jon Varcoe-coached Mitiamo it was Liam Shiell, Luke Lougoon, Ryan Duncan, Daniel Walters, Waylon Draper and Alex Lloyd who were best.
A 17-goal haul by Josh Mellington in Bears-Lagoon Serpentine’s latest victory has lifted his season tally to 87.
The Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears charged to a 37-point lead by quarter-time of their clash with Maiden Gully YCW at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
A first-year player with the Bears after crossing from Benalla, Mellington capped off the attacking moves as BLS won 23.7 (145) to 2.6 (18).
Six team-mates joined Mellington on the goalkicking list.
Best for the Bears were Mellington, captain Charlie Gadsden, previous coach Justin Laird, Ross Turner, Josh Taig and James Bailey.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles’ best were Angus Monfries, Grayson Brown, Josh Worsley, Bryce Franzini, Mathew Crooks and Dylan Turner.
Monfries has brought his experience and skill from AFL level with Essendon and Port Adelaide to the Eagles where he was co-coach with Shawn Filo.
Newbridge unleashed a six-goal blitz in the final quarter to beat Calivil United by 34 points.
The Maroons were on home turf at Walker’s Doughnuts Riverside Oval in Newbridge to take on a Calivil United team chasing back-to-back wins.
It was a terrific contest across the opening three quarters.
Newbridge led 21-19 at quarter-time and 40-37 by the main break.
The Anthony Dennis-coached Calivil United capitalised on its accuracy to lead 10.3 (63) to 9.7 (61) going into the final term.
The Maroons seized control to slam on 6.7 to 1.1 in the last to complete a 104-70 victory.
Newbridge’s attack was led by Chris Dixon, three; Jack Barras, Ben McKinley, Tyler McLeod and Andrew Padbury on two each.
Ben Baker kicked a match-high four goals for Calivil United as Anthony Dennis added two.
Best for a Newbridge team coached by Sam Gale, playing, and Daniel Smith, non-playing, were Thomas Hobson, Ben McKinley, Tyler McLeod, Will Copland, Brandon Etherington and Dylan Lloyd.
Calivil United’s best were Darcy Thompson, Justin Hynes, Cody Thompson, Jack Maher, Hamish Wall and Mitchell Stephens.
At Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval the Blues were up against the in-form Pyramid Hill.
The Nathan Fitzpatrick-coached Pyramid Hill set up victory in the first half.
The Bulldogs scored six goals to one in the first term and then added 6.8 to just two behinds in the second.
By half-time Pyramid Hill led 81-11.
It was a much closer contest across the final hour as the Bulldogs added 6.8 and Inglewood lifted to score 4.5.
Braidy Dickens kicked five goals as Zach Alford, four, and Jesse Sheahan, three, were on target in a 125-40 victory for the red, white and blue.
Other multiple goalkickers for Pyramid Hill were Steven Gunther and Ben Knight on two.
Wearing guernsey number one, Will Allen kicked two goals for Inglewood.
Best for Pyramid Hill were Steven Gunther, Tom McGregor, Zach Alford, Ben Knight, Damon Hemphill and Jesse Sheahan.
Liam and Jonty Marciano, Luke Matheson, Jed Rouse, Daniel Polack and Jaspa Wendels worked hard for the Fergus Payne-coached Blues.
The unbeaten Marong had the bye.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 338 per cent, 28 points; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 167, 24; Pyramid Hill 268, 20; Bridgewater 180, 20; Inglewood 66, 12; Newbridge 66, 8; Calivil United 56, 8; Maiden Gully YCW 37, 0; Mitiamo 35, 0.
There is no play across the Loddon Valley on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend.
The league marks the halfway mark of the home and away series on June 15 when the ninth round is played.
Marong will be on home turf at Malone Park to play Inglewood.
Mitiamo and Newbridge clash at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles are back home at Marist College Oval to play Pyramid Hill.
Calivil United and Bridgewater meet at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
Bears-Lagoon Serpentine has the bye.
Leading goalkickers:
87 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
61 Lachlan Sharp, Bridgewater.
28 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
22 Kain Robins, Marong.
22 Ryan Wellington, Marong.
21 Jesse Sheahan, Pyramid Hill.
17 Ben Baker, Calivil United.
17 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
16 Mitch Conlan, Inglewood.
16 Bailey Scott, Pyramid Hill.
14 Noah McCaig, Marong.
13 Anthony Dennis, Calivil United.
13 Chris Dixon, Newbridge.
11 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
11 Keelan Payne, Inglewood.
10 Andy Collins, Bridgewater.
10 Will Farrer, Maiden Gully YCW.