MOUNT Pleasant confronts another big challenge when it tackles the unbeaten Colbinabbin in Saturday’s ninth round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League season.
The Blues will be on home turf at Toolleen against the Grasshoppers in a showdown between third and first.
The Darren Walsh and Adam Baird-coached Mounts will be fired up after a one-point loss at North Bendigo.
Despite injuring his leg in the first term of the clash with the Bulldogs, gun on-baller Adam Baird was named in the Blues team to take on Colbinabbin.
Full-forward Ben Weightman is in outstanding form for Mounts.
In attack or in midfield, Weightman just keeps on winning contest after contest.
He kicked six goals against North Bendigo for a season tally of 37.
The Blues forward line to take on the Grasshoppers include Caelan Smith, Dean Tydell and M Whiting.
On-ball and midfield duels will be important.
Mounts will again look to ruckman Chris Down, Billy Mahony and Zebb Murrell to play well against the likes of Hadleigh Sirett, , Todd Clarke and Alex Van Ruiswyk.
A formidable Colbinabbin team coached by Julian Bull had Matt Riordan, Ben Southam and Ben Barton play key roles in the round eight win against Lockington Bamawm United.
Players to watch in the green and gold include James and Jed Brain, Hugh Bartlow and Matt Riordan.
Huntly takes on White Hills at Strauch Reserve.
The sixth-placed White Hills must win to keep the pressure on Heathcote.
In last Saturday’s play, the Demons fired up for a 128 to 53 win against Leitchville- Gunbower in David Wright’s 250th senior game for the club.
Liam Bartels kicked eight goals in the win and is a key cog in an attack that includes Cohen Kekich, Bayden Fallon and Matt Sawyer.
Other players to watch for the Jack Fallon-coached Demons include Brady Childs, Rhys Irwin, Kaiden Skelton and Patrick Eefting.
It’s been a tough run for Huntly which worked hard at Elmore, but was beaten by 19 points.
The play of Jay McDonald, Steven Kairn, Tyler Miles, Mitch Christensen, Travis Mercadante and Luke Gray will be important to the Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks upsetting the Demons.
Leitchville-Gunbower is back at Leitchville to take on a Heathcote team refreshed by the bye.
Best for the Tim Bannan-coached Bombers in the clash at White Hills were Oskar Smartt, Matt McLellan, Leyton Shenfield and Tom Brereton.
The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote won the round seven showdown with White Hills by 48 points as Mitch McLean, Jack Brooks and Ryan Bailey starred for the Saints.
There are plenty of attacking options for Heathcote through the likes of Brooks, Braden Padmore and Kai Cavallaro.
For the first time in many weeks, Lockington Bamawm United is on the rebound from defeat.
The Brodie Collins-coached LBU will do so on home turf at Lockington against Elmore.
A tally of 4.10 was also one of the Cats’ lowest scores in recent seasons.
There is likely to be a strong response from an LBU team led by ruckman Tyler Phillips, Ben Fulford, Rhys Woodland, Jarod, Nathan and Trent Bacon, and Jeremy Mundie.
The Dylan Friedberger and Dylan Gordon-coached Elmore played well to chalk up its second win last round.
Zac Laffy, Regan Williams and Kyle Armstrong were the Bloods best against the Hawks.
Darcy Laffy has kicked 23 goals to be equal third in the league’s goalkicking race.
Players to watch for the Bloods include Gordon in the ruck, Armstrong roving the contests, Zack Holmberg in defence, Mitch Carson, Tannar Cerrone and Nic Kellow.
North Bendigo has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Colbinabbin 223 per cent, 32 points; Lockington Bamawm United 169, 24; Mount Pleasant 183, 20; North Bendigo 130, 20; Heathcote 94, 12; White Hills 80, 12; Elmore 72, 8; Leitchville-Gunbower 36, 4; Huntly 56, 0.
Leading goalkickers:
37 Ben Weightman, MP.
27 James Brain, Colbo.
23 Jed Brain, Colbo.; Dylan Klemm, NB; Darcy Laffy, Elm.
20 Matt Gray, NB; 19 Ben Fulford, LBU.
16 Jack Brooks, H’cote; Kai Cavallaro, H’cote; Braden Padmore, H’cote.
15 Liam Bartels, WH; Laine Fitzgerald, Colbo.
14 Adam Baird, MP; Anthony McMahon, LBU.
13 Cohen Kekich, WH; Rhys Woodland, LBU.
12 Luke Moore, Colbo.; Clint Shields, Colbo.
11 Blake Azzopardi, LG; Jackson Conforti, H’cote; Bayden Fallon, WH; Jordan Ford, NB; Tyler Phillips, LBU; Stephen Tuohey, Colbo.
10 Luke Gray, Huntly; Billy Hawken, LG.
Written by Nathan Dole.