A PLACE in the top three is at stake for Heathcote and North Bendigo in this Saturday’s 16th round in Angico Eagle Fosterville Gold Mine Heathcote FNL senior footy.
Locked on 38 points the third and second-placed Saints and Bulldogs will play at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve from 2.20pm.
Both teams are in superb form.
Since a 50-point loss at North Bendigo in round seven the Saints have won six matches and drew the other with reigning premier Mount Pleasant in Toolleen.
A Heathcote team coached by Andrew Saladino, non-playing, and Liam Jacques, non-playing, has the scoring power to test the Bulldogs.
Key factor will be the Saints’ play from stoppages and creating enough chances for the likes of Dylan Johnstone, Sean Williams, Hugh Freckleton and Justin Bateson in the forward 50m arc.
Best for Heathcote in a 95-point win at Elmore were Stefan Rasinac, Liam Jacques, Dylan Johnstone and Callum Birch.
The Saints also have the running power of Codie Price, Joey Beedle and Dillon Williams.
North Bendigo makes its way to Heathcote following a seven-point win at home against Mount Pleasant.
Key players for the Bulldogs include co-coach Ryan Hartley, Ryan Gillingham, Dylan Klemm, Bailey Cain, Jordan Hargreaves and captain Aarryn Craig.
A team which has Rob Bennett as non-playing co-coach has younger players such as Will Gilmore, Noah Filo, Jett Grundy, Will Bennett and Riley Paetow stopping or setting up many attacks.
The Bulldogs will be without two of their best forwards in Jordan Ford and Cody Riddick.
A win for Colbinabbin against Harlowe Huntly Hawks at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve will put the Grasshoppers back in the top three.
When these teams met in round seven it was the Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin which won by 39 points at M.J. Morgan Oval.
Two of the league’s best key forwards in Huntly’s Sam Dunstan and Colbinabbin’s Brandyn Grenfell will be in action.
A tally of 45 goals has Dunstan in second place in a goalkicking race led by Grenfell on 48 majors.
Huge roles will be played by Brodie Fry at full-back for Huntly, and by Toby Howlett for the Grasshoppers.
In the ruck, Huntly has Nathan Dunstan to take on Matt Riordan.
The Hawks have Todd Stevenson, Darby Walsh and Dale Lowry to team at centre ball-ups against Jude Ryan, Isaac Carracher and Jasper McArdle.
A Huntly team coached by Hamish Morcom has Will Lee at centre half-back, Abe Sladden and Lachy Wilson in attack, and the running power of Harry Campbell, Jaydon Cowling and Judd Gilchrist.
Players to watch in the green and gold include Aidan Basile, Jai Carn, Alex Carr and Josh Smithson.
Reliable defender Connor Aldous will be keen to perform well for Colbinabbin against his former club.
The Grasshoppers will be without William Lowe as he starts a two-match ban after an early guilty plea to striking.
Mount Pleasant will be back on its turf in Toolleen to play White Hills.
The reigning premier which is coached by Josh Hann, playing, and Cam Carter, non-playing, won the round eight match at White Hills by 47 points.
Gun forward Ben Weightman is back for Mounts after a three-match stint on the sidelines because of injury.
Weightman has kicked 39 goals in 10 matches.
A formidable attack for the Blues includes Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Xavier Carter, Joel Wharton, and former Elmore coach Nathan Kay.
Key players for Mount Pleasant include co-captains William Wallace and Caelan Smith, Jett Nicholas, Alex Wharton, Jack Hickman and Mitch Bennett.
The Demons from White Hills made a hot start as they won their opening two games against Huntly and Lockington Bamawm United.
It’s another big test for a young White Hills team against the reigning champions.
The Demons had the bye last round.
Key players for White hills include Mitch Dole in the centre, Cohen Kekich, Seth Boyd and Nick Wallace in attack, and Khy Sawyer, Patrick Crawford and Ben Irvine in defence.
Ruckman Jack Lawton will team up with captain Jake Thompson and Tom Conlan at the centre ball-ups for a team jointly coached by Brad McConnell and Lachie Sawyer.
Beat Elmore in Leitchville and the Leitchville Gunbower Bombers climb to the fifth rung on the ladder.
The Joel Donehue-coached Bombers will start favourite as they won at Elmore in round seven by 41 points.
Leitchville Gunbower could not halt Colbinabbin charging to a 10-goal win at M.J. Morgan Oval last Saturday.
Key players for the LG Bombers include James, Tom and Will Brereton; Jack Dye, Charles Hancock, Billy Hawken, Jye Keath, Clay McGregor and Austin Windridge.
The Luke Freeman-coached Elmore has had a tough run against Mount Pleasant and Heathcote the past two rounds.
Best for the Bloods against the Saints were Matt Filo, Jarrad Kyne, captain Rhys Holmberg, Kynan Sharpe, Peter Rothacker and Mychael Baker.
Elmore’s squad includes Xavier Coghill, Joseph Harney, Matt O’Dwyer and Hayden and Jack Trewick.
Lockington Bamawm United has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
Mount Pleasant 141 per cent, 44 points; North Bendigo 159, 38; Heathcote 122, 38; Colbinabbin 125, 36; Lockington Bamawm United 86, 28; Leitchville Gunbower 89, 24; Huntly 100, 16; White Hills 62, 8; Elmore 55, 8.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
48 Brandyn Grenfell, C.
45 Sam Dunstan, Huntly; Dylan Johnstone, H’cote.
39 Ben Weightman, MP.
35 Sean Williams, H’cote.
30 Blake Dye, LG.
29 Alex Carr, C; Dylan Klemm, NB.
27 Cody Riddick, NB.
23 Jordan Ford, NB; James Harney, Elm.; Ryan Hartley, NB.
21 Jake Dean, NB.
20 Jack Dye, LG; Lachie Gawel, E; Jake Thompson, WH.
19 Brayden Hull, LBU; Tyler Phillips, LBU; Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
17 Brodie Leonard-Shannon, MP; Abe Sladden, Huntly.
And in the netball action……the A-grade netball clash between Mount Pleasant and White Hills highlights this Saturday’s round 16 action in the Agnico Eagle Fosterville Gold Mine Heathcote DFNL season.
It’s a big test for the second and third-placed Blues and Demons at Toolleen Recreation Reserve from 1.10pm.
Both take winning form into this contest.
The Anthea McCleary-coached Mount Pleasant scored a 65-31 victory in last Saturday’s match on North Bendigo’s court at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street.
White Hills is back on court after the bye.
The Elley Lawton-coached Demons won their most recent hit-out which was also against North Bendigo by six goals.
When the Blues and Demons met in round seven it was Mounts which claimed a 51-43 victory on the White Hills court in Scott Street.
After a loss to Lockington Bamawm United the Harlowe Huntly Hawks face the unbeaten Colbinabbin.
The showdown between the Hawks and Grasshoppers starts at 2.30pm at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.
In round eight the Grasshoppers marked a 91-20 win against Huntly at Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Reserve.
The reigning premier which is coached by Jen McIntyre will start hot favourite in this contest.
In a season where it has had five wins, a draw and seven defeats the Kym Bell and Ash Sherlock-coached Huntly is fourth in the premiership race.
Heat’s on as the brown and gold lead North Bendigo and Elmore by just two points.
Leitchville Gunbower returns to the Leitchville court to play Elmore from 2.30pm.
The Katie Pollock-coached Leitchville Gunbower had a tough hit-out at Colbinabbin last Saturday in an 87-31 result in favour of the green and gold.
The Bombers are up against an Elmore team fighting to grab a place in the top five.
Elmore scored a 58-31 when it hosted Leitchville Gunbower in round seven.
The Adam Boldiston-coached Elmore charged to a 70-34 victory in last Saturday’s play on Heathcote’s court at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve.
It’s a 3pm start for this Saturday’s showdown between Heathcote and North Bendigo at Pigeon Park.
The Brooke Price-coached Saints marked their best match of the season when they scored a 45-35 victory at North Bendigo in the seventh round.
Heathcote now faces an opponent determined to break a four-match losing streak.
The Kiralee Kinder-coached North Bendigo has not won since a 54-45 result at home against Lockington Bamawm United in round eight.
Lockington Bamawm United has the bye this round.
Standings in the Heathcote DFNL netball competition after 15 rounds:
A-grade:
Colbinabbin 217 per cent, 56 points; Mount Pleasant 190, 48; White Hills 114, 36; Huntly 86, 22; North Bendigo 84, 20; Elmore, 78, 20; Lockington Bamawm United 76, 16; Leitchville Gunbower 60, 14; Heathcote 63 , 8.
A-reserve:
Colbinabbin 133 per cent, 48 points; Mount Pleasant 194, 46; Huntly 132, 40; White Hills 122, 36; North Bendigo 121, 30; Leitchville Gunbower 75, 20; Lockington Bamawm United 61, 8; Heathcote 55, 8; Elmore 63, 4.
B-grade:
White Hills 169 per cent, 52 points; Mount Pleasant 137, 42; Heathcote 102, 36; Huntly 115, 34; Leitchville Gunbower 112, 34; Colbinabbin 88, 14; North Bendigo 81, 14; Elmore 66, 10; Lockington Bamawm United 60, 4.
B-reserve:
Huntly 173 per cent, 44 points; Lockington Bamawm United 167, 44; White Hills 151, 44; Mount Pleasant 104, 32; Heathcote 109, 28; North Bendigo 110, 24; Elmore 94, 12; Colbinabbin 43, 4; Leitchville Gunbower 41, 4.
17-and-under:
Mount Pleasant 169 per cent, 56 points; White Hills 181, 48; Lockington Bamawm United 140, 40; Leitchville Gunbower 105, 28; Elmore 87, 26; Huntly 84, 18; Heathcote 75, 14; Colbinabbin 59, 10; North Bendigo 54, 0.
15-and-under:
White Hills 192 per cent, 48 points; Lockington Bamawm United 169, 48; Mount Pleasant 106, 32; Colbinabbin 105, 32; Heathcote 101, 30; Leitchville Gunbower 81, 18; Elmore 79, 18; Huntly 58, 6; North Bendigo 52, 4.
13-and-under:
Lockington Bamawm United 210 per cent, 52 points; Leitchville Gunbower 265, 44; Colbinabbin 136, 40; Mount Pleasant 127, 36; Elmore 98, 28; Huntly 78, 22; North Bendigo 77, 14; White Hills 55, 4; Heathcote 17, 0.