HEATHCOTE and White Hills will fight to avoid finishing on bottom of the senior footy ladder when they meet in Saturday’s 17th round in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.
The Heathcote Saints have home-ground at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve for the 2.30pm showdown with the Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons.
The Saints are on 2 ½ wins and the Demons on two.
When these clubs met in round eight it was White Hills which won at Scott Street by five points.
Both line-ups were on the end of 100-plus defeats last Saturday.
Heathcote worked hard to be within 10 goals of North Bendigo at three quarter-time, but were then torn apart as the Dogs kicked on for a 122-point victory.
The Demons could not halt Colbinabbin’s charge to a 181-43 win.
Key players for Heathcote include Rhys Bolton, Dylan Johnstone, Codie Price, Aaron Gundry, Joseph Beedle, Jackson Jones and Will Tobin.
It’s been a season where coaches Andrew Saladino and Liam Jacques have promoted many youngsters to the senior line-up and tried others in different roles.
A huge plus for Heathcote last round was the play of Thomas Johnson in defence.
The Saints will look to Peter Bolton, Daniel and Walter Butler, and Connor Hamilton to be a big part of their run in ’26 and beyond.
For White Hills the experience of captain Cohen Kekich, Mitch Dole, Patrick Eefting, Jayden Sheean and Nick Wharton will be crucial in beating the Saints again.
Demons’ co-coach Ben Taylor is in great form and capable of winning plenty of the footy through midfield and in attack.
A White Hills line-up which has Brad McConnell as non-playing co-coach includes Seth Boyd, Jack Lawton, Isaac Tzouroutis and Nick Wallace.
The Demons had Lennox Barker play his first senior game for the club last round.
Colbinabbin will be back on its turf at M.J. Morgan Oval to play the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.
In round eight the Hamish Morcom-coached Hawks beat the Grasshoppers by a point.
Results for both were in stark contrast last round.
The Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin dominated at White Hills as Huntly was on the end of 100-point drubbing from Mount Pleasant at Strauch Reserve.
A highlight of this match will be watching two of the league’s best forwards – Colbinabbin’s Brandyn Grenfell, and Huntly’s Sam Dunstan.
Grasshoppers’ forward and former coach Nick Knight will play his 150th senior game for the club.
Colbinabbin’s best at White Hills were Nathan and Aidan Basile, Charles Ryan and Alex Carr.
The Grasshoppers’ squad includes Jai Carn, Julian Bull, Matt Riordan and Daniel Hill.
Huntly will rely a lot on maintaining a high level of pressure on Colbinabbin’s midfield and on-ballers.
Key players for the Hawks include ruckman Nathan Dunstan, captain Steve Kairn, Harry Whittle, Jaydon Cowling, Jacob Greenwood, Mitch Billings and Abe Sladden.
It’s the clash of the Cats and Bulldogs as Lockington Bamawm United meets North Bendigo at Lockington’s Nichol Trading Oval.
In round eight the ladder-leading Bulldogs beat LBU at Bendigo Club Oval in Atkins Street by 73 points.
The Jayden Howe-coached LBU is still a chance of qualifying for the finals.
The Cats must beat the Bulldogs and then White Hills, but also rely on Leitchville Gunbower being beaten by Elmore and North Bendigo.
Matt Butler kicked five goals in LBU’s win at Elmore last round and will test the Bulldogs defence.
The Cats have the class and premiership-winning experience of Brodie Collins, Charlie Hinks, Thomas Leech, Jeremy Mundie, Bart and Tyler Phillips.
Other key players for LBU include Matt Hore, Jack O’Callaghan, Jack Reiter and Stuart Taylor.
Among the many strengths of the North Bendigo team is the attacking options.
A formidable attack in red, white and blue includes Jake Dean, Dylan Klemm, Darcy Richards and Cody Riddick.
The run and skill of co-coach Ryan Hartley, Liam Dillon, captain Aarryn Craig, Riley Paetow and Nic Waterson has played a big part in the Bulldogs’ success.
Ruckman Jordan Hargreaves, Jordan Ford, Ryan Alford and Ryan Gillingham bring plenty of experience to a team which has dual premiership-winning coach Rob Bennett as non-playing coach.
A win for Leitchville Gunbower against Elmore at Gunbower is likely to secure a top-five finish.
The Shannon Keam-coached Bombers won at Elmore in round eight by nine goals.
The LG line-up had the bye last Saturday following a 52-point loss in round 15 on Lockington Bamawm United’s turf.
Key players for the Bombers include ruckman and Cheatley medallist Jobee Warde, captain Tom Brereton, Chris Horman, Blake Dye, Max Hagan, Jye Keath, Charles Hancock and Austin Windridge.
Been a much-improved season by the Nathan Kay-coached Elmore which will be chasing its fifth win.
The Bloods’ squad includes captain Rhys Holmberg, Jake Dick-O’Flaherty, Liam Bianco, Matt O’Dwyer, Hayden Trewick, Phil Smith and Lachie Gawel.
Mount Pleasant has the bye.
Heathcote DFNL senior footy ladder:
North Bendigo 256 per cent, 52 points; Mount Pleasant 166, 48; Colbinabbin 209, 44; Huntly 93, 30; Leitchville Gunbower 97, 26; Lockington Bamawm United 85, 22; Elmore 59, 16; Heathcote 62, 10; White Hills 46, 8.
Leading goalkickers:
62 Sam Dunstan, Huntly.
55 Brandyn Grenfell, Colbinabbin.
38 Jake Dean, North Bendigo.
37 Dylan Klemm, North Bendigo.
36 Cody Riddick, North Bendigo.
35 Alex Carr, Colbinabbin.
35 Dylan Johnstone, Heathcote.
32 Matt Butler, Lockington Bamawm United.
30 Mitch Bennett, Mount Pleasant.
30 Nick Knight, Colbinabbin.
30 Brodie Leonard-Shannon, Mount Pleasant.
29 Ben Weightman, Mount Pleasant.
26 James Harney, Elmore.
26 Darcy Richards, North Bendigo.
21 Thomas Leech, Lockington Bamawm United.
19 Billy Hawken, Leitchville Gunbower.
18 Blake Dye, Leitchville Gunbower.
17 Chris Horman, Leitchville Gunbower.
17 Cohen Kekich, White Hills.
16 Liam Dillon, North Bendigo.
16 Ryan Hartley, North Bendigo.
16 Jack Hickman, Mount Pleasant.
16 Nathan Kay, Elmore.
16 Matt O’Dwyer, Elmore.
16 Jack Teasdale, Mount Pleasant.
15 Jackson Jones, Heathcote.
15 Jack Reiter, Lockington Bamawm United.
15 Zak Saad, Heathcote.
15 Lachy Wilson, Huntly.
14 Abe Sladden, Huntly.
14 Ben Taylor, White Hills.
13 Adam Baird, Mount Pleasant.
13 Mitch Rovers, Mount Pleasant.
12 Liam Bianco, Elmore.
12 Tom Brereton, Leitchville Gunbower.
12 Bailey Cain, North Bendigo.
12 Patrick Eefting, White Hills.
12 Jake Thompson, White Hills.
12 Nic Waterson, North Bendigo.