THERE are 11 clubs involved across this weekend’s Bendigo Bank Bendigo Junior Football League preliminary finals.
Action will be at the White Hills Recreation Reserve on Friday night.
Matches on Sunday will be at C and M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park, and at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
Most represented club is South Bendigo with four teams.
The young Bloods will be vying to reach the grand finals in the under-12 girls, 12C, 14A and 16A competitions.
Strathfieldsaye Storm is in the 14A, 15 girls, and 16A contests.
Clubs with two teams taking to the field are Castlemaine in 12B and 14B; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in 12C and 12D; Sandhurst in 14B and 15 girls; and St Francis in 12 girls and 12A.
Also in action will be Eaglehawk, 16B; Golden Square, 16B; Kangaroo Flat, 12D; Marong, 12B; and St Therese’s Sharks, 12A.
First of the preliminary finals will be the under-12 Girls match between St Francis Green and South Bendigo from 5.15pm on Friday night at White Hills Recreation Reserve in Scott Street.
St Francis is on the rebound from a 44-13 loss to Rochester in the second semi-final.
South Bendigo won the first semi-final against Eaglehawk by 22 points.
A week earlier and the Bloods marked a 26-12 win against Golden Square in the elimination final.
All other preliminary finals will be on Sunday.
St Therese’s Sharks will play St Francis in the under-12A match from 11.40am on Sunday at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
The Sharks were stunned in a 50-19 loss to South Bendigo in the second semi-final.
St Francis kicked off its campaign by winning the first semi against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by 28 points.
The under-12B preliminary final between Marong and Castlemaine will be played from 10.20am at Jackal Oval in Malone Park.
Marong will be aiming to capitalise on home-ground advantage.
The Panthers were beaten in the second semi-final clash with White Hills by 10 points.
In the battle of the birds it was the Magpies from Castlemaine who won the first semi against Eaglehawk Eagles by 13 points.
First-up at C and M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park on Sunday will be the under-12C teams from Maiden Gully YCW and South Bendigo.
The Eagles and Bloods will play from 9am.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles will be keen to bounce back from a 53-15 loss to St Kilian’s-St Peter’s in the second semi-final.
South Bendigo won the first semi against St Monica’s by 15 points.
Play at Malone Park on Sunday kicks off at 9am with the under-12D clash between Maiden Gully YCW Eagles and Kangaroo Flat.
These teams played out a thrilling qualifying final at Marist College in Maiden Gully.
A 28-27 victory for the Eagles put them in to the second semi-final which went Heathcote’s way, 30-21.
Kangaroo Flat bounced back from defeat in week one of the finals to mark a 37-16 victory against Strathfieldsaye in the first semi.
It’s the Bloods facing Storm as South Bendigo takes on Strathfieldsaye in the under-14A match from 2.45pm at Malone Park in Marong.
These teams met in the qualifying final at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
The Bloods dominated on their turf in Neale Street to score an 82-35 win against Storm.
South Bendigo is on the rebound from a 22-point loss to Sandhurst in the second semi.
Strathfieldsaye surged to a 101-54 win against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in the first semi-final.
The under-14B preliminary final at Malone Park features Castlemaine and Sandhurst.
It’s a 1pm start for the Magpies and Dragons.
Castlemaine will be keen to hit back from a 72-51 loss in the second semi against South Bendigo.
After starting the finals with a seven-goal win against Maryborough in the elimination final, Sandhurst won the first semi against Kangaroo Flat by eight points.
Sandhurst White will play Strathfieldsaye in the under-15 Girls match from 1.50pm at Canterbury Park.
These teams met in the qualifying final at Bendigo Club Oval in North Bendigo’s Atkins Street.
A top contest was won by Sandhurst White, 33-24.
It was an all-Sandhurst showdown in the second semi as Navy scored a 31-24 victory against White.
Strathfieldsaye won the first semi against Golden Square by 17 points.
After starting its run with a 14-point win against White Hills in the elimination final, South Bendigo meets Strathfieldsaye in the under-16A preliminary final at Canterbury Park from 10.20am.
Storm won the qualifying final against Sandhurst by 25 points.
A thrilling second semi-final between Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye ended in a 48-44 victory for the Bulldogs.
South Bendigo won the first semi-final against Sandhurst in Toolleen by 11 points.
Final match of the weekend kicks off at 3.10pm when Eaglehawk meets Golden Square in the under-16B contest in Canterbury Park.
The Hawks and Bulldogs have a fierce rivalry across all divisions of footy.
Golden Square scored an 88-29 win against South Bendigo in the first semi.
The Hawks are on the rebound from a 77-72 loss in the second semi against Strathfieldsaye.