PYRAMID Hill will be fighting to end Marong’s unbeaten streak on Saturday as the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL marks round 11 in senior footy action.
It’s clash of the ’24 grand finalists on Pyramid Hill’s turf at Mitchell Park.
Both clubs have built a strong rivalry in recent seasons.
The past two grand finals featured the Panthers and Bulldogs in which Marong added legs two and three to a premiership hat-trick.
In this season’s second round Marong tackled Pyramid Hill at Jackal Oval in Marong’s Malone Park.
A new-look coaching set-up at Marong of Kain Robins, playing, and Paul Thomson, non-playing, marked a seven goal win.
There will be many crucial match-ups in Saturday’s showdown between the league’s top two.
Marong ruckman Michael Bradbury is up against the athletic Kai Daniels who went from the Bulldogs of Golden Square to join Pyramid Hill.
A talented Panthers’ attack that includes Kain Robins, Ryley Taylor and Jacob Ede will test Pyramid Hill in every quarter.
At the other end of the ground Ben Bisset has starred in Pyramid Hill’s attack after joining the club from Mount Pleasant.
The Nathan Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs also have the experienced Zach Alford and Ryan Semmel in their forward 50m arc.
Best for Marong in last Saturday’s home win against Inglewood were Jai Gretgrix, Brodie Hartland, Shannon Geary and Ben Gregg.
Pyramid Hill hit the 150-point mark in last Saturday’s home game against Newbridge.
Bisset kicked eight goals as Alford added four and on-baller Ben Knight chipped in with three.
Pyramid Hill has Gavin James, Levi Moss, Bailey George and Brad Ladson capable of having an impact on the contest.
Another big match will be at Inglewood’s Centre State Scaffolding Oval where the Blues take on Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
It’s fifth against fourth and possibly a prelude to the elimination final.
A nil-three start to Inglewood’s season included a 90-80 loss at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve in round two.
The Blues are on the rebound from a 27-point loss at Marong last round.
A key for the Fergus Payne-coached Inglewood will be defensive intensity.
The Blues defence does not have to worry about Bears gun forward Josh Mellington, hamstring, but there’s plenty of other scoring options for BLS.
Earlier in the week Mellington was reprimanded after he lodged an early guilty plea for kicking an opponent against Marong.
Key players for Inglewood include Bregon Cotchett, full-forward Seb Erharter, Lachlan Ford, Thomas Guerra, Tom Kennedy, Liam Marciano and Kai Cavallaro.
The Bears were beaten by Bridgewater for a second time this season.
Best for the Jake Wilkinson-coached Bears in that clash were Nash Kemp, Tyler Miles, Nathan Twigg and Jaxon Addlem.
The Bears have the experience of Ross Turner, Justin Laird, Harry Gadsden and Darcy Hawker in their line-up.
Third in the premiership race, Bridgewater will be back on home turf against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
The Lachie Sharp-coached Bridgewater won the round two match in the Eagles’ nest at Marist College Oval by 46 points.
The Mean Machine has plenty of options for on-ball and midfield roles.
Players to watch for Bridgewater include Jack Neylon, Luke Ellings, Boden Alexander and Jack Symons.
Sharp has kicked 56 goals to again be the league’s leading goalkicker.
Bridgewater’s squad includes Harry Conway, Josh Martyn, Oliver Muggleton, Harry Symons and Darcy Wood.
Maiden Gully YCW has a win-loss tally of three-five and a draw.
The Eagles are in sixth place and just two points behind Inglewood.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles fought from seven points down at the start of the final quarter to win last Saturday’s home game against Calivil United by 13 points.
Best for the Eagles were captain Josh Worsley, Mitch Whitham, Nathan Murley and Lewis Pigdon.
Big test for a squad that has the experienced Stacey Fiske and Daniel Russell and is jointly coached by Shawn Filo and former Essendon and Port Adelaide mid/forward Angus Monfries.
The Eagles team to play at Bridgewater includes Ed Crisp, Todd Delahey, Bryce and Kyle Franzini.
Calivil United will notch its first victory of the season or Mitiamo will make it win number two when the Demons and Superoos clash at Calivil Recreation Reserve.
In round two the Luke Lougoon-coached Mitiamo scored a two-goal win on its turf at John Forbes Oval against the red and blue.
As the Superoos had the bye last round Calivil United played the Maiden Gully YCW Eagles at Marist College Oval.
The Demons’ best against the Eagles were Henry McCarthy, Sam Green, Jack Bombardieri and Tommi Raukola.
The Sam Maher-coached Calivil United team to play Mitiamo includes former coach Anthony Dennis, Jack Maher, Kade Blow and Rhys Lourie.
Most recent hit-out for Mitiamo was at Bridgewater where the Mean Machine won by 13 goals.
Best for the Superoos in that contest included Ryan Duncan, Matt Gilmour, Zach Morrison and Cody Tuohey.
Mitiamo’s squad includes Jackson Falls, Kia Coatsworth, Waylon Draper, Jye Rasmussen and Brayden Baines.
Newbridge has the bye.
Loddon Valley senior footy ladder:
Marong 213 per cent, 36 points; Pyramid Hill 215, 32; Bridgewater 145, 28; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 119, 20; Inglewood 123, 16; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 72, 14; Newbridge 47, 8; Mitiamo 45, 4; Calivil United 43, 2.
Leading goalkickers:
56 Lachie Sharp, Bridgewater.
48 Josh Mellington, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
44 Ben Bisset, Pyramid Hill.
43 Seb Erharter, Inglewood.
28 Ryley Taylor, Marong.
24 Kain Robins, Marong.
23 Billy Schilling, Newbridge.
20 Tyler James, Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
19 Ryan Semmel, Pyramid Hill.
18 Zach Alford, Pyramid Hill.
17 Oscar McKinley, Bridgewater.
15 Oliver Watt, Bridgewater.
14 Brayden Baines, Mitiamo.
13 Bregon Cotchett, Inglewood.
13 Liam Marciano, Inglewood.
13 Henry McCarthy, Calivil United.
13 Farran Priest, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
12 Ben Knight, Pyramid Hill.
11 Daniel Polack, Inglewood.
10 Kai Cavallaro, Inglewood.
10 Nathan Devanny, Marong.
10 Luke Ellings, Bridgewater.
10 Harrison Goodes, Pyramid Hill.
10 Justin Laird, Bears-Lagoon Serpentine.
10 Jack McCaig, Marong.