BY NATHAN DOLE
VICTORIOUS in 21 of 23 matches, Castlemaine is flying high in pursuit of back-to-back premierships in the Champions IGA-backed CVFL senior women’s footy competition.
The Magpies have followed up last year’s grand final victory by being six-nil in this season’s action as clubs take a break for the King’s Birthday holiday weekend.
It will be an extended break for the Jordan Cochrane-coached Magpies as they have the bye on the June 16-18 weekend.
Castlemaine’s campaign resumes with a home game against North Bendigo on June 23 under the Camp Reserve lights.
It’s a logjam to decide the make-up of the top four as Eaglehawk, Woorinen and Golden Square are all locked on 3-2 records and 12 points.
The Hawks hold second place and the crucial double-chance for the August finals.
Matches in rounds seven, eight and nine will be a huge test for an Eaglehawk team coached by Geoff West and Molly Metcalf, and has Baz Metcalf as assistant coach.
A night game on June 16 against Bendigo Thunder under the Canterbury Park lights will be followed by another night game the following Friday at Golden Square’s Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.
Pink Round includes the Hawks on home turf to play Castlemaine on July 9.
League newcomer Woorinen has hit the six-round mark on a 3-2 record and in third place.
The run home for the Tigers begins at Strathfieldsaye’s Triple M Park in Tannery Lane on June 18.
After a bye Woorinen is at home to play Woorinen in Pink Round on July 9 and then treks to the Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo on June 16 to tackle Castlemaine.
A talented Tigers’ line-up includes co-coach and gun midfielder Katelyn Hazlett.
Last season’s runner-up, Golden Square could climb as high as second or drop out of the top four by August.
The Nathan Manuel-coached Bulldogs also have a 3-2 record.
The season kicked off with a 90-13 loss at Eaglehawk before the blue and gold chalked up a hat-trick of wins.
The grand final rematch with Castlemaine was played under Golden Square’s lights where a red-hot Magpies team won 58-2.
Golden Square’s run across the four rounds includes a home game against Eaglehawk, and taking on Bendigo Thunder on the QEO turf.
A 2-3 record has Bendigo Thunder in fifth place.
An experienced team coached by Terry Burt, with Hannah Perry as playing assistant can be a serious contender for the finals.
Although beaten at Castlemaine in Indigenous Round on June 4, Bendigo Thunder’s score of 30 was the best by all of the Pies’ opponents this season.
Thunder faces Eaglehawk on June 16.
A home clash with Strathfieldsaye on June 25 at Weeroona Oval will be followed by showdowns with Woorinen and Golden Square.
Those two matches could go a long way in deciding Thunder’s fate.
A highlight of North Bendigo’s season was the 23-21 victory at Strathfieldsaye in round four.
It’s been a tough run for the Jie Thomson-coached Bulldogs, but fans could not question their effort.
A goal for Strathfieldsaye Storm will be to break its season ‘duck’.
Best chance is likely to be on July 16 when Storm and North Bendigo kick off the first of a triple-header at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Castlemaine, 6-0, 873%, 24 points, 1st:
So far – d North Bendigo 235-0, d Eaglehawk 51-18, d Strathfieldsaye 172-0, d Woorinen 73-23, d Golden Square 58-2, d Bendigo Thunder 49-30.
Run home – bye; v North Bendigo, home; v Eaglehawk, away; v Woorinen at Queen Elizabeth Oval; v Strathfieldsaye, away; v Bendigo Thunder at Epsom-Huntly; v Golden Square, home; bye.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Aisling Tupper, Abbey Bertram, Rachel Thomas, Jemma Finning, Eillish Cumming.
Leading goalkickers:
25 Eloise Gretgrix; 12 Aisling Tupper; 8 Charlotte Beavan; 6 Jo Allan, Ella Cochrane, Jemma Finning; 3 Emily Cooper, Eillish Cumming, Lily den Houting.
Eaglehawk, 3-2, 241.9%, 12 points, 2nd:
So far – d Golden Square 90-13, lt Castlemaine 18-51, d North Bendigo 106-2, bye, lt Woorinen 1-64, d Strathfieldsaye 102-1.
Run home – v Bendigo Thunder, h; v Golden Square, a; v Castlemaine, h; bye; v North Bendigo, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a; v Woorinen, h; v Bendigo Thunder, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Taylah Petrusma, Grace Edlin, Cass Coleman, Molly Metcalf, Keely Fullerton, Chloe Green, Eliza Long, Pearl Sullivan.
Leading goalkickers:
8 Sienna Hobbs; 7 Grace Edlin, Keely Fullerton; 6 Jasmine Burzacott; 5 Molly Metcalf; 4 Kelly Mensforth; 3 Freyja Pearce, Molly Pianta.
Woorinen, 3-2, 241.8%, 12 points, 3rd:
So far – bye; d Bendigo Thunder 54-16; lt Golden Square 22-27; lt Castlemaine 23-73; d Eaglehawk 64-1; d North Bendigo 120-0.
Run home – v Strathfieldsaye, a; bye; v Bendigo Thunder, h; v Castlemaine at Queen Elizabeth Oval; v Golden Square, h; v North Bendigo, a; v Eaglehawk, a; v Strathfieldsaye h.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Carlee Hazlett, Leonie Schulz, Jemma Meehan, Tenay Fellows, Katelyn Hazlett, Freda Wosomo.
Leading goalkickers:
9 Natasha Kelly; 4 Donal Fellows, Carlee Hazlett; 3 Sheridan Gallagher, Samantha Johnston, Emma Peacock.
Golden Square, 3-2, 66%, 12 points, 4th:
So far – lt Eaglehawk 13-90, d Strathfieldsaye 58-4, d Woorinen 27-22, d Bendigo Thunder 22-10, lt Castlemaine 2-58, bye.
Run home – v North Bendigo, a; v Eaglehawk, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a; v Bendigo Thunder at Queen Elizabeth Oval; v Woorinen, a; bye; v Castlemaine, a; v North Bendigo, h.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Rebecca Berry, Claire Picone, Liz Watkins, Jorja Van den Berg, Keely Hare.
Leading goalkickers:
8 Paynton Jolliffe; 2 Gabrielle Drage; Liz Watkins.
Bendigo Thunder, 2-3, 230%, 8 points, 5th:
So far – d Strathfieldsaye 124-0, lt Woorinen 16-54, bye, lt Golden Square 10-22, d North Bendigo 122-6, lt Castlemaine 30-49.
Run home – v Eaglehawk, a; v Strathfieldsaye, h; v Woorinen, a; v Golden Square at QEO; bye; v Castlemaine at Epsom-Huntly; v North Bendigo, a; v Eaglehawk, h.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Jessica Kennedy, Shae-Lee Murphy-Burke, Nikki Heffer, Hannah Perry, Serryn Eenjes, Monique Jones.
Leading goalkickers:
7 Britney Mueck, Jaime Sawers; 5 Nikeah Anderson, Brianna Burt, Jessica Kennedy; 4 Serryn Eenjes.
North Bendigo, 1-4, 5.1%, 4 points, 6th:
So far – lt Castlemaine 0-235, bye, lt Eaglehawk 2-106, d Strathfieldsaye 23-21, lt Bendigo Thunder 6-122, lt Woorinen 0-120.
Run home – v Golden Square, h; v Castlemaine, a; bye; v Strathfieldsaye at Queen Elizabeth Oval; v Eaglehawk, a; v Woorinen, h; v Bendigo Thunder, h; v Golden Square, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Kira Gibbons, Maddison Hargreaves-Hale, Maddie Jelbart, Ashlyne McInnes, Quetta Holloway-Jinks.
Leading goalkickers:
1 Madison Hargreaves-Hale, Kayla-Brea McIntosh, Tanika Thomson.
Strathfieldsaye, 0-5, 5.4%, 0 points, 7th:
So far – lt Bendigo Thunder 0-124, lt Golden Square 4-58, lt Castlemaine 0-172, lt North Bendigo 21-23, bye, lt Eaglehawk 1-102.
Run home – v Woorinen, h; v Bendigo Thunder , a; v Golden Square, h; v North Bendigo at QEO; v Castlemaine, h; v Eaglehawk, h; bye; v Woorinen, a.
Players to watch, based on votes in best list:
Dani Jeffery, Hannah Cue, Jessica Jackson, Emily Bickley, Taylah Lindrea.
Leading goalkicker:
3 Chelsea Reeves.