MACORNA coach Fergus Payne marks a return to play when the Tigers take on Marong in this Saturday’s sixth round in Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy.
The Tigers and Panthers will play at Macorna Recreation Reserve from 2.15pm.
After serving a three-match suspension, Payne will lead the Tigers against the reigning premier.
It’s fourth against first in the Tigers’ den.
Macorna is on the rebound from a 32-point loss to Newbridge.
Stung by a big loss to Pyramid Hill in round four, Marong bounced back to end Bridgewater’s unbeaten streak last Saturday.
There’s plenty of goalscoring power in the Macorna and Marong line-ups.
The Macorna attack includes Dimitri Fasoulis, Seb Erharter, Kieran Foley and Will Meharry.
Leading goalkickers for Marong are Cooper Hale, Brad Matthews, Noah McCaig and Shaun Knott.
Key players for the yellow and black include Hunter Anset, Sam and Toby Whinfield, and Broden and Xavier Wishart.
Players to watch for Marong include Michael Bradbury, Nathan Devanny, Jimmy Gadsden, Corey Gregg and Jai Gretgrix.
Victorious in its past three matches, Newbridge is back on its turf at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Riverside Park to take on Bears Lagoon-Serpentine.
The Jayden Cordy-coached Newbridge teamed superbly to win the hit-out in Macorna by 32 points.
Bears Lagoon-Serpentine won its latest home game against Maiden Gully YCW Eagles by 20 points.
Key match-ups for the Maroons include Jon Coe at centre half-back against Andy Gladman, Zebb Murrell in the centre opposed to Charlie Gadsden, and Kobe Friswell at centre half-forward against Tyler Miles.
Newbridge’s on-ball group of Will Copland, Jayden Cordy and Caleb Argus will take on Nathan Twigg, Tanner Rayner and Ross Turner.
The Maroons’ line-up includes Caleb Sanders, Jackson Eadon and Jackson Hufer.
Key players for the Bears include coach Jake Wilkinson, Farran Priest and Steve Gladman.
Pyramid Hill is back on turf at Mitchell Park to take on Mitiamo.
Could be another percentage-lifting win for the Jarrod Fitzpatrick-coached Bulldogs.
Jhye Baddeley-Kelly kicked 12 goals in last Saturday’s win against Calivil United and looms as a huge threat to Mitiamo’s defence.
The Bulldogs’ line-up includes Zach Alford, Isaac Brill, Mitch Dingwall, Ben Knight and Dylan Morison.
Jett Hird will play his first senior match for Pyramid Hill.
The Luke Lougoon-coached Mitiamo played well to score four goals in the opening term of last Saturday’s match with Inglewood.
From there the Superoos added two goals as Inglewood scored 9.4 before the game was abandoned after Mitiamo’s Joey Mizzi sustained a neck injury.
Mitiamo’s best in last week’s match at John Forbes Oval against Inglewood were Joey Mizzi, Bryce Laird, Zak Myers, Ben Arho, Seth Wright and Ryan Duncan.
Stung by its first defeat of the season, Bridgewater’s back on its ground to play Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
The Lachie Sharp-coached Bridgewater team includes Harry Conway, Luke Ellings, Jack Merrin, Harry Symons and Darcy Wood.
Huge challenge for the Shawn Filo and Angus Monfries-coached Eagles who are sixth on a two-three record.
Maiden Gully YCW also has two of its leading goalkickers in Angus Monfries and Todd Delahey not playing this match.
Key players for the Eagles include Daniel Russell, Zac Turner, Lewis Pigdon, Tyler James, Mitch Whitham and Mitch Hill
Among the inclusions for the Eagles is Tahlan Brook from the under-18s to play his first senior match.
Inglewood will be chasing three wins in a row when its hosts Calivil United at Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
After a nil-three start the Jackson Hood-coached Inglewood has defeated Macorna and Mitiamo the past two rounds.
The Blues’ line-up to face the Demons includes Charlie Aitken, Bregon Cotchett, Mischa Fraillon, Tom Kennedy, Aaron Lister and Liam Marciano.
It’s been a tough schedule for the Sam Maher-coached Calivil United which has tackled Bears Lagoon-Serpentine, Marong, Newbridge and Pyramid Hill the past four rounds.
Key players for the Demons include Kade Blow, Sam Green, Jack Maher, Ryan Strauch, Cody Thompson and Zac Tickell.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 171 per cent, 16 points; Pyramid Hill 152, 16; Bridgewater 151, 16; Macorna 112, 12; Newbridge 92, 12; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 111, 8; Bears-Lagoon Serpentine 96, 8; Inglewood 90, 8; Calivil United 41, 4; Mitiamo 54, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
30 Lachie Sharp, B’water.
23 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, PH.
22 Dimitri Fasoulis, Mac.
16 Oscar McKinley, B’water.
15 Caleb Sanders, New.
14 Brandon Dimech, New.; Cooper Hale, Mar.
13 Farran Priest, BLS.
11 Brent Arho, Miti.; Tyler James, MGYCW.
10 Todd Delahey, MGYCW; Mischa Fraillon, I’wood; Mitch Hill, MGYCW.
9 Zach Alford, PH; Brad Matthews, Mar.; Noah McCaig, Mar.
8 Luke Gray, MGYCW; Henry McCarthy, CU; Angus Monfries, MGYCW; Mitch Patten, B’water.
Meanwhile in the netball………a rematch of the ’25 grand final between Pyramid Hill and Mitiamo will be played out in this Saturday’s sixth round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
Pyramid Hill has home-court advantage at Mitchell Park for the 3pm showdown with the reigning premier.
Both teams take winning form into this contest.
A closely-fought match at Calivil last Saturday ended in a 59-53 win for Pyramid Hill against the Demons.
The Chelsea Emmerson, Amber Dingwall and Darci Tierney-coached Pyramid Hill will need to bring a stronger defensive intensity to all thirds of the court against Mitiamo.
Latest hit-out for the Jen Wilson-coached Superoos ended in a 42-goal win against Inglewood at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
The second-placed Bridgewater is back on its court to play Maiden Gully YCW Eagles.
Was a great effort by Bridgewater to win last Saturday’s match at Marong’s Jackal Oval in Malone Park by two goals.
The Carly Wild and Lou Dupuy-coached Bridgewater will start favourite against the Eagles.
A Maiden Gully YCW team coached by Christie Griffiths will be determined to bounce back from a one-goal loss on Bears Lagoon-Serpentine’s court.
Newbridge faces Bears Lagoon-Serpentine at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Newbridge’s Riverside Park.
The Hayley Martiniello-coached Newbridge won last Saturday’s match at Macorna by 20 goals.
Victory would keep the Erin Varker-coached BLS in touch with the top five.
Stung by a big loss on Mitiamo’s court, Inglewood returns to Centre State Scaffolding Oval to take on Calivil United.
The Dani O’Toole-coached Blues have dropped to the sixth rung after a two-nil start to this campaign.
Calivil United will have gained plenty of confidence from its showing against Pyramid Hill.
The Demons are coached by Annie Blow and Alex Ingram.
It’s the battle of the M and M’s as Macorna plays Marong at Macorna Recreation Reserve.
Massive test for the Brooke Allison-coached Macorna against an opponent which could move back into the top three.
The Marong Panthers are coached by Bridget Willox and Bianca Garton.
Standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Mitiamo 213 per cent, 20 points; Bridgewater 141, 12; Pyramid Hill 108, 12; Marong 103, 12; Newbridge 101, 12; Inglewood 88, 12; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 82, 8; Calivil United 79, 8; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 69, 4; Macorna 53, 0.
Loddon Valley FNL netball ladders after five rounds:
A-reserve:
Bridgewater 204 per cent, 20 points; Newbridge 135, 16; Marong 147, 14; Calivil United 126, 14; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 97, 10; Mitiamo 83, 8; Pyramid Hill 72, 6; Inglewood 65, 4; Macorna 58, 4; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 38, 4.
B-grade:
Newbridge 266 per cent, 20 points; Bridgewater 125, 16; Inglewood 120, 16; Calivil United 108, 12; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 107, 12; Marong 96, 10; Macorna 88, 8; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 80, 6; Pyramid Hill 71, 0; Mitiamo 40, 0.
B-reserve:
Bridgewater 192 per cent, 20 points; Newbridge 143, 16; Inglewood 119, 16; Calivil United 110, 16; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 117, 12; Marong 106, 8; Mitiamo 81, 4; Pyramid Hill 76, 4; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 61, 4; Macorna 42, 0.
17-and-under:
Calivil United 358 per cent, 20 points; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 212, 16; Bridgewater 181, 16; Mitiamo 115, 12; Pyramid Hill 98, 12; Macorna 64, 8; Marong 61, 8; Inglewood 55, 4; Newbridge 25, 0.
15-and-under:
Newbridge 395 per cent, 20 points; Calivil United 428, 16; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 312, 16; Marong 286, 16; Bridgewater 111, 12; Inglewood 63, 8; Macorna 44, 4; Mitiamo 29, 4; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 14, 4; Pyramid Hill 19, 0.
13-and-under:
Calivil United 1055 per cent, 20 points; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 510, 20; Marong 128, 16; Bridgewater 126, 12; Mitiamo 120, 12; Inglewood 125, 8; Newbridge 99, 8; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 13, 4; Pyramid Hill 13, 0; Macorna 12, 0.