The top teams Mitiamo and Newbridge meet in this Sunday’s third round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL season.
Match of the day will be on Mitiamo’s court at John Forbes Oval from 3pm.
The Superoos and Maroons have made a strong start to their ’26 campaign.
Mitiamo’s pursuit of back-to-back premierships began with a 43-goal win at home against Calivil United in round one.
The Jen Wilson-coached Superoos scored a 64-25 victory at Macorna last Saturday.
Newbridge has achieved a two-nil record.
The Hayley Martiniello-coached Maroons won a great contest on Bridgewater’s court in the season opener by two goals.
Newbridge outplayed Maiden Gully YCW Eagles in a 56-34 result at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Newbridge’s Riverside Park last Saturday.
Bridgewater will host a red-hot Inglewood.
The Carly Wild and Lou Dupuy-coached Bridgewater will be desperate for the points following losses to Newbridge, 40-42, and Pyramid Hill, 50-53.
A hat-trick of wins is a feat Inglewood has not achieved for many seasons.
The Blues have made a stunning start to this season.
After crossing from Bears Lagoon-Serpentine to coach the Blues, Dani O’Toole has watched her team net a 48-44 win at home against Pyramid Hill, and then a 60-50 win against Marong.
Both triumphs were on Inglewood’s court at Centre State Scaffolding Oval.
It’s the Demons against the Panthers as Calivil United hosts Marong.
Both are on a one-one record.
The Annie Blow and Alex Ingram-coached Calivil United fought for a 40-38 win against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine last Saturday.
Marong will be keen to strike back after a 10-goal loss to the Blues.
The Panthers are coached by Bridget Willox and Bianca Garton.
Macorna or Bears Lagoon-Serpentine will chalk up their first win of the season when they meet in the Tigers’ den at Macorna Recreation Reserve.
Been a tough initiation for the Brooke Allison-coached Tigers to the new league as they have played Maiden Gully YCW Eagles and Mitiamo.
The Erin Varker-coached Bears were beaten at Marong in round one by five goals, and then went down 38-40 in the home game with Calivil United at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The round begins with the Anzac Day matches between Pyramid Hill and Maiden Gully YCW Eagles at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park.
It will be a 4pm start for the A-grade netball match.
Pyramid Hill bounced back from the first-round loss at Inglewood to score a 53-50 victory against Bridgewater last Saturday.
The Bulldogs are coached by Chelsea Emmerson, Amber Dingwall and Darci Tierney.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles scored a 32-25 win at home against Macorna in round one.
The Christie Griffiths-coached Eagles are on the rebound from a 22-goal loss on Newbridge’s court in Riverside Park.
Standings in the Loddon Valley FNL A-grade netball competition:
Mitiamo 234 per cent, 8 points; Newbridge 132, 8; Inglewood 114, 8; Pyramid Hill 98, 4; Marong 95, 4; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 81, 4; Calivil United 64, 4; Bridgewater 94, 0; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 92, 0; Macorna 52, 0.
League ladders after two rounds:
A-reserve:
Marong 378 per cent, 8 points; Calivil United 178, 8; Bridgewater 170, 8; Newbridge 98, 4; Mitiamo 91, 4; Pyramid Hill 65, 4; Macorna 49, 4; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 55, 0; Inglewood 39, 0; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 36, 0.
B-grade:
Newbridge 200 per cent, 8 points; Calivil United 169, 8; Inglewood 129, 8; Macorna 121, 4; Bridgewater 85, 4; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 71, 4; Marong 87, 2; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 85, 2; Pyramid Hill 79, 0; Mitiamo 45, 0.
B-reserve:
Bridgewater 201 per cent, 8 points; Calivil United 186, 8; Inglewood 116, 8; Marong 124, 4; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 114, 4; Mitiamo 100, 4; Newbridge 89, 4; Pyramid Hill 57, 0; Macorna 52, 0; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 48, 0.
17-and-under:
Calivil United 446 per cent, 8 points; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 432, 8; Pyramid Hill 176, 8; Marong 152, 8; Bridgewater 191, 4; Mitiamo 69, 4; Inglewood 50, 0; Macorna 42, 0; Newbridge 16, 0.
15-and-under:
Calivil United 1625 per cent, 8 points; Marong 815, 8; Newbridge 366, 8; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 132, 4; Bridgewater 91, 4; Macorna 55, 4; Inglewood 48, 4; Pyramid Hill 33, 0; Mitiamo 24, 0; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 5, 0.
13-and-under:
Calivil United 1514 per cent, 8 points; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 428, 8; Marong 327, 8; Inglewood 156, 4; Mitiamo 148, 4; Bridgewater 120, 4; Newbridge 92, 4; Pyramid Hill 30, 0; Macorna 4, 0; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 3, 0.
In the football action……….PYRAMID Hill will tackle Maiden Gully YCW Eagles on Anzac Day to kick off round three in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL senior footy season.
The Bulldogs have home ground advantage at Pyramid Hill’s Mitchell Park for a 3.05pm showdown with the Eagles.
It’s sixth against fifth as both clubs are on a one-one record.
The Jarrod Fitzpatrick-coached Pyramid Hill is on the rebound from a four-goal defeat at home to Bridgewater.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles won last Saturday’s match on Newbridge’s turf at Deepcore Drilling Oval in Riverside Park by 67 points.
An experienced Pyramid Hill will start favourite to take the points.
Key players for the Bulldogs include Zach Alford, Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, Mitch Gunther, Ben Knight, Will Perryman, and Lachlan Sidebottom.
The Shawn Filo-coached Eagles had Todd Delahey and Angus Monfries both kick five goals against Newbridge.
Both will play crucial roles again, as will Tye Bedford, Ed Crisp, Travis Mercadante, Lewis Pigdon, Daniel Russell, and captain Josh Worsley.
Four matches will be played on Sunday from 2.15pm.
Mitiamo or Newbridge will bank their first points of the season when they clash on the Superoos’ ground at Mitiamo’s John Forbes Oval.
Best for Mitiamo in a six-goal loss at Macorna were Ben Arho, Bryce Laird, Daniel Baldwin, and coach Luke Lougoon.
The Jayden Cordy-coached Newbridge played at Bridgewater and then took on Maiden Gully YCW.
Newbridge’s line-up includes key defender Jon Coe, Caleb Argus, Brandon Dimech, Chris Dixon, Dylan Lloyd, Zebb Murrell, and Caleb Sanders.
The in-form Macorna is back home to take on Bears Lagoon-Serpentine.
Tigers’ eyes are on a hat-trick of wins after success against Maiden Gully YCW and Mitiamo.
Macorna will be without coach Fergus Payne who starts a three-match ban after making unreasonable or unnecessary contact to the eye region of Mitiamo’s Zach Morrison.
Payne is not allowed to coach the team, enter the playing arena, the club’s change rooms or communicate with any football official on match day.
Assistant coach Dean McGowan will be in charge the next three matches.
Dimitri Fasoulis kicked 10 goals for Macorna last round and will be a major focus of the Bears’ defence.
The Tigers’ line-up includes Hunter Anset, Will Meharry, Laing, Sam and Toby Whinfield, and Broden and Xavier Wishart.
Bears Lagoon-Serpentine scored an 85-point win against Calivil United at Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve last Saturday.
Best for the Jake Wilkinson-coached BLS were Jaxon Addlem, Corey Wanganeen, Nathan Twigg and Ross Turner.
It will be Bridgewater against Inglewood in the annual Anzac clash.
The Lachie Sharp-coached Bridgewater has won its hit-outs with Newbridge and Pyramid Hill.
A powerful attack for the Mean Machine has Lachie Sharp and Oscar McKinley as key targets.
Players to watch in the red and white include Luke Ellings, Tyler Estrada, Harry McKinley, Nic Naughton, and Jack Neylon.
Been a tough run for the Jackson Hood-coached Inglewood which has played Pyramid Hill and Marong.
The Blues’ squad includes Kai Cavallaro, Bregon Cotchett, Tom Kennedy, Liam Marciano, Gabe Nevins, and Daniel Polack.
Calivil United is on home turf against Marong.
Key players for the Sam Maher-coached Calivil United include Rhys Lourie, Jack Maher, Henry McCarthy, Ryan Strauch, Cody Thompson, and Zac Tickell.
Marong’s run at a fifth consecutive premiership has started with wins against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine and Inglewood.
A Panthers squad coached by James Flaherty includes Michael Bradbury, Nathan Devanny, Jimmy Gadsden, Corey Gregg, Jack and Noah McCaig, and Richard Tibbett.
Loddon Valley FNL senior footy ladder:
Marong 224.4 per cent, 8 points; Bridgewater 224.0, 8; Macorna 164, 8; Bears Lagoon-Serpentine 147, 4; Maiden Gully YCW Eagles 114, 4; Pyramid Hill 98, 4; Calivil United 58, 4; Mitiamo 74, 0; Inglewood 47, 0; Newbridge 37, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race:
11 Dimitri Fasoulis, Mac.
10 Oscar McKinley, B’water.
8 Lachie Sharp, B’water.
7 Henry McCarthy, CU.
6 Jhye Baddeley-Kelly, PH; Todd Delahey, MGYCW; Noah McCaig, Mar.
5 Brent Arho, Miti.; Brandon Dimech, New.; Jack McCaig, Mar.; Angus Monfries, MGYCW; Mitch Patten, B’water.
4 James Bailey, BLS; Seb Erharter, Mac.; Luke Gray, MGYCW; Frasier Holland, BLS; Jordan Priestley, BLS.
3 Ben Arho, Miti., Max Balcke, Mar.; Alex Cockerell, Mac.; Mitch Dingwall, PH; Kieran Foley, Mac.; Harrison Goodes, PH; Cooper Hale, Mar.; Will Meharry, Mac.; Zak Myers, Miti.; Nic Naughton, B’water; Farran Priest, BLS; Zaiyden Richards, New.