Crucial games for Saints and Demons

AS the fight to be fifth and a finals berth rages, Heathcote and White Hills will strive for upset victories in round thirteen of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League.

The fifth-placed Saints are on home turf at Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve to take on North Bendigo.

The Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote is a win clear of the sixth-placed White Hills.

In the season opener played on 2 April, North Bendigo won a high-scoring clash with the Saints in the Atkins Street kennel by 10 points.

The Saints go into this contest following a 95-point drubbing from Mount Pleasant at Toolleen.

A huge challenge for Heathcote will be stopping a North Bendigo attack of Dylan Klemm, nine goals; Hakeem Johnson, six; and Jordan Ford, four; who starred in the 47-point win at Hibo Hotel Oval against White Hills.

North Bendigo ruckman Jeremy Lambden is also in hot form.

The play of Codie Price, Jackson Jones, Shaun Harrison, Connor Hamilton and Mitch McLean will be important to the Saints chances.

The Jack Fallon-coached White Hills will be back on home turf at Scott Street to take on Colbinabbin.

The Demons will be keen to perform well as a Past Players function, which includes several premiership winners, will watch the battle with coached Colbinabbin.

It’s been a two-week break for Colbinabbin which had the bye in round 11 and then a rest last Saturday because it played Elmore in the season opener on 2 April.

The round four meeting between the Grasshoppers and Demons ended in a 75-point win for Colbinabbin at M. J. Morgan Reserve.

After a stunning victory at Leitchville and then bye, Huntly is back in action on home turf at Strauch Reserve against Lockington Bamawm United.

The Stacy Fiske-coached Hawks played brilliant football to win at Leitchville by 23 points as Jaydon Cowling, Jake Maher, Brandon Dimech and Tori Ferguson led the way.

It’s a huge challenge for the Hawks against the Cats.

Leitchville-Gunbower takes on a red-hot Mount Pleasant at Leitchville.

The Bombers are up against a team which bounced back from consecutive defeats to kick off a four-game winning streak by beating Colbinabbin by two points.

Key players for Mount Pleasant include full-forward Ben Weightman, ruckman Chris Down, Jesse Tuohey, Billy Mahony and Zebb Murrell.

Elmore has the bye.