Blues face dogs in semi stoush

SUNDAY’S semi final in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior action will see North Bendigo and Mount Pleasant fight to stay in the premiership race when they go head-to-head at Elmore.

The Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs kicked off what would a nine-game winning streak with a 69-63 result against the Blues at North Bendigo in round one.

Another fierce contest was played in the 10th round at Toolleen where the Adam Baird and Ben Weightman-coached Mounts won by 11 points.

After finishing the season in second place, North Bendigo will be desperate to avoid its run being ended by the Blues.

North Bendigo went down to White Hills in week one of the finals by 40 points at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.

Last year’s runner-up to Lockington Bamawm United, Mount Pleasant is hungry to go one better in ’23.

The Blues met the in-form Leitchville Gunbower in last Sunday’s elimination final and went on to mark a 26-point victory.

Twenty-four hours before it’ll be the Saints or Demons will be in action vying to be first to qualify for the grand final when Heathcote plays White Hills when the two meet on Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval.

As Heathcote had the week’s rest courtesy of finishing the home and away series on top of the ladder, White Hills kicked off its finals campaign with an emphatic victory against North Bendigo.

Although the Dogs had won both matches in the home and away series it was the Demons who dominated a lot of the play.

Six goals as it held its opponent to a major in the second term meant White Hills led by 23 points at half-time.

Now the focus for the Jack Fallon and Jake Pallpratt-coached Demons is on the Andrew Saladino-coached Saints with this season’s meetings standing at one-all.

It was a thrilling three-point win for the Demons in the den at Winslow Constructors Oval in round three under lights.

Next time it was Heathcote who won 74-45 at Pigeon Park.

Gun forwards Corey Grindlay of Heathcote, and White Hills boom recruit Kaiden Antonowicz will both play big roles in the second semi.