Cats and Dogs to meet in colourful clash

THE clash between the Cats from Lockington-Bamawm and North Bendigo’s Bulldogs highlights Saturday’s second round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote District Football Netball League.

Lockington will have to wait to unfurl their 2022 senior premiership flag with the game moved to Hibo Hotel Oval but after a first-round bye a new-look Cats line-up will aim to make a winning start.

It’s a changing of the guard at LBU as Stacy Fiske marks his first match as senior coach after being lured from Huntly.

Premiership-winning coach Brodie Collins has stayed on to play for the Cats.

Newcomers in the LBU squad include Max Johnson from Kangaroo Flat, Ben Holman from Kyabram, and the St Arnaud trio of Tom Douglas, Brock Kennedy and Lachlan Tenace.

A key match-up in the battle with the Dogs will be in the ruck where dual league fairest and best Tyler Phillips is up against Jeremy Lambden.

North Bendigo’s best in a one-goal victory at home against Mount Pleasant in round one included Lambden, Nic Waterson, Jake Hall and captain Aarryn Craig.

After winning at Colbinabbin for the first time in 10 years, Heathcote is on home turf at Barrack Reserve to take on Leitchville-Gunbower.

A talented Saints line-up coached by Andrew Saladino includes Liam Jacques, Braden Padmore, Corey Grindlay, Jordan Marcroft and captain Codie Price.

The Shannon Keam-coached Leitchville-Gunbower showed plenty of positive signs, especially in the third quarter of the home game against the highly rated White Hills.

Mount Pleasant and Huntly are both on the rebound from defeat as they take to the Blues’ turf at Toolleen.

The Adam Baird-coached Mounts will start favourite with a strong team including William Wallace, Ben Weightman, Chris Down and Mitch Rovers.

The Harry Whittle and Jayden Cordy-coached Hawks face another big test.

Elmore is on home turf against Colbinabbin.

The Dylan Friedberger-coached Bloods had Dylan Gordon, Daniel Russell and Mitch Carson lead the way to victory at Huntly.

The Jed Brain-coached Colbinabbin will be desperate to avoid consecutive defeats.

Key players for Colbo include Laine and Logan Fitzgerald, Will Lowe, Clint Shields and Stephen Tuohey.

White Hills has the bye.