Heathcote wary of wounded Blues

HEATHCOTE is bracing for a fierce contest with Mount Pleasant in Saturday’s fifteenth round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.

Two of the competition’s greatest rivals meet on Heathcote’s turf at Barrack Reserve.

Although sitting on top of the ladder, Heathcote cannot afford to relax, especially against an opponent stung by consecutive defeats.

The Andrew Saladino-coached Saints have played superb football all season to be first in the premiership race on a 10-2 record.

Heathcote’s run includes a 74-65 victory against Mounts at Toolleen in the sixth round.

As the Saints won their latest hit-out at Elmore by eight goals, Mount Pleasant was on the end of 47-point home drubbing to White Hills.

Saladino is wary of what the Blues can produce.

Not so long ago the Adam Baird and Ben Weightman-coached Mounts ended North Bendigo’s unbeaten run.

Past two rounds for the Blues have been a loss to Leitchville Gunbower at Gunbower, and then at home to White Hills and those defeats have put Mounts in fourth place.

A huge positive for Heathcote in last Saturday’s round was the return of key forward Shannon Dowsett through the reserves.

Dowsett kicked eight goals in a best afield performance in the twos.

The Saints have also been without gun forward Corey Grindlay since he injured a finger in the round 10 win at home against Colbinabbin.

Despite those injury blows, Heathcote has shown it has plenty of goalkicking depth.

Multiple goalkickers in the Saints’ run across the past three matches include Joseph Beedle, Liam Birch, Victor Butler, Jordan Cavallaro, Jackson Conforti, and Braden Padmore.

A Saints’ defence led by Will Direen, Ben Connelly, Codie Price and Connor Hamilton faces a huge challenge against Blues’ stars Ben Weightman, Mitch Bennett, and Mitch Rovers.

On-ball duels will be crucial, especially in the ruck where Lachlan Freeman Taber is up against Chris Down, one of the league’s best and the Blues’ captain.

Players to watch for the Saints include Jesse Davies in the centre, Brayden Klemke, Will Long and Callum Birch.

Heathcote was also without on-baller Liam Jacques for the clash at Elmore.

 

Seniors

Elmore 8.7 (55)

Heathcote 15.13 (103)

GOALS: Elmore: M. Carson 2, D. Laffy 2, L. Price 1, J. Styles 1, N. Kay 1, Z. Laffy 1

Heathcote: J. Conforti 3, B. Padmore 3, J. Beedle 2, J. Davies 2, V. Butler 1, D. McLean 1, R. Bolton 1, J. Cavallaro 1, L. Freeman Taber 1

BEST: Elmore: R. Holmberg, J. Kyne, L. Gundry, M. Blackshaw, H. Trewick, J. Smith

Heathcote: C. Birch, L. Freeman Taber, J. Davies, J. Beedle, B. Padmore, W. Long

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

Heathcote 12 10 2 0 2 40 149.67

North Bendigo 12 10 2 0 2 40 142.79

White Hills 12 9 3 0 2 36 141.72

Mount Pleasant 13 8 5 0 1 32 154.16

LBU 12 7 5 0 2 28 114.44

L’ville G’bower 13 6 7 0 1 24 86.28

Colbinabbin 13 2 10 1 1 10 77.19

Elmore 13 2 10 1 1 10 65

Huntly 12 1 11 0 2 4 41.15

 

Reserves

Elmore 3.11 (29)

Heathcote 14.8 (92)

GOALS: Elmore: Z. Connellan 1, K. Cornell 1, X. Kellow 1

Heathcote: S. Dowsett 8, J. Badger 2, M. Farley 1, Z. Brown 1, A. Williamson 1, J. Kelly 1

BEST: Elmore: M. Nettlefold, M. Gilmour, N. Palmer, Z. Oaff, K. Cowan, K. Cornell

Heathcote: S. Dowsett, A. Williamson, J. Kelly, A. Mcivor, Z. Brown, L. Baron

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

White Hills 12 11 1 0 2 44 247.73

Mount Pleasant 13 10 3 0 1 40 204.94

North Bendigo 12 8 3 1 2 34 185.35

LBU 12 7 4 1 2 30 145.17

Heathcote 12 6 6 0 2 24 113.31

Huntly 12 6 6 0 2 24 85.4

Elmore 13 4 9 0 1 16 67.99

L’ville G’bower 13 2 11 0 1 8 52.83

Colbinabbin 13 1 12 0 1 4 19.3

 

Under 18s

Elmore 8.4 (52)

Heathcote 4.8 (32)

GOALS: Elmore: G. Hay 3, M. Guthrie 2, O. Cail 2, L. Draper 1

Heathcote: J. McCarthy 2, J. Pringle 1, B. Ferguson 1

BEST: Elmore: M. Curry, P. Watson, G. Hay, N. Hayes, X. McNamara, L. Draper

Heathcote: A. Obst, P. Bolton, T. Johnson, W. Smith, L. Tarbotton, J. McCarthy

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

North Bendigo 12 12 0 0 2 48 441.12

White Hills 12 10 2 0 2 40 429.75

Huntly 12 8 4 0 2 32 120.8

Heathcote 12 8 4 0 2 32 113.96

Elmore 13 6 7 0 1 24 103.16

LBU 12 4 6 1 2 18 48.77

L’ville G’bower 13 3 9 1 1 14 93.97

Colbinabbin 13 2 11 0 1 8 33.33

Mount Pleasant 13 2 11 0 1 8 21.55