Lots at stake for ladder-leading Heathcote

THERE’S lots at stake across all four senior footy matches in this Saturday’s last round of the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL regular season.

The Heathcote Saints start the round on top of the ladder locked on 48 points with North Bendigo.

The teams are separated by 1.46 per cent in the race to decide who will have a rest in the first week of the finals.

Heathcote heads to Huntly’s Strauch Reserve to tackle the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.

The Andrew Saladino-coached Saints are on the rebound from a six-goal loss at home to North Bendigo at Pigeon Park in Barrack Reserve last round.

A second-quarter blitz of nine straight goals by North Bendigo as the Saints added 3.1 gave the Bulldogs a 42-point lead by half-time.

“We were smashed in clearances and stoppages in the second quarter,” Saladino said. “It was a lesson in work rate, especially in big matches.”

Heathcote won the second half, 55-49, but the North Bendigo hoodoo rolled on.

The Saints have not beaten North Bendigo since 2013.

The Rob Bennett-coached Bulldogs were remarkably accurate as they scored 21.2 (128) to 13.14 (92) and ended Heathcote’s seven-game winning streak.

The Saints unbeaten run at home in season 2023 was also broken.

Heathcote beat Huntly by 80 points in round nine and will start hot favourite against the brown and gold.

Key players for Heathcote include on-ballers Liam Jacques and Braden Padmore, captain Codie Price at half-back, Corey Grindlay at full-forward, Jesse Davies, Ben Connelly, and Joseph Beedle on a wing.

North Bendigo is on home turf at Hibo Hotel Oval in Atkins Street to take on Elmore this Saturday.

Another big clash is at Toolleen where Mount Pleasant takes on Lockington Bamawm United.

A win for the Stacy Fiske-coached LBU will put it back in fifth place at the expense of Leitchville Gunbower which has the bye.

The third-placed White Hills heads to Colbinabbin’s M.J. Morgan Oval to tackle the Grasshoppers.

White Hills is a win behind Heathcote and North Bendigo, but has far superior percentage and would move to number one should the Saints and Bulldogs be beaten.

 

Seniors

Heathcote 13.14 (92)

North Bendigo 21.2 (128)

GOALS: Heathcote: C. Grindlay 4, B. Padmore 3, B. Price 2, R. Bolton 1, J. Davies 1, L. Jacques 1

North Bendigo: D. Klemm 4, B. Robertson 3, A. Craig 2, J. Ford 2, C. Riddick 2, R. Healey 1, N. Newlan 1

BEST: Heathcote: L. Jacques, B. Padmore, J. Beedle, C. Hamilton, B. Price, C. Price

North Bendigo: J. Lambden, D. Klemm, N. Newlan, B. Robertson, N. Waterson, J. Ford

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

Heathcote 15 12 3 0 2 48 136.73

North Bendigo 15 12 3 0 2 48 135.27

White Hills 15 11 4 0 2 44 151.3

Mount Pleasant 15 9 6 0 2 36 156.56

L’ville G’bower 16 9 7 0 1 36 93.75

LBU 15 8 7 0 2 32 106.82

Colbinabbin 15 3 11 1 2 14 84.51

Elmore 15 2 12 1 2 10 61.44

Huntly 15 1 14 0 2 4 41.9

 

Reserves

Heathcote 12.5 (77)

North Bendigo 12.9 (81)

GOALS: Heathcote: W. Pointer 4, L. Baron 2, A. Williamson 1, C. Luscombe 1, J. Conforti 1, A. Mcivor 1, M. McLean 1

North Bendigo: M. Thompson 5, Z. Richards 2, A. Robinson 1, H. Draper 1, C. Anderson 1, P. Bogers 1

BEST: Heathcote: M. McLean, A. Williamson, W. Long, L. Baron, J. Kelly, J. Conforti

North Bendigo Reserves: Z. Richards, P. Bogers, D. Love, M. Thompson, H. Draper, A. Wild

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

Mount Pleasant 15 12 3 0 2 48 218.78

White Hills 15 12 3 0 2 48 203.73

North Bendigo 15 11 3 1 2 46 178.09

LBU 15 9 5 1 2 38 147.43

Heathcote 15 7 8 0 2 28 108.26

Huntly 15 7 8 0 2 28 92.33

Elmore 15 4 11 0 2 16 55.61

Colbinabbin 15 3 12 0 2 12 25.77

L’ville G’bower 16 2 14 0 1 8 49.12

 

Under 18s

Heathcote 4.5 (29)

North Bendigo 8.8 (56)

GOALS: Heathcote: M. Buhagiar 2, A. Obst 1, K. Baldwin 1

North Bendigo: N. Anderson 3, M. Lane 2, N. Filo 1, W. Gilmore 1, R. Mitchell 1

BEST: Heathcote: W. Butler, W. Smith, D. Butler, J. Pringle, M. Buhagiar, T. Johnson

North Bendigo: W. Gilmore, J. Grundy, N. Anderson, M. Lane, M. Paetow, J. Webb

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

North Bendigo 15 14 1 0 2 56 366.59

White Hills 15 13 2 0 2 52 369.21

Heathcote 15 10 5 0 2 40 123.03

Huntly 15 9 6 0 2 36 118.93

Elmore 15 6 9 0 2 24 90.86

L’ville G’bower 16 5 10 1 1 22 97.78

LBU 15 5 8 1 2 22 53.26

Mount Pleasant 15 3 12 0 2 12 24.1

Colbinabbin 15 2 13 0 2 8 32.69