Saints cap long march to top

IT’S taken thirteen years, but Heathcote has capped a great run to be top of the ladder after 18 rounds of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.

Now the Saints are just two wins away from capturing their first senior premiership since 2010.

A win-loss record of 13-3 and 149 per cent ensured Heathcote held top spot on the ladder from North Bendigo, 13-3 and 144 per cent.

The Andrew Saladino-coached Saints have earned a rest in the first week of finals and will tackle the winner of this Saturday’s qualifying final showdown between North Bendigo and White Hills.

The Dogs and Demons will play at Pigeon Park in Heathcote’s Barrack Reserve.

“Expectations going into this season were finals,” Saladino said. “By the halfway mark we were tracking well, so the target became top three.

“Finishing on top is a great effort, but there are some big challenges coming up.”

Whether it be the Bulldogs or Demons who they start their finals campaign against, Heathcote’s players will be expecting a fierce contest on 2 September at Colbinabbin.

“North Bendigo is the only team we have not beaten this season, and it’s one-all against White Hills,” said Saladino.

The Saints capped the home-and-away series by scoring a 25-goal win at Huntly last Saturday.

Stung by a six-goal loss to North Bendigo the previous round, Heathcote had 50 scoring shots in a 190-40 victory against the Harlowe Huntly Hawks.

“It was one of our best four-quarter performances of the year,” said Saladino.

Saints’ big guns such as Corey Grindlay, Liam Jacques and Braden Padmore were in top form and will play crucial roles in the quest for premiership glory.

“They have been terrific all season, and we also have Codie Price and Jesse Davies who are A-grade talent,” Saladino said.

A key inclusion for the second semi-final will be forward Shannon Dowsett.

“There have been many contributors in every game,” Saladino said.

“Bill Direen has developed into one of the best full backs in the competition, and Tommy Pain has made a great comeback after not playing last season because of injury.”

Heathcote’s Under 18s side will see finals action at home on Saturday, taking on White Hills in the first qualifying final, while the reserves missed the post season and finished in six place on the ladder.

 

Seniors

Huntly 6.4 (40)

Heathcote 28.22 (190)

GOALS: Huntly: H. Whittle 4, L. Wilson 1, H. McCormick 1

Heathcote: C. Grindlay 6, B. Padmore 6, L. Jacques 6, B. Price 3, M. McLean 2, J. Cavallaro 2, C. Price 1, T. Pain 1, L. Birch 1

BEST: Huntly: T. Ferguson, J. Fry, H. Whittle, M. Billings, H. Campbell, K. Forster

Heathcote: L. Jacques, B. Padmore, T. Pain, L. Birch, C. Price, J. Davies

 

TEAM    P             W            L              D             B             Pts          %

Heathcote           16           13           3             0             2             52           149.71

North Bendigo   16           13           3             0             2             52           144.76

White Hills           16           12           4             0             2             48           158

Mount Pleasant 16           10           6             0             2             40           154.37

L’ville G’bower   16           9             7             0             2             36           93.75

LBU        16           8             8             0             2             32           105.43

Colbinabbin        16           3             12           1             2             14           79.48

Elmore  16           2             13           1             2             10           57.71

Huntly   16           1             15           0             2             4             39.91

 

Reserves

Huntly 13.12 (90)

Heathcote 6.9 (45)

GOALS: Huntly: L. Watson 3, B. Chalmers 3, T. Smart 2, M. Rule 1, L. Bonnett 1, K. Andrews 1, A. Tanner 1, B. Jones 1

Heathcote: K. Cavallaro 2, J. Conforti 2, G. Bradshaw 1, C. Obst 1

BEST: Huntly: L. Watson, L. Bonnett, M. Rule, B. Jones, T. Smart, J. Burns

Heathcote: A. Williamson, J. Kelly, J. Conforti, A. Mcivor, C. Luscombe, L. Jaroslawski

 

TEAM    P             W            L              D             B             Pts          %

Mount Pleasant 16           13           3             0             2             52           227.49

White Hills           16           13           3             0             2             52           226.72

North Bendigo   16           12           3             1             2             50           190.8

LBU        16           9             6             1             2             38           126.55

Huntly   16           8             8             0             2             32           97.53

Heathcote           16           7             9             0             2             28           103.07

Elmore  16           4             12           0             2             16           51.55

Colbinabbin        16           3             13           0             2             12           23.9

L’ville G’bower   16           2             14           0             2             8             49.12

 

 

Under 18s

Huntly Under 18’s: 1.0, 2.1, 4.2, 4.2 (26)

Heathcote Under 18’s: 2.1, 4.2, 4.4, 4.8 (32)

GOALS: Huntly: A. Billings 2, D. Wheelhouse 1, J. Rowell 1

Heathcote: M. Buhagiar 2, J. Pringle 1, T. Johnson 1

BEST: Huntly: D. Wheelhouse, A. Billings, D. Costigan, M. Dunstone, J. Trotter, D. Artavilla

Heathcote: J. Pringle, R. Foster, T. Johnson, D. Butler, A. Obst, S. Creevey

 

TEAM    P             W            L              D             B             Pts          %

North Bendigo   16           15           1             0             2             60           386.38

White Hills           16           14           2             0             2             56           385.59

Heathcote           16           11           5             0             2             44           123.03

Huntly   16           9             7             0             2             36           117.21

LBU        16           6             8             1             2             26           61.76

Elmore  16           6             10           0             2             24           78.99

L’ville G’bower   16           5             10           1             2             22           97.78

Mount Pleasant 16           3             13           0             2             12           24.22

Colbinabbin        16           2             14           0             2             8             31.25