Saints enjoy view from top

BEING top of the senior footy ladder is a place Heathcote is enjoying after twelve rounds in the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL season.

The Saints take a well-earned rest for a club bye this weekend.

By 5pm Saturday the Andrew Saladino-coached Heathcote may not be number one as second-placed Mount Pleasant will start favourite to beat Leitchville Gunbower at Gunbower.

Although it was without key forwards Corey Grindlay and Shannon Dowsett for last Saturday’s home game against White Hills, Heathcote was able to record a 29-point victory.

In the lead-up to the match, Saladino stressed the importance of a strong start against the Demons.

The Saints led 19-17 at quarter-time and then slammed on 4.3 to nil in the second.

White Hills was within 16 points at a quarter to go, but Heathcote lifted to score 3.3 to 1.2 for a 74-45 result.

Best for the Saints were Will Direen at full-back, Braden Padmore in midfield and attack, and Lachlan Freeman Taber.

The Saints face a challenging run into the finals.

After playing at Elmore on July 22, Heathcote is at Barrack Reserve a week later to face Mount Pleasant.

It’s an August 5 trip to Lockington, and then at home to North Bendigo on August 12.

In the first half of the season, Heathcote beat Mounts and LBU, and went down at North Bendigo by 17 points.

Final hit-out for the Saints before a long-awaited finals appearance is on August 19 against the Harlowe Huntly Hawks at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve.

 

Seniors

Heathcote 11.8 (74)

White Hills 6.9 (45)

GOALS: Heathcote: B. Padmore 3, v. butler 2, L. Birch 2, J. Cavallaro 1, L. Jacques 1, K. Cavallaro 1, J. Conforti 1

White Hills: J. Fallon 2, J. Davies 1, T. Brereton 1, L. Bartels 1, N. Warnock 1

BEST: Heathcote: W. Direen, B. Padmore, L. Freeman taber, C. Hamilton, W. Long, L. Inness

White Hills: C. Kekich, N. Wallace, M. Sawyer, T. Brereton, P. Eefting, J. Allport

 

TEAM P W L D B Pts %

Heathcote 11 9 2 0 1 36 146.7

Mount Pleasant 11 8 3 0 1 32 177.76

North Bendigo 10 8 2 0 2 32 129.16

White Hills 10 7 3 0 2 28 132.12

LBU 10 6 4 0 2 24 123.9

L’ville g’bower 11 4 7 0 1 16 78.64

Colbinabbin 11 2 8 1 1 10 78.87

Elmore 11 2 8 1 1 10 68.59

Huntly 11 1 10 0 1 4 42.59

 

Reserves

Heathcote 7.7 (49)

White Hills 14.3 (87)

GOALS: Heathcote: W. Pointer 4, C. Luscombe 1, N. Tobin 1, H. McCarthy 1

White Hills: J. Sheean 3, H. Goggin 2, R. Cadzow 2, J. Avery 2, P. Blood 2, E. Arnold 2, T. Parkinson 1

BEST: Heathcote: H. McCarthy, A. Williamson, J. Condon, Z. Brown, J. Marcroft, J. Badger

White Hills: B. Bacon, I. Griffin, E. Arnold, J. Sheean, R. Cadzow, N. Wharton

 

Under 18s

Heathcote 5.4 (34)

White Hills 4.5 (29)

GOALS: Heathcote: T. Johnson 2, K. Baldwin 2, J. McCarthy 1

White Hills: J. McRae 1, P. Conlan 1, S. Boyd 1, I. Meersbergen 1

BEST: Heathcote: D. Butler, J. Pringle, K. Baldwin, B. Ferguson, T. Johnson, E. Hurley

White Hills: P. Conlan, H. Sheilds, M. Johnson, J. Monaghan, O. Edmiston, P. Kabalan