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BENDIGO ADVERTISER

Monday May 02, 2016

SPORT HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FOOTBALL-NETBALL LEAGUE

bendigoadvertiser.com.au

Colbo
takes
down
Dogs

Grasshoppers win
fourth on the trot
ROUND 5
BY LUKE WEST

OLBINABBIN
made more of
its opportunities
inside 50 to defeat
reigning premier North
Bendigo by 21 points in Saturdays Heathcote District
Football League blockbuster.
The Grasshoppers had
just one more scoring shot
than the Bulldogs, but
emerged with a 14.10 (94)
to 10.13 (73) victory at M.J.
Morgan Oval.
The win was Colbinabbins fourth in a row, while
the Bulldogs were beaten for
the first time this season.
The Grasshoppers held a
five-point lead at half-time
before adding eight goals
to five after the main break
in what was their third win
against the Bulldogs in their
past four meetings.
It was a very pleasing
result. We ebbed and flowed
throughout the day and
were probably a bit patchy in
areas, but we put that down
to North being a really good
side and putting pressure on
us, Colbinabbin coach Nick
Knight said.
It was tight most of the
game where wed kick a couple of goals and then North
would kick a couple, but in
the last quarter we were able
to get away from them and
we ran it out really well.
Knight who kicked three
goals heaped plenty of
praise on the Grasshoppers
backline, which featured
Matt McEvoy playing on
Sam Barnes and Daniel
Carmody with the job on
Brady Herdman
McEvoy and Carmody
were both among the
Grasshoppers best six, as
were fellow backmen Daniel
Hill and Will Morrow, who
provided plenty of drive.
North Bendigo coach Rob

ROUND 5
Results

ON THE LEAD: Heathcote's Jackson Bailey marks in front of White Hills' James Fox during Saturday's contest at
Tint-a-Car Oval. The Demons were winners by 15 points, 13.12 (90) to 10.15 (75). Pictures: LUKE WEST

Colbinabbin d North
Bendigo by 21
White Hills d Heathcote
by 15
Leitchville-Gunbower d
Mount Pleasant by 122
Elmore d LBU by 46

Bennett says the 21-point

margin was flattering.
We were outplayed apart
from probably 20 minutes.
They ran harder than us
both ways and stuck to their
team structures, where as
we didnt stick to what weve
been trying to work on,
Bennett said.
Colbo put their head over
the footy, whereas a lot of
our guys werent prepared to
do that.
Herdman, who is being
managed through osteitis
pubis, kicked four goals for
the Bulldogs, while Sean
Morris kicked three and was
their best player in what was
North Bendigos 350th game
since it joined the HDFL
in 1996.
Sean has had a super
start to the season. He hits
the scoreboard, puts his
head over the footy, runs
hard, you know what you
will get out of him every
week and its disappointing
he hasnt been recognised
in the inter-league squad,
Bennett said.
White Hills won its first
game of the season, defeating Heathcote by 15 points at
Tint-a-Car Oval.
The Demons led at every
break in prevailing 13.12 (90)
to 10.15 (75) to help restore a
dose of much-needed confidence among the group.
There were 12 guys today
who were new to the club,
so it was good for a bit of a
morale boost and to get the
monkey off the back for the

TIGHT GROUP: Heathcote players prepare

for battle ahead of the start of the third
quarter.

TACKLE: White Hills' Jack Daley is taken to the ground by Heathcote's

Louis Piccolo. Daley was one of the Demons' best players in what was
their first victory of the season.

first win, Demons coach

Carl Hardingham said.
It was pleasing with the
way we were able to work
through some of the tough
periods in the game, which
we hadnt been able to do in
the previous three weeks.
Heathcote had a real
crack and hit the ball hard,
so I was happy with the way
we were able to grind it out.
Hayden Wright, Mitchell
Curtis, Caillum Brady and
Lachlan Furness all kicked
two goals for the Demons,
who had Jake Ward, Jake
Dickens and Jack Daley lead
their best players.
Rikki Stephens (five)
and Mitch Johnson (three)
combined for eight of
Heathcotes 10 goals.
The Saints who twice
closed to within a goal
during the last quarter had
strong contributors in Jake
Condon, Mitchell McLean

and James Carroll. On a sour

note for the Saints, they lost
Daniel Carroll to a shoulder injury.
For the third game in
a row Leitchville-Gunbower won by more than
100 points.
The Bombers demolished
Mount Pleasant 23.27 (165)
to 6.7 (43) at Toolleen,
with the 122-point margin
following wins by 108 points
against White Hills and 107
points against LBU in their
previous two games.
The Bombers squandered
plenty of opportunities in
the first half in kicking 9.18,
but straightened up after the
break when they added a
more efficient 14.9.
Matt Perri and Ayden
Walton each bagged five
goals, with the pair again
among 12 goalkickers for
the Bombers.
Were working really

CHECKSIDE: White Hills' Adam Healy has

a ping at goal from the forward pocket in
the third quarter, but missed.

hard to run the games out

strongly and our fitness is
excellent, but we obviously
want to sharpen up our
kicking at goal, Bombers
coach Matt Hawken said.
We had nearly 40 inside
50 entries in the first half
for just nine goals, so thats
something we need to keep
working on.
Jackson McEwan continued his fine season for
the Bombers to be their
best, with others to impress
including Walton, key
defender Ryan Prendergast
and Tom German.
The Blues, who were held
scoreless in the last quarter,
had Carl Thiesz, Pat OBrien
and Jason Shaw battle hard
against the odds.
Elmore shrugged off
a determined Lockington-Bamawm United to win
by 46 points and square its
ledger at 2-2.

The Cats led by five points

at half-time, but the Bloods
found their radar in front
of goal in the second half to
win 16.13 (109) to 8.15 (63)
at Lockington.
The Bloods kicked 11.3
in the second half after
having 5.10 on the board at
the break.
Our first half was very
ordinary. We didnt play
the way we wanted to and
bad kicking is bad footy,
but to the boys credit they
responded well after halftime, Bloods coach Alex
Gleeson said.
Phil Lobb (four), Danny
Brewster (three) and James
Harney (three) kicked 10
goals between them for the
Bloods, whose best player
was backman Spike Ingley.
The Cats are now the only
winless team this season.
Marcus Crook and Mick
Dobson were their best.