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HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FOOTBALL-NETBALL LEAGUE SPORT

Monday June 06, 2016 BENDIGO ADVERTISER 27bendigoadvertiser.com.au

Dogs handle Hawks

NORH Bendigorallied froma three quar-ter-time deficit to

beat Huntly by seven pointsin a Heathcote DistrictFootball-Netball League

top-of-the-ladder clashthat lived up to all the hypeon Saturday.

Te Hawks held theupper hand when a HarryWhittle goal on the threequarter-time siren put thehome side 10 points up atthe last change.

However, in a gamewith plenty of momen-tum swings, the reigningpremiers answered thechallenge, kicking 6.1 to 3.2in the final term to win 15.10(100) to 14.9 (93) and retainthe Golden City Cup.

It was one of those games

where no side really hadcontrol at any part, but Iwas just rapt with the lastquarter, North Bendigocoach Rob Bennett said.

We had a few guys miss-ing, so credit to the guys whocame up from the reservesand had an impact, and Ithought our leaders reallystood up as well everybodydid their bit today.

Highlighting the ebbsand flows in the game, theBulldogs led by 12 points atquarter-time; scores werelevel 8.5 apiece at half-time;

the Hawks led by 10 pointsat three quarter-time; beforethe Bulldogs finished sevenpoints up at the final siren.

Te winner of the KeithRobertson Medal for best onground was North Bendigoruckman Ryan Gow.

Ryan was an overwhelm-ing decision to win themedal he rucked all dayand always gives 100 percent, Bennett said.

Aiden Metcalf, elevatedfrom the reserves, DanielMorris, Sam Barnes (fivegoals) and yson Findlay(two goals) were other

strong performers for theBulldogs, who for the thirdyear in a row have reachedthe halfway mark of theseason 7-1.

Whittle (three goals)continued his fine season tobe the best for the Hawks,who also had good playersin Gavin Games and Jaydon

Cowling in what was theirsecond loss.

Leitchville-Gunbowerwon its sixth game in arow with another percent-age-boosting victory, thistime against Elmore.

Te 19.18 (132) to 5.2 (32)victory at Gunbower wasthe fifth time in their pastsix games the Bombers havewon by at least 100 points.

Te Bombers were at theirmost lethal during the thirdquarter when they kicked9.5 to no score to turn a34-point half-time lead intoa 93-point advantage at thelast change.

It was a fairly heavy track

and conditions where youjust hope the result goesyour way, but in the thirdquarter we ran rampant,Bombers coach MattHawken said.

Our midfield got on top,our backline was really goodand we were able to create alot of opportunities.

Te Bombers who lostCameron Ross (leg knock)early again spread theload inside 50 with 10goalkickers, including SamKennedy, Daniel Coates,Matt Perri and Jack Dye, whoall kicked three.

In what was the secondhiding Elmore has coppedin a row it lost to Huntly by84 points a week earlier itwas best served by CameronMilward, Spike Ingley andLuke Ryan. Danny Brewster

and ravis Mills each kickedtwo goals.

White Hills notched itssecond win of the season,comfortably accountingfor Lockington-BamawmUnited by 57 points at homeand sending stalwart MattSawyer off in style.

Having kicked just three

goals in their previous twogames, the scoreboardlooked much better for theDemons as they won 15.9(99) to 5.12 (42).

It was our most consist-ent footy over four quarterstoday. LBU had a red-hotcrack and it was a physicalgame, but we played somegood footy and were able tokick some goals, which wehavent been able to do inour past couple of games,Demons coach Carl Hard-

ingham said.Te game was the farewell

match for the retiring Sawyer who left the field for thelast time through a guard ofhonour providing plentyof added motivation forthe Demons.

Matt has been a stalwartof not only the club, but the

league, and it was reallygood we were able to sendhim off with a win. And hekicked the last goal of thegame, so that was fantastic.Hardingham said.

Jake Ward (four) and SamFrawley (three) combinedfor seven goals for the De-mons, whose best were thepolished Lachlan Furness,half-back David Wright andMitch Curtis.

Te loss leaves the Catswinless at the halfway mark

of 2016, with Saturday thefirst game the club hasplayed since concussionknocks have forced theirformer skipper, Matt Bon-giovanni, into retirement atage 27.

It cant be under-soldhow big a blow it is to theclub with Matt having to

finish up, he has been anabsolute champion on andoff the field. But having saidthat, he was looking afterour midfield group today, sohe wont be lost to the cluband no doubt hes a coachin waiting, Cats coach PeterGibbs said.

"Unfortunately, we werevery ordinary today, but fullcredit to White Hills. Teway they ran the ball out oftheir back half really opened

the game up for them.Marcus Crook, veteranMick Dobson, Marcus An-gove and James Woodlandplayed well for the Cats.

In Sundays WorksafeGame of the Month, GrantWeeks returned to thegoalsquare with a bag ofnine for Colbinabbin againstMount Pleasant at oolleen.

In his comeback matchfollowing an ankle recon-struction, Weeks haulof nine goals helped theGrasshoppers to a 17.13(115) to 9.7 (61) victory andtop spot on the ladder.

Te Grasshoppers addednine goals to two after half-time, having led by just eightpoints at the main break.

Weeks and Daniel Hillwere the best for the Grass-hoppers in their seventh winin a row, while the con-sistent John Harvey againimpressed for the Blues.

ON THE BURST:Huntly's Ryan Semmel breaks clear from a stoppage against North Bendigo on Saturday. Pictures: LUKE WEST

North

Bendigoreignssupreme

BYLUKE WEST

ROUND 9

North Bendigo d Huntly

by 7

Leitchville-Gunbower d

Elmore by 100

White Hills d LBU by 57

Colbinabbin d Mount

Pleasant by 54

RESULTS

ROUND 9

LOOSE BALL:North Bendigo's Brady Herdman leads Huntly defender MichaelFitzgerald in the race for possession during the third quarter on Saturday.