Bendigo Advertiser | Review of round six of the Heathcote District Football League, including Huntly kicking away from LBU in the last quarter to record a rare win over the Cats.
HUNTLY beat Lockington-Bamawm United for just the third time in their 31 Heathcote District Football League meetings, and in doing so, denied the Cats their first victory of the season on Saturday.
Just three points separated the sides at three quarter-time as the Hawks led 10.9 to 10.6 at Lockington.
With the game up for grabs, it was the Hawks who had the better of the last quarter, kicking four goals to one to triumph 14.14 (98) to 11.8 (74) in the only match of the round decided by less than 50 points.
The 24-point victory improves the Hawks to 4-2 heading into the inter-league break.
Jake Semmel, Gavin James, Josh Harris and ruckman Jamie Garner, who has been quick to make his mark at Huntly, were among the best for the Hawks.
So too was Harry Whittle, who played another fine game and kicked three goals.
The Cats made an encouraging start to the game and for the first time this season won a quarter when they led by nine points at the first break, 4.2 to 2.5.
Going into the game as underdogs, the Cats matched it with the Hawks throughout the second and third terms, before Huntly finally broke away in the last quarter.
While disappointed to be beaten, Cats coach John Halloran said there were positive signs for his side and he’s confident a first win of the season isn’t far away.
“I’m not one for an honourable loss, but the boys are improving,” Halloran said.
“We know it’s going to be a long process to get the young players where we want to, but we’re taking steps forward each week.”
Gavin Broad, who was handed the task of playing on Hawks’ star Ryan Semmel, was the best for the Cats.
Nathan Dyson and key midfielders Matt Bongiovanni and Adrian Dohnt, who returned to the side, also played key roles in keeping the Cats in the game as long as they were.
In a blow for the Cats, recruit David Clarke suffered a hamstring injury, while Kahl Oliver rolled an ankle.
With the Cats now 0-5, it’s the first time since they joined the HDFL in 2001 they have lost five in a row.
• North Bendigo put its foot down after half-time to defeat White Hills by 56 points at Superior Roofing Oval.
The unbeaten Bulldogs’ advantage at half-time had been 18 points, but they added 11 goals to six after the break to win 21.18 (144) to 13.10 (88), ensuring there was no repeat of last year’s upset home loss to the Demons.
“The boys were all looking forward to the challenge and they stood up today,” North Bendigo co-coach Rob Bennett said.
“Up until half-time, we’d open up a handy lead and they’d then peg it back.
“But we had a real emphasis at half-time that the second half would show where we’re at as a side and as individuals and to their credit, they did everything that was asked of them.”
Star forward Brady Herdman’s strong form for the Bulldogs continued with a haul of six goals, while Heath Brown made the most of his time in the forward line by kicking five goals.
Herdman, skipper Jordan Ford, who had an entertaining battle with Matt Sawyer in both defence and the ruck, Matt Hodoras and Taylor Kelly figured in the Bulldogs’ best players.
Sawyer kicked three goals and was in the best for the Demons, along with the in-form David Wright, Caillum Brady (two goals) and Matt Lehane.
• For the first time since joining the HDFL in 2010, Leitchville-Gunbower has won its opening five games of the season.
The Bombers’ unbeaten start to the season continued with a 53-point victory over Elmore at Gunbower, 21.16 (142) to 14.5 (89).
The Bombers had command of the game at half-time when they led by 58 points, 13.7 to 4.3.
Yet the Bloods stormed back into the match in the third quarter when they booted 9.1 to 3.0 to get back within 21 points at the last break.
But the Bombers - wearing the former 1954, 1965 and 1980 Gunbower blue and red premiership jumper - regained the ascendancy in the final term, kicking five goals to one.
“We were the dominant side in the first half, but Elmore came out a different side in the third quarter and opened us right up,” Bombers coach Matt Hawken said.
“They spent a lot of petrol tickets getting back into it and we were able to step it up again in the last and run the game out really well, which we’ve been good at.
“But it’s a bit of a worry to have nine goals kicked against us in a quarter... we just couldn’t contain them.”
Matt Perri (seven) and Brendan Hancock (five) both dominated inside 50 for the Bombers with 12 goals between them to be two of the Bombers’ best, along with wingman Tim Lincoln, backman Dan Meroli and consistent Jye Keath.
Danny Brewster when moved into the midfield was pivotal in the Bloods’ third-quarter revival, as was James Harney, who kicked four goals for the term.
• Mount Pleasant retained the Cliff and Peter White Memorial Shield with a 60-point win over Heathcote at Toolleen.
The Blues had been just eight points up at half-time, but cracked the game open in the second half, kicking nine goals to one to win 15.12 (102) to 6.6 (42).
“We’re not playing great footy and we were helped by some of Heathcote’s injuries, but we got the four points, which we needed,” Blues coach Derrick Filo said.
Three of the Blues’ recruits in Chris Muratore (two goals), Simon Seddon and Nicholas Grigg (six goals) all played important roles in what was Mount Pleasant’s second win, while Matthew Filo’s solid form continued.
The Saints’ cause wasn’t helped by the games of ruckmen Daniel Russell (concussion), who was stretchered off, and Carl Obst (knee) ending in the first half, while Kyle Seidel and Dylan McCutcheon were also injured.
“We just had one of those days... the boys hung in there really well for the first half, but Mount Pleasant’s class took over in the end,” Heathcote coach Paul Kennedy said.
The Saints had good players in Toby Allen at centre half-back, Jack Paisley, Brad Morgan and Daniel Carroll.
Morgan kicked three of the Saints’ six goals.
Meanwhile, the HDFL will have a general bye for inter-league next weekend.
The HDFL will take on Central Murray at the QEO on Saturday.
