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Saturday’s HDFNL grand final will be as tight as last year’s decider.
That’s the opinion of most of the coaches in the Heathcote District Football League.
North Bendigo defeated Leitchville-Gunbower by 10 points in last year’s grand final, but this time around the Bombers are favoured to turn the tables on the Bulldogs.
Sportsbet.com.au has Leitchville-Gunbower a pronounced $1.40 favourite, with North Bendigo a $2.60 outsider.
Huntly coach Jamie Hogan disagrees with the bookmakers.
Hogan has seen both teams close-up in the past fortnight and he can’t split them.
“It’s a flip of the coin job,’’ Hogan said on Tuesday.
“It will be won in the middle and in the forward line. If Barnesy (Sam Barnes) keeps playing the way he has against us, then North Bendigo will be mighty hard to beat.
“Whoever wins the midfield battle will win it. If Leitchville can’t stop the ball getting forward, like we couldn’t, then Barnes and Herdman will kick a winning score for North.
“Leitchville will be suited by the Huntly ground. They have great outside run. If they spread the North midfield they will create some damage.
“It should be a great game.”
Mount Pleasant coach Derrick Filo expects the Bulldogs to win a second-straight flag.
“North Bendigo has the experience and they have bigger bodies,’’ Filo said.
“Their key forwards will kick goals under the heat of a big final.”
Colbo coach Nick Knight, Elmore’s Alex Gleeson and Heathcote’s Paul Kennedy tipped the Bombers to win a thriller.
“I think Leitchville will win, provided a couple of the players with injury doubts get up to play,’’ Knight said.
“It will be a close grand final, but Leitchville’s run and carry on the big ground will be hard to stop.”
Gleeson said the Bombers’ forward six shouldn’t be underestimated.
“Leitchville’s forward line has more depth and North’s backline will have their hands full,’’ Gleeson said.
“Leitchville will have to watch North’s bigger bodies through the middle of the ground, but Leitchville’s speed on the outside could be the difference.”
Kennedy said the Bombers’ perfect preparation would see them over the line.
“It will be tight again, but I lean to Leitchville slightly,’’ Kennedy said.
“They’ll be hungry after last year and they’ve had the week off. They’ll be ready to go.”
