AFTER a trio of brutal wins in a row against the Heathcote District league’s bottom three teams, Leitchville-Gunbower coach Matt Hawken welcomes the chance to take on a fellow finals-bound side In Huntly on Saturday.
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The Bombers have kicked consecutive scores of 218, 212 and 203 in their past three games against Heathcote, Elmore and Mount Pleasant, which they have won by a combined 543 points.
But the level of competition for the Bombers is set to go up on Saturday when they play the fourth-placed Huntly at Huntly.
Over the past three weeks – in which they have kicked a combined 95.63 – the Bombers have lifted their average score per game from 129 to 150.
“We’re starting to get our list together and are playing some good footy, but we haven’t been tested for a few games now, so we’re looking forward to playing some of the top sides over the next couple of weeks,” Hawken said on Friday.
The Bombers’ clash against the Hawks on Saturday is followed a week later against ladder-leader North Bendigo – a team averaging 158 points for per game.
“Our big focus over the past few weeks has been on the way we’re playing, rather than the scoreline,” Hawken said.
“That has obviously assisted with our scoring, but the group has been really focussed on getting the process right that will stand up in the high-pressure games.
“We’ve again worked on being a really fit, running team and it has been pleasing the way we’ve been able to put sides away.”
Among the stars this season has been forward Matt Perri, who is on track to win both the league goalkicking and become the first player since the merger between Leitchville and Gunbower in 1995 to kick the ton.
Perri heads into Saturday with 84 goals for the season.
Perri and North Bendigo’s Tyson Findlay are the only two players to have kicked at least one goal in every game their team has played this season.
“He’s one of those players who even if he has been well held for a lot of the game, he can still have those bursts where kicks three or four quick goals,” Hawken said.
• Average scores for this season:
North Bendigo – 158
L’ville-Gunbower – 150
Huntly – 107
Colbinabbin – 96
White Hills – 90
Elmore – 72
LBU – 69
Heathcote – 57
Mount Pleasant – 52
• Saturday’s games – North Bendigo v Colbinabbin, Heathcote v Mount Pleasant, Huntly v Leitchville-Gunbower, White Hills v LBU. Elmore bye.