TWO games against each other decided by a kick sets up an enticing Heathcote District league first semi-final between Colbinabbin and Huntly on Sunday.
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Huntly beat Colbinabbin by six points in round five; the Grasshoppers won the return bout by six points, too.
The Grasshoppers and Hawks will put their seasons on the line against each other on the tight confines of North Bendigo’s Atkins Street oval.
“We seem to match up well against each other and I certainly can’t see it being a blowout either way on Sunday,” Huntly co-coach Jamie Hogan said on Friday.
“We’ll be aiming to play to our strengths and nullify theirs and no doubt, they will be trying to do the same.”
The Hawks are flying on the back of four wins in a row by more than 100 points, including a 122-point rout in last Sunday’s elimination final against White Hills.
One of the traits of the Hawks, particularly in the second half of the season, has been their array of goalkicking options.
In six of their past eight games the Hawks have had a spread of 10 players kick goals, while they have seven players in Sunday’s team – Harry Whittle, Chris Gleeson, co-coach Ryan Semmel, Jacob Greenwood, Phil Ryan, Michael Ryan and Braidy Dickens – who have all booted hauls of at least five goals this season.
Down the other end the Grasshoppers appear to face a challenge to kick a winning score, with Ryan Hon (jaw) to again be missing.
The Grasshoppers struggled badly inside 50 last week when they were held to their lowest score since 2010 of 3.6 (24) in a 52-point qualifying final loss to Leitchville-Gunbower.
Without Hon (38 goals), it leaves the Grasshoppers with coach Nick Knight (44) and Damien Carmody (34) as the only two players with more than 15 goals for the season.
“We know we can defend really well, but with Ryan Hon out of our side at the moment, we’re going to need to find more avenues to goal to win this game on Sunday,” Knight said.
“Our forwards are going to either have to work a bit harder or we’re going to need more of our midfielders to hit the scoreboard as well.”
The Grasshoppers will also be focused on controlling the ball much better than last week after turnovers hurt them against the Bombers.
“Skill execution is an area that has been up-and-down for most of the year. Last week it was below par and we got chopped up by Leitchville,” Knight said.
“Playing a side like Huntly that moves the ball really quickly and is quick to score off turnovers, we will have to be at our best with our skills, especially going into our forward line to create opportunities to score.”
• How they match up:
Colbinabbin:
Record – 11-6
Average for – 89
Average against – 67
Quarters won – 39/68
Huntly:
Record – 11-6
Average for – 119
Average against – 79
Quarters won – 48-68
• This season:
Rd 5 - Huntly 12.13 (85) d Colbinabbin 10.19 (79).
Rd 14 - Colbinabbin 14.13 (97) d Huntly 14.7 (91).