RELATED – WEEKEND FOOTY PREVIEW
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AFTER three years of thrashings at the hands of North Bendigo, Lockington-Bamawm United coach Kahl Oliver says his team has a genuine belief that it can claim the scalp of the Bulldogs in the Heathcote District league on Saturday.
Since the Cats came from 21 points down at half-time to beat North Bendigo by 11 points in the 2014 grand final, their past six meetings have all been thumping wins by the Bulldogs – 183-17 and 181-24 in 2015; 176-34 and 194-45 in 2016; and 170-53 and 123-25 last year.
Admittedly, the Cats had been in rebuild mode through those three years and the Bulldogs played in three grand finals and won a pair of flags.
But as the Cats continue their re-emergence, Oliver is looking forward to the chance to see how far his side has come when it hosts the Bulldogs in round five.
“What better chance to prove ourselves than by playing at home with some pretty good form behind us against a really good side in North,” Oliver said on Friday.
“We’re confident we can play some good footy against them and, hopefully, it will be good enough to get over the line. We think we’ve got a gamestyle that can push these better sides.
“Locky has been on the losing side against North over the past three years, but we’re looking to return serve and have a good win.
“Probably going into those games over the past few years Locky were never really any chance of beating North, but this year we genuinely believe we can take it right up to them.”
The Cats, who have already had the returning Jarod Bacon kick a pair of five-goal hauls early in the season, have a 2-1 record and are coming off a bye last week.
Their last game against White Hills was marred by inaccuracy when they kicked 14.23 in a 63-point victory.
“We also had our opportunities against Huntly (3.8) in the wet in round two and we were lucky enough to have had so much of the footy against White Hills,” Oliver said.
“But we realise that when coming up against the sides like North Bendigo you need to be making sure every shot is a winner.”
Meanwhile, it will be a big day on Saturday for the Cats’ Dean Mitchell, who will play his 300th game for the club when he lines up in the reserves.
The 46-year-old first played for the Cats in their juniors when he was 11.
• Saturday’s games – LBU v North Bendigo, Huntly v Heathcote, White Hills v Elmore, Mount Pleasant v Colbinabbin. Leitchville-Gunbower bye.
ROUND 5 TEAMS
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT FNL
WHITE HILLS v. ELMORE
White Hills
B: J. Avery, A. Bigham, O. Geary
HB: G. Bowles, D. Wright, R. Irwin
C: K. Gellatly, M. Curtis, D. Nihill
HF: J. Allport, K. Bedford, B. Johnson
F: J. Maher, J. Waldron, D. Fulton
R: M. Wright, J. Ibbeson-Coatsworth, B. Parnell
Int: D. Bowles, D. Trull, M. Roberts, D. Brennan
Out: R. Bowles
Elmore
B: K. Cornell, N. Page, J. Harney
HB: N. Brewster, Z. Laffy, T. Oliver
C: J. Trewick, M. Gilmour, T. Poole
HF: B. Makepeace, J. Harney, L. Price
F: H. Grogan, D. Brewster, H. Hayes
R: J. Hayes, B. Boyack, D. Whitehead
Int: M. Thomson, G. Hay, A. Cuthbert, T. Trewick
In: B. Makepeace, L. Price, A. Cuthbert, D. Whitehead, K. Cornell
Out: N. Kellow, H. Coghill, T. Hughes, B. Poole, M. Nettlefold
LOCKINGTON BAMAWM UNITED v. NORTH BENDIGO
Lockington Bamawm United
B: J. Wolfe, J. Gibbs, F. Monahan
HB: X. Kelly, T. Leech, J. Mundie
C: M. Candy, Z. Johnston, J. Felmingham
HF: J. Bacon, N. Dyson, L. Collins
F: C. Hinks, T. Phillips, R. Walsh
R: L. Main, B. Phillips, M. Angove
Int: S. Wolfe, D. Kelly, G. Broad, W. Pressnell
North Bendigo
B: W. Gunter, J. Ford, R. Alford
HB: A. Craig, D. Reid, B. Thomson
C: T. Metherell, M. Thalasinos, B. Robertson
HF: R. Threlfall, D. Richards, B. Knight
F: S. Morris, J. Mills, L. Ford
R: T. Kelm, T. Findlay, J. Findlay
Int: T. Devereaux, Z. Alford, S. Giri, B. Ryan-Storey
In: T. Devereaux, L. Ford
Out: C. Tardrew, M. Thomas, J. Lambden
MOUNT PLEASANT v. COLBINABBIN
Mount Pleasant
B: H. Steinfort, D. Young, C. Moore
HB: M. Fitzgerald, A. Hand, F. Cole
C: N. Edwards, T. Pontell, N. Butler
HF: K. Clifford, B. Weightman, E. Ratcliffe
F: M. Bennett, J. Hancock, S. Spijkerman
R: J. Connelly, C. Trotman, J. Quirk
Int: M. Keuken, C. Black, J. Philbrick, C. Thiesz
In: J. Philbrick, T. Pontell
Out: T. McNamara, B. O'Connor
Colbinabbin
B: D. Price, M. McEvoy, T. O'Dwyer
HB: D. Hill, D. Carmody, N. Nixon
C: W. Morrow, M. Bright, A. Van Ruiswyk
HF: C. Ford, S. Hill, L. Ezard
F: R. Hon, E. Bowen, C. Horsley
R: M. McEvoy, S. Vale, L. Hill
Int: X. Walsh, W. Lowe, G. McMurtrie, N. Knight
In: S. Hill, M. McEvoy, E. Bowen, L. Hill
Out: M. Battista, H. Sirett, H. Lawrence, P. O'Brien
HUNTLY v. HEATHCOTE
Huntly
B: S. Kairn, M. Jeffries, J. Cordy
HB: S. Fiske, J. Dickerson, P. Ryan
C: C. Gleeson, R. Semmel, M. Whittle
HF: D. Thomas, L. Mann, J. Cowling
F: J. Greenwood, J. Evans, H. Whittle
R: R. Sutton, J. Daley, L. Semmel
Int: B. Dickens, J. Galea, S. Collis, J. Harris
In: C. Gleeson, S. Collis, R. Semmel, R. Sutton
Out: R. Culvenor, H. Campbell , J. Gladman, L. Brook
Heathcote
B: A. Williamson, J. Kelly, N. Bake
HB: B. Klemke, D. Russell, D. Hsrdy
C: D. McLean, K. Seidel, L. Piccolo
HF: T. Bourke, B. Connelly, J. Formosa
F: T. Pain, A. McIvor, R. Carmichael
R: D. King, J. Condon, A. Romagnano
Int: J. Brooks, J. Paisley, B. Morgan
In: D. Hardy, J. Formosa
Out: C. Obst, M. Millard