WHITE Hills and Colbinabbin will write another chapter in their fierce, but respectful, recent rivalry when they clash at Scott Street on Saturday.
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About eight-months after the two teams produced an epic 2017 grand final encounter – won by Colbinabbin 43-40 – the pair will again lock horns with plenty at stake.
Awaiting the winner will be outright top-spot on the ladder, with both teams entering the round seven clash at 5-0.
Mount Pleasant, which has the bye, is next best in the pecking order at 5-1, ahead of Huntly (3-3) and Elmore (2-3-1).
White Hills, which has lost the past two grand finals to the Grasshoppers, is in red-hot form, ranked number one in offence and defence.
The Demons have scored a league-high 357 goals – 89 more than the next best team Colbinabbin – and conceded just 108 goals at 21.6 per game.
Now coached by star midcourter Lauren Bowles, White Hills has proven to be the one team that has troubled the Grasshoppers during their three-season premiership reign, including in a pair of semi-finals wins in the past two years.
The HDFNL inter-league team, which defeated Geelong District last week, contained four White Hills players, Danni Wee-Hee, Dannielle Sawyer, Rhian Moresi and Anna-Grace Close, who was best on court.
That team was coached by Colbinabbin’s Liz Cobbledick, who got to witness first-hand the type of form the Demons quartet was in.
She acknowledged White Hills was in as good form as at any time during her three seasons in the league.
“They work really well as a team and are training together twice a week, so they really have that advantage over us,” Cobbledick said.
“But we’ll come out and have a really great hit-out – it’s anyone’s game.
“I know it’s a game we are really looking forward to.”
The Grasshoppers expect to be without Holly Guerra, who is struggling with a quad injury, and Jess Geary, who is yet to play a game this season, but will regain midcourters Olivia McEvoy and Georgie Rodger, after they missed a 53-38 win against Huntly.
Meanwhile, goal shooter Jenna Baker will play her 150th game for Huntly in the Hawks’ clash against Leitchville-Gunbower, which has started the season 1-3.
Lockington-Bamawm United (0-5) will chase its first win at home against Heathcote (1-5), while North Bendigo (1-4) hosts Elmore (2-3).
