HOW THEY STAND – LEAGUE LADDERS
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• BENDIGO LEAGUE – ROUND 8
EAGLEHAWK v KANGAROO FLAT
2.20pm Saturday at Eaglehawk.
Canterbury Park has become a fortress for the Hawks, who have won their past 12 games at home by an average of 45 points.
The Hawks are ticking along well at 6-1, which included overcoming Sandhurst by one point last week.
A tough test for the young Roos, who no doubt will have recruit Matt Filo keen to perform strongly against the side he played in a grand final with last year.
Last time: Eaglehawk 26.15 (171) d Kangaroo Flat 8.5 (53).
Since 1995: Eaglehawk 30; Kangaroo Flat 19.
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GISBORNE v GOLDEN SQUARE
2.20pm Saturday at Gisborne.
Gisborne must be looking at this as a golden opportunity to finally claim that big scalp it is so desperate for.
Gisborne is on its home ground, coming off two strong wins in a row in which it has kicked a combined 44 goals against Castlemaine and Maryborough, and taking on a Golden Square side that was given a footballing lesson by Strathfieldsaye last week.
Gisborne holds the mantle as the best first-half team this season with a points differential of +201. However, its second half differential of -61 goes some way to showing why its record is at 3-4.
Last time: Golden Square 11.11 (77) d Gisborne 8.7 (55).
Head to Head: Golden Square 24; Gisborne 20; Drawn 1.
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KYNETON v CASTLEMAINE
2.20pm Saturday at Kyneton.
Is there something special brewing at Kyneton in the club’s 150th anniversary season?
With a 5-1-1 record, Luke Beattie’s Tigers have got themselves up into the top three and looking a formidable combination.
The Tigers are 114 points better off defensively than the same time last year and should continue to tighten the screws at home against Castlemaine.
The Magpies have lost six in a row and are struggling to give themselves any chance of pushing the opposition given they have been at least 80 points down at half-time in four of those defeats.
Last time: Kyneton 21.26 (152) d Castlemaine 7.8 (50).
Since 1995: Castlemaine 26; Kyneton 19.
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SANDHURST v MARYBOROUGH
1.50pm Saturday at QEO.
The wide expanses of the QEO haven’t been kind to the Magpies, who in their past five trips to ‘Headquarters’ have been beaten by 73, 159, 208, 150 and 133 points.
The Magpies are still striving for that elusive first victory of the season, and while it would be a major upset if it was to come at the expense of the Dragons, they did show signs in the first half against Kyneton last week that they are edging closer.
Last time: Sandhurst 23.15 (153) d Maryborough 3.6 (24).
Since 1995: Sandhurst 36; Maryborough 15.
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STRATHFIELDSAYE v SOUTH BENDIGO
2.20pm Saturday at Strathfieldsaye.
The Storm couldn’t have been more impressive last week in disposing of Golden Square by 66 points, elevating the reigning premier to the top of the ladder.
The Storm have now won six games in a row by an average of 70 points, presenting a challenging assignment on their home turf against the Bloods, whose as yet haven’t beaten a team outside the bottom three.
Last time: Strathfieldsaye 26.19 (175) d South Bendigo 9.6 (60).
Head to Head: Strathfieldsaye 12; South Bendigo 6; Drawn 1.
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• HEATHCOTE DISTRICT LEAGUE – ROUND 9
ELMORE v HEATHCOTE
2.15pm Saturday at Elmore.
Only win one on the board between these two teams, who are again enduring a tough season in 2018.
The Bloods on their home ground against a fellow battler aren’t going to get too many better opportunities than this to notch their first four points of the season.
Last time: Elmore 14.11 (95) d Heathcote 8.20 (68).
Since 1995: Elmore 31; Heathcote 21; Drawn 1.
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NORTH BENDIGO v COLBINABBIN
2.15pm Saturday at North Bendigo.
A massive “big four” game to round out the first half of the season at Atkins Street.
Given the way both Huntly and Leitchville-Gunbower are tracking, at this stage of the season it would seem there will be room for only one of the Bulldogs or Grasshoppers in the top three come finals.
The Bulldogs haven’t been able to get the job done in their two major tests so far against fellow “big four” opponents Leitchville-Gunbower and Huntly.
This time though against the Grasshoppers they have the advantage of playing at home, where they have won 23 in a row and haven’t been beaten at since the corresponding round in 2015.
Last time: North Bendigo 15.15 (105) d Colbinabbin 7.15 (57).
Head to Head: Colbinabbin 27; North Bendigo 24.
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LBU v LEITCHVILLE-GUNBOWER
2.15pm Saturday at Lockington.
The Cats pushed Colbinabbin for three quarters last week, but couldn’t sustain their effort in the final term and went down by 38.
They now confront the reigning premier Bombers, who have caused them plenty of grief in recent seasons with their past five wins against the Cats by big margins of 145, 129, 125, 107 and 109 points.
Last time: Leitchville-Gunbower 25.17 (167) d LBU 3.4 (22).
Head to Head: LBU 11; Leitchville-Gunbower 7.
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WHITE HILLS v MOUNT PLEASANT
2.15pm Saturday at White Hills.
Both teams have lost their past three games, but if their percentage is anything to go by – the Blues are 58.07; the Demons 57.96 – this shapes as a competitive game.
However, the Blues look to have the X-factor in the game in Ben Weightman, who if he has his kicking boots on looms as a game-breaker.
Last time: White Hills 24.11 (155) d Mount Pleasant 8.7 (55).
Since 1995: Mount Pleasant 38; White Hills 13.
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• LODDON VALLEY LEAGUE – ROUND 8
NEWBRIDGE v CALIVIL UNITED
2.15pm Saturday at Newbridge.
The Demons were the premiers last year; the Maroons are favoured by many to be the 2018 premier.
It’s champ v challenger and should be a ripper of a contest given the past fortnight of the Demons, who have ended the unbeaten runs of both Pyramid Hill and Maiden Gully YCW.
Newbridge is building strongly into its season with five victories on the trot, ticking off the wins, which is what this stage of the season is all about.
Last time: Calivil United 13.12 (90) d Newbridge 7.11 (53).
Since 1995: Calivil United 37; Newbridge 16.
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MARONG v INGLEWOOD
2.15pm Saturday at Marong.
The two bottom sides that each have just one victory.
However, the Panthers’ 1-5 record has been far more competitive than the Blues’ corresponding 1-5.
Only one of the Panthers’ defeats has been by more than 25 points, whereas three of the Blues’ five losses have been by at least 128 points.
Last time: Marong 16.12 (108) d Inglewood 7.8 (50).
Since 1995: Marong 31; Inglewood 14; Drawn 1.
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PYRAMID HILL v MAIDEN GULLY YCW EAGLES
2.15pm Saturday at Pyramid Hill.
Last year the Bulldogs and Eagles both missed the finals.
Yet such has been the improvement made this season they enter round eight both in the top three and with a combined record of 11-2.
Beating the Bulldogs at Pyramid Hill is no easy task, which is why the Eagles – coming off a bye – will need to bring their A Game to do so.
Last time: Pyramid Hill 18.18 (126) d Maiden Gully YCW 11.8 (74).
Since 1995: Pyramid Hill 30; Maiden Gully YCW 18.
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BL-SERPENTINE v BRIDGEWATER
2.15pm Saturday at Serpentine.
Both the Bears and Mean Machine have 2-4 records and are outside the top five.
The winner will climb into the top five, while a 2-5 ledger would start to mount the pressure on the loser.
Following a 0-4 start the Bears have won their past two games, while the Mean Machine have lost three in a row for the first time since 2006 – the year they last missed the finals.
Last time: Bridgewater 13.10 (88) d BL-Serpentine 4.10 (34).
Since 1995: BL-Serpentine 26; Bridgewater 25.