In a scoreline that resembled anything but what would normally be expected of the 2 v 3 qualifying final, the brutal Bombers generated 62 scoring shots as they crushed the Hawks 30.32 (212) to 13.5 (83) at Heathcote.

It was a performance by the reigning premiers that sent an ominous warning to the their second semi-final opponent next Saturday, North Bendigo, in what will be the next chapter of what has become the league’s No.1 rivalry.

While 43 goals were kicked in the game, the league has conceded there were some time-keeping errors that extended the length of the match, with the Bendigo Advertiser understanding it was in relation to time-on being applied after marks were taken.

“It was obviously a tough day and Leitchy was hard to stop once they got going, but when you’ve got every quarter up around the 40-minute mark, that didn’t help,” Huntly coach Denis Grinton said.

“I’ve been coaching for a long time and haven’t seen a quarter go for longer than 35 minutes, but every quarter went for four or five more than that… both teams have basically played five quarters of footy today.

“But full credit to Leitchy, they were super in the conditions; they ran hard from behind the footy, used the footy well and to have 62 scoring shots in a final… that’s unheard of, so we were clearly outplayed in all facets of the game.”

The Bombers’ demolition included a haul of 11 goals from the classy Daniel Coates, who could have booted 17 had he taken all of his opportunities.

“He started on the wing and in the third quarter in particular he was fantastic with his leading up at the ball… he was playing like it was dry weather,” Bombers coach Michael Pilcher said.

The first term featured 16 goals as both teams kicked eight apiece – the Bombers, who kicked against the wind, leading 8.7 to 8.1.

But the slick Bombers asserted their authority in the second term, piling on 9.10 to 1.2 and by half-time already had a score of 119 on the board against an opponent that had gone into the match conceding an average of 71 points per game.

With a commanding 62-point advantage at half-time, the Bombers didn’t take their foot off the pedal in the second half, adding a further 13 goals to four.

“We had 22 blokes ready to go today and in the second quarter in particular we were able to turn it up another notch,” Pilcher said.

“We were able to score really well in the second quarter and, to be honest, it was a bit surreal walking off the ground at half-time and seeing on the scoreboard we were more than 100.”

RELATED – SATURDAY SCOREBOARD

Coates’ bag of 11 goals was the most by a player in a Heathcote District league final during the 2000s and he was one of 11 Bombers to hit the scoreboard.

The Bombers’ other two leading avenues to goal this year, Matt Perri and Jake Vandongen, each kicked four goals.

Coates was clearly the best for the Bombers, while in a strong team effort midfielders Matt Ladson (two goals) and Liam Guinan were both dominant in the engine room.

“Ladson gives us four quarters every game and he is just so persistent and generated a lot of inside 50 entries for us today,” Pilcher said.

“Liam’s ability to impose on the contest was fantastic. Jack Gleeson was also brilliant with 30-plus disposals and Matt Hay was solid down back after missing quite a bit of footy, so that was really positive.

“But it really was 22 contributors over the four quarters.”

On a forgettable day for the Hawks, who lost for the 10^th time in a row to the Bombers, they named midfielder Ryan Semmel and Stacy Fiske off half-back their two best and had Chris Gleeson and Jayden Cordy kick three goals apiece. 

Further souring the Hawks’ dirty day was a knee injury to on-baller Doug Thomas that Grinton fears will signal the end of his season.

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