LEITCHVILLE-Gunbower will hunt back-to-back Heathcote District league premierships on Saturday with a team that features 14 of its winning grand final side of last season.

Just as they have for the previous three years, the Bombers will again be pitted against arch-rival North Bendigo in the grand final at Huntly.

The Bombers lost the 2015 and 2016 grand finals to the Bulldogs, before breaking through for their first flag in 22 years last year with a 26-point victory.

And there has certainly been no premiership hangover or dwindling of hunger this year as the Bombers – under new coach Michael Pilcher – have remained a formidable powerhouse of the competition, winning 16 of their 18 games.

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“The group has remained as hungry as ever this year,” Pilcher said this week.

“We had a loss to Colbinabbin (24 points) in round four and took a fair bit out of that game, and the loss we had at North Bendigo (73 points), they are always tough and challenging to play at home, but overall I couldn’t have been happier with the boys.

“The boys have worked really hard all year and respected me as a new coach to listen to what I have to offer and the group has really grown.

“We’ve had some new faces with the likes of Jack Gleeson and Russell De Groot and a few other boys that has helped to lighten the mood a bit and give the group a bit of a fresh feel.

“The boys who were there last year are all still hungry to chase back-to-back and obviously the new players this year are all really keen for success as well.”

The Bombers’ team named on Thursday night features captain Daniel Couwenberg, Hoby Bussey, Brad Ladson, Ryan Prendergast, Brady Hore, Mitch Bruns, Tim Lincoln, Matt Pollock, Daniel Coates, Shaun Turvey, Lee Pollock, Matt Perri, Matt Ladson and Liam Guinan as premiership players from last year with a shot at back-to-back.

Joel Donehue had also been part of the premiership team last year, but a second semi-final hamstring injury has ruled him out of the grand final.

However, Donehue still has an opportunity to win a premiership medal as coach of the Bombers’ under-17s, who are gunning for their third flag in a row.

Compartment Syndrome following a badly corked thigh cost Pilcher his place in the premiership team last year, and he has again had his battles this season following an ankle injury that ended his second semi-final in the opening minutes.

Pilcher – one of three ruckmen in the squad, along with Russell De Groot and Lee Pollock – was named on the interchange on Thursday night.

Among the fresh faces in the Bombers’ side this year has been midfielder Jack Gleeson, who arrived with big wraps on him having played state level football in Tasmania.

Gleeson finished third in the Cheatley Medal with 15 votes, but one of the lead-up stories to Saturday’s showdown is he will go into the grand final under the cloud of an unresolved investigation stemming from a second semi-final incident with North Bendigo’s Mani Thalasinos.

“He’s a professional who has played top-end football; he is taking it in his stride and is confident he will be focused on the day and can play a good brand of football,” Pilcher said.

“He has been really supportive of the playing group throughout the year and the playing group supportive of him.”

Also one of the players with the opportunity to win a first Bombers’ flag is Jake Vandongen, who has returned to football this season after three years out.

Vandongen has been a crucial pillar in attack for the Bombers, booting 54 goals and forming part of a dangerous trio with the competition’s leading goalkicker, Matt Perri (74), and classy Daniel Coates (46).

Those three forwards have combined for 174 goals, which is more than what the four teams that missed the finals – Mount Pleasant (166), White Hills (159), Elmore (118) and Heathcote (117) – kicked for the year.

“Jake has traditionally been a backman, but he has been a really good story in coming back having not played for the past three years,” Pilcher said.

“To dominate the way he has in a competition as strong as ours has been really encouraging and uplifting for the team.

“He’s a quiet individual who is very humble in everything he does and it’s fantastic he has a grand final opportunity on Saturday.”

The addition of Vandongen, plus Coates increasing his output from 17 goals last year to 46, has ensured the Bombers have remained a potent scoring side as Huntly found out in the qualifying final.

Coates booted 11 goals that day and the Bombers kicked a massive score of 30.32 (212) – albeit in a game that went longer than it should have due to a time-keeping error.

“He has been all class for us… he is a super talent, who is incredibly skilful and is one of those players who gets so excited about his football,” Pilcher said.

“It’s really uplifting for the team to have someone like that; he brings a lot of energy and enthusiasm to the group.

“To have someone like him who can turn a game on its head is really exciting and for a coach, those players with that sort of X-factor are the ones you want in your team.”

Saturday presents an opportunity for Pilcher to coach a premiership in his first season at the helm after taking over from Matt Hawken after last year’s grand final win.

“I consider it a gift to have taken over from Matt. He worked very hard for a very long time to get the group up and running,” Pilcher said.

“The boys have all played a really good brand of football throughout the year and we’re all really excited to be involved in another grand final on Saturday against North Bendigo.”

Leitchville Gunbower

B: H. Bussey, M. Hay, M. McEwen

HB: B. Ladson, R. Prendergast, B. Hore

C: M.  Bruns, J.  Gleeson, T.  Lincoln

HF: M. Pollock, D. Coates, S. Turvey

F: L. Pollock, J. Vandongen, M. Perri

R: R. De Groot, M. Ladson, L. Guinan

Int: L. Sieben, B. Walsh, M. Pilcher, D. Couwenberg

Emg: L. Prout, S. Hay

In: M. Hay, S. Hay, L. Prout

Out: J. Donehue 

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