LVFNL - Superoos respond in superb style with 72-point belting of Maroons

READ MORE - Calivil United v Bears Lagoon-Serpentine PHOTOS

MITIAMO responded in superb style to a drubbing the previous week - dishing out one of its own to Newbridge in a one-sided Loddon Valley league grand final re-match on Saturday.

The Superoos are proving tough to get a handle on early in the season.

They were handed a 55-point hiding from Pyramid Hill last week, yet bounced back to flog reigning premier Newbridge by 72 points on Saturday.

After watching Newbridge unfurl its 2018 premiership flag that it won at the expense of Mitiamo, the Superoos then set about dismantling the Maroons 16.12 (108) to 5.6 (36) at Riverside Park.

"Good sides bounce back from an ordinary effort and that was certainly us last week. We spoke about needing to respond and it was a really pleasing effort as a club today," Mitiamo co-coach Andy Grant said.

With injured co-coach Tyrone Downie out, the Superoos had a more-than-handy replacement forward with the inclusion of former coach Justin Maddern.

In his first game back at the Superoos since the losing 2017 first semi-final against Newbridge, Maddern slotted four goals in his return match, which included three in the first half.

"Harry was available this week, so we thought with Tigga out we'd bring him in. He could have kicked six or seven and is still tracking well, so it was good to have him back in," Grant said.

The Superoos led by 18 points at half-time, 5.4 to 2.4, before slamming on 11 goals to three after half-time.

"I thought we controlled the game well in the second quarter, but after half-time we were able to create more forward entries with some better ball-use and took our chances," Grant said.

"Having watched Newbridge unfurl their flag, it certainly made the boys fairly determined to make sure we played well today.

"Newbridge played some good footy at times, but I thought overall we as a whole group didn't have any passengers, which certainly helps."

The best for the Superoos was hard-nut on-baller Terry Reeves.

"Terry plays well week in, week-out. I thought his execution by foot was as good as I've seen from him, which really helped us given he had a lot of inside 50s for us," Grant said.

Recruit Lachlan Woodward in defence and Ryan Wellington, who Grant says took "12 or 13 marks" at centre half-forward, were also among the Mitiamo standouts.

Wellington slotted three goals, with he and Maddern among 10 goalkickers for the Superoos, whose 72-point victory was a 116-point turnaround on their grand final meeting last year, which the Maroons won by 44.

Mitiamo's score of 108 was the first time the Maroons have conceded at least 100 points in their past 26 games.

"They were just too good for us on the day and we couldn't have played much worse," Newbridge coach Brad Comer said.

"We were way too reactive... we were second to the footy and Miti showed they are certainly going to be there when the whips are cracking later in the year, that's for sure.

"It's a real kick in the backside for us, but it's only round three and it's now about how we respond.

"But full credit to Miti, they were just far too good and a lot more desperate than us."

Jordan Gilboy battled valiantly through the midfield to be the best for the Maroons, while Comer was also pleased with the job Robbie Wells did on Maddern.

Further compounding the disappointing day for the Maroons was a hamstring injury to Jayden Prior.

An eight-goal haul from forward Cody Gunn spearheaded Bears Lagoon-Serpentine to a 46-point win over Calivil United.

After both teams had periods of momentum throughout the first half at Calivil, the game was in the balance at the main break as the Bears held a slender two-point advantage, 7.6 to 7.4.

However, the Bears broke away after half-time, adding 13 goals to six to post a 20.11 (131) to 13.7 (85) triumph.

"It was good to see the way the boys ran the game out in the second half," Bears coach Greg Gadsden said.

"We were a bit inaccurate in the first half, but made more of our chances in the second."

Gunn's haul of eight goals was the most by a Bears' player since 2015.

"Cody played well... he had enough chances to kick 10 and was a good lead-up forward for us all day," Gadsden said.

However, it wasn't just Gunn the Demons had to contend with. Harry Gadsden (three), Charlie Gadsden (three) and James Rippingale (two) were also multiple goalkickers for the Bears.

"If you're going to be a good side you've got to have a good spread of goalkickers, so that was pleasing today," Gadsden said.

Gunn was named best for the Bears, along with half-forward/midfielder Ollie Leonard-Shannon, while fellow recruit Billy Hawkes was a tackling machine and did a power of grunt work through the midfield.

Having spent last year playing catch-up footy following their 0-4 start, the Bears are ahead of the ledger early this season with their 2-0 record.

Conversely, Calivil United is now 0-3 and remains on the bottom of the ladder in what is the Demons' worst start to a season since 2001.

New Calivil United forward Michael Cooke worked hard to provide a target and kicked four goals, while Chris Sanders slotted three, with the pair both among the best for the Demons, whose three losses to start the season follow the five in a row they ended last year with.

Having broken a 16-year hoodoo against Calivil United in the corresponding round last year, at half-time round three again looked like it could be a memorable one for Inglewood.

Inglewood hasn't beaten Bridgewater since 2008, but at half-time the Blues were not only right in the game, they were in front as they led by five points at home.

But with the game on the line, it was the Mean Machine that grabbed it by the scruff of the neck, booting seven goals to one in the third term to set up their 12.17 (89) to 8.14 (62) victory - their 22^nd in a row against the Blues.

"We missed a lot of opportunities going forward in the first half (5.10), so there will be a lot of goalkicking practice this week," Bridgewater coach Dale Cameron said.

"We were all over them in the first half, but weren't clean enough. But we spoke at half-time about coming out and playing Bridgewater footy in the third quarter, which we did."

In what was an Anzac Day themed match, the best-on-ground medal was won by Bridgewater ruckman Cameron Ross, who was forced to sit out the last quarter with a rolled ankle.

"Rossy was unbelievable over the first three quarters. He won plenty of footy, took plenty of marks, gave us first-use and also laid some really good tackles," Cameron said.

In attack Alex Powell was a strong presence for Bridgewater, slotting four goals.

Other players among the best for the Mean Machine included recruits Sam Banko and Mac Whittle.

After a promising first half, Inglewood coach Ryan McNish was frustrated with his side's third term when Bridgewater snatched the game away from the Blues.

"Six or seven minutes of poor footy in the third quarter has cost us the game," said McNish, who coached from the sidelines after injuring a quad the previous week.

"Bridgy put the burners on early in the third quarter. They came out really hungry, but we were really lazy around the stoppages and they made us pay.

"We felt like we had all the momentum going into half-time and everyone was really relaxed and composed in the rooms, but unfortunately, we didn't fire early in the third quarter."

The Blues named ruckman Nick Leach their best player, while forward Lachlan Sidebottom and midfielder Kaleb Kennedy were also among their better players.

Meanwhile, round three got under way on Good Friday when Maiden Gully YCW defeated Marong 12.9 (81) to 11.14 (80) thanks for a behind after the siren to Eagles' coach Wayne Mitrovic.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.