JAMES Blood has taken over the lead in the Bendigo Addy Footy Challenge after week nine.

Blood leads the competition with his stable of 12 teams from the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central leagues averaging 368.60 points.

Blood pinched the top spot from Debbie Wiegard (364.50), who spent last week at No.1.

Blood's stable of 12 teams features:

Kyneton - 194.7

Maryborough - 224.5

Strathfieldsaye - 931.6

(Power Team)

Colbinabbin - 397.6

Huntly - 148.1

Mount Pleasant - 339.8

Bridgewater - 252.2

Marong - 233.7

Mitiamo - 456.3

Charlton - 387.2

Sea Lake Nandaly - 644.8

St Arnaud - 212.6

Teams score points based on their: winning percentage, for/against percentage, average score for and percentage of quarters won.

Blood joins Wiegard, Nath Holt and Joe Valli as entrants to have led the Bendigo Addy Footy Challenge.

North Central ladder-leader Sea Lake Nandaly remains the No.1 ranked team with a points value of 644.80, which increases to 967.20 (50 per cent boost) for the nine entrants who selected the Tigers as their Power Team.

The winner of the Bendigo Addy Footy Challenge will receive a double pass to each of the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central grand finals courtesy of the leagues.

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