Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
COLBINABBIN had more scoring shots and won three of the four quarters, yet was beaten by Lockington-Bamawm United in the Heathcote District league's match of the round on Saturday.
Just as they did on Good Friday in their earlier meeting this year, the Cats got the jump on the Grasshoppers in the first quarter, with their dominant opening term paving the way for their 11.3 (69) to 8.8 (56) victory at Lockington.
On a day where tough conditions made scoring difficult, the Cats capitalised on all their chances in the first quarter, racing to a 35-point lead, 7.0 to 1.1.
The Grasshoppers kicked seven goals to four after quarter-time, but the damage had already been done - just like round two when the Cats had led by 36 points at the first break.
"We knew we had to set the scene early today in conditions that probably didn't suit us and we came out and stamped our authority in the first quarter," Cats coach Kahl Oliver said.
"It was really important to kick straight early because it was only going to get harder to score the longer the game went."
Half-forward Jacob Gardiner, Jarod Bacon (three goals) and Fraser Monahan led the best players for the Cats, who now have a two-game buffer in the top three and are well-placed to claim the double chance.
Colbinabbin coach Julian Bull was bitterly disappointed with his side's lacklustre start to the game.
"They were a lot cleaner than us to start the game. We spoke about it going to be a hard, physical game in the conditions and Locky are certainly right up there as one of the most physical teams we've come up against," Bull said.
"They were far too good in the first quarter; they took their opportunities in front of goal and when you're as far behind at quarter-time as what we were it's always going to be a slog to get back.
"We really let ourselves down in that first quarter. Full credit to Locky, they adjusted to the conditions better than us, but the biggest thing is they were just that much more cleaner with their hands and got the ball forward in a hurry.
"It was one of those games that given the conditions was just a rolling maul."
The Grasshoppers laid 130 tackles for the match, which included 16 by Will Morrow, who was among his side's best players, while midfielder Todd Bryant, who had a heavy tag from Monahan, battled hard to lift Colbinabbin.
MOUNT PLEASANT v WHITE HILLS
White Hills orchestrated an 88-point turnaround from its round two meeting against Mount Pleasant to keep its finals pulse beating at Toolleen.
The Demons closed back within one game of the top five with their 11.11 (77) to 5.9 (39) victory.
The 38-point victory for the Demons was in stark contrast to their Good Friday meeting under lights in round two when the Blues easily won by 50 points.
"We felt our season was on the line today and to the boys' credit they came out and played with plenty of desperation," White Hills coach Sam Kerridge said.
"It was obviously a big turnaround from last time we played them, but we feel we're starting to play some good footy and it was a good four-quarter performance today."
READ MORE - SATURDAY SCOREBOARD - June 29, 2019
The Demons kept the Blues goal-less in the middle two quarters in what were conditions Kerridge described as the toughest he has played in.
"It was a shocking day... I've never seen worse conditions; at one stage with the lightning I think there was some talk of the game being called off," Kerridge said.
"The rain was coming in sideways and it was just a case of get the ball forward any way you can. There wasn't too much clean footy and I think the boys are all still thawing out."
Demons' star Jed Lamb kicked four goals, while veteran Gavin Bowles and Mitch Dole slotted two each.
Skipper David Wright was White Hills' best player.
"If there's anyone who loves a bit of wet-weather footy it's Dave Wright. He was phenomenal today cracking in contest after contest and showed why he's our skipper," Kerridge said.
The loss was the second in a row for the Blues, who squandered the chance of drawing level on points with third-placed Colbinabbin.
Luke Marchesi kicked two of the Blues' five goals, while Nick Edwards was named best.
NORTH BENDIGO v LEITCHVILLE-GUNBOWER
North Bendigo restricted Leitchville-Gunbower to its lowest score since 2012 as the Bulldogs claimed another Atkins Street victim.
The Bulldogs made it win No.33 in a row at home with their 12.11 (83) to 3.7 (25) victory in the clash of the two teams that have contested the past four grand finals.
The Bombers had 3.4 on the board at the first break, but added just three behinds for the rest of the game as the Bulldogs dominated in the trying conditions.
Such were the treacherous conditions that prompted Leitchville-Gunbower's Danny Teskera to coach from the sidelines in gumboots, the game featured a scoreless third quarter - the Bulldogs stuck on their half-time score of 10.8 and the Bombers their 3.6.
"I'm really proud of the effort of the boys today; I reckon I've only come across tougher conditions one or two times," North Bendigo coach Matt Dillon said.
"Leitchville is a very dangerous side that we rate highly, but our second quarter was some of the best wet-weather footy I've seen any side play.
"When the conditions got really wet in that second quarter we kicked six goals and were able to bust the game open.
"Given the scoreline it may look like the ball didn't go down back a lot, but it did and I thought our back six was fantastic, especially Jordan Ford and Ryan Alford."
While renowned for their scoring potency, the ladder-leading Bulldogs have now conceded scores of just 25, 23, 47 and 39 in their past four games.
Experienced ruckman Lee Pollock and young gun Logan Prout were the two best for the Bombers, who have now copped a pair of heavy defeats from the Bulldogs this year.
The Bombers' three goals were kicked by the forward trio of Jake Vandongen, Daniel Coates and Jack Dye.
Compounding the loss for the Bombers was a calf injury to assistant coach Liam Guinan and hand injury to forward Tyler Jones.
"Unfortunately, the damage was done in the second quarter; we gave up three or four late goals just before half-time and that opened up a handy gap for North," Teskera said.
ELMORE v HUNTLY
Elmore defeated Huntly by 19 points at home in a game where the two sides combined to kick 11.27.
The Bloods notched their fourth win of the season with the 7.14 (56) to 4.13 (37) victory.
"It was very wet and windy and these are the sort of days where you just want to get away with the four points, which we were able to do," Elmore coach Danny Brewster said.
"Getting to four wins now is a big improvement on last year (one win) and if we can get a few more on the way home we might be a chance of pushing for that fifth spot.
"We spoke before the game that we were going to need 22 blokes willing to sacrifice their body for the day given the conditions and from the youngest to the oldest we had 22 who did that when they had to."
Recruit Brodie Hawke (three goals), who excelled in the conditions, and ruckman James Atkinson headed the best for the Bloods.
Huntly's better players were led by coach Stacy Fiske and mid-season recruit Lachlan Mangan in defence, while Mac Whittle kicked two of the Hawks' four goals.
"There wouldn't have been a lot of blokes in our team play in conditions like that over the past five or six years," Fiske said.
"We didn't take our opportunities in the first quarter when we kicked 1.6 with the wind, but I can't fault the effort.
"There were probably times today in those conditions where you could easily put your head down and say that's enough, but the boys fought it out for the four quarters and that's all you can ask of a young group."
Meanwhile, it was a thrilling round of matches in the reserves as three of the four games were decided by less than a kick.
Huntly defeated Elmore by two points, LBU snuck past Colbinabbin by three points and White Hills narrowly kept its unbeaten record intact with its four-point victory over Mount Pleasant.
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.