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COLBINABBIN coach Julian Bull attributes consistency of personnel to the momentum his side is building in the Heathcote District league.
The Grasshoppers have won their past four games to turn what had been a 3-3 record after six games into 7-3 that has the 2019 runners-up occupying third position ahead of a pivotal two weeks against White Hills (2nd) and North Bendigo (4th), who they sit in between.
Not only will the next two weeks be crucial for the Grasshoppers in their quest for the coveted double chance, but it will also give Bull the perfect opportunity to gauge just how far his side has progressed since it lost back-to-back games against the Demons (32 points) and Bulldogs (6 points) in rounds five and six.
"These next couple of weeks are really big for us and it's a challenge we're really looking forward to," Bull said on Friday.
"We've been playing some good, consistent footy and there's a bit of belief in the team that will, hopefully, carry us a long way.
We've been playing some good, consistent footy and there's a bit of belief in the team
- Julian Bull
"These next couple of games will really show us where we're at. It's well and good to be doing it against opposition that may be struggling a bit, but you've got to be able to perform under the heat against the really good teams and that's what we've been working on."
Pleasing for Bull since the re-start of the season following the two-week pause has been the chance to stabilise his list and get some continuity into the side.
At one stage this year the Grasshoppers' injury list had reached 12, but that has now been halved, although, there are two season-enders on it - experienced midfielder Sam Vale (knee) and forward Ryan Hon (nose reconstruction) - while gun half-back Ben Barton (fractured ankle) may also be done for the year.
"We've been able to get some consistency into our gamestyle and consistency into our team," Bull said.
"We've still had to swing changes week to week, but our core group is now playing a lot more games together.
"At the start of the year we had probably half our team who hadn't played together, so it was a case of trying to get everyone gelling together and on the same page and we've been able to do that well over the past month."
White Hills on Thursday night named star forward Jed Lamb, who sat out all of last week's second half in the win over Heathcote with hamstring tightness.
However, coach Sam Kerridge said this week the Demons wouldn't be taking the slightest of risk with Lamb, who is the competition's leading goalkicker with 60.
* Saturday's games - Leitchville-Gunbower v Mount Pleasant, North Bendigo v Heathcote, Huntly v Elmore, White Hills v Colbinabbin. LBU bye.
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