READ MORE - Saturday Scoreboard, July 31, 2021

BRIDGEWATER was left counting the cost of its Loddon Valley league win over Maiden Gully YCW in the competition's re-start on Saturday.

With the finals only three weeks away, the Mean Machine key trio of league leading goalkicker Josh Martyn (shoulder), gun on-baller Zeb Broadbent (hamstring) and the experienced Tom Dowd (hamstring) all suffered injury blows during the Mean Machine's 60-point win against the Eagles.

The three injuries follow X-factor Andrew Collins hurting an ankle at training on Thursday night and not playing.

"We played without a bench for the last quarter, which has happened quite a bit this year," said Bridgewater co-coach Jayden Donaldson, who is also on the injury sidelines.

"It has been frustrating that we can't get some continuity into the side, but what it does is give opportunities for players to step up and try to stamp their spot in the side leading into finals."

The second-placed Mean Machine improved to 10-1 with their 14.15 (99) to 5.9 (39) victory at Marist College.

"After quarter-time I felt we were able to play some good footy for the remainder of the game," Donaldson said.

"The oval was quite wet, so the conditions were reasonably messy, but I thought the way we went about it, particularly defensively, put us in a good position to get over the line."

Midfielder Boden Alexander set the tone for the Mean Machine with a standout game in the engine room.

"Boden was incredible from start to finish. He was an absolute bull for us and never stopped trying all day," Donaldson said.

"Caillum Brady would have had 35 to 40 touches off half-back and set up a lot of our attack, so he was really good as well."

Jarrod Fitzpatrick, who was also among the Mean Machine's best, and Martyn before his injury kicked three goals each for Bridgewater.

Maiden Gully YCW coach Wayne Mitrovic was pleased with the endeavour of his side for the first three quarters, but disappointed with the Eagles' drop-off in the final term when the Mean Machine finished with 5.5 to 0.3.

"I thought it was fairly evenly contested for much of the day, but we dropped our guard in the last quarter, so to let the margin blow out to 60 points was disappointing," Mitrovic said.

Defenders Hamish McCartney and Cody Wright were the two best for the Eagles, whose only multiple goalkicker was Matt Gray (two).

Undefeated Mitiamo picked up from where it left off before lockdown, disposing of Pyramid Hill by 51 points.

Despite missing eight senior players and needing to have three - Jamie Twyford, Waylon Draper and William Spicer - double up from the reserves, the Superoos retained their unblemished record with the 14.6 (90) to 5.9 (39) away win.

It was another smothering defensive performance from the Superoos, who in their past four games have conceded scores of just 39, 19, 40 and 32.

"Our backs have done a good job for a long time now and were good again today," Mitiamo co-coach Andy Grant said.

"After a couple of weeks off, to go to Pyramid Hill and have a win like that was really pleasing."

The Superoos - who haven't lost since a four-point defeat to Calivil United in round 15 of 2019 - led by 24 points at half-time before adding eight goals to three after the break.

Co-coach Tyrone Downie kicked five goals, while fellow forward Tim Brooks slotted three, keeping intact his record of having hit the scoreboard in all 11 games for the Superoos this year.

"Brooksy has been playing a lot higher than he has in the past, so he's doing well to be kicking the goals he has been (29 for the year)," Grant said.

"He's not just kicking goals though, he's setting up a lot as well."

Ruckman Nathan Twigg was best for the Superoos.

"Nathan rucked solo all day and he's probably had 20 touches, so he was really good," Grant said.

Downie and consistent defender Max Simpson were also among the best for the Superoos, who had Andrew Cussen make a welcome return to the side, kicking three goals.

While there was 21 days in between, the 51-point defeat was the second heavy loss in a row for the Bulldogs, who had been belted by 83 points by Marong in their previous game.

Testament to their sustained competitiveness for so long, this is the first time since 2001 the Bulldogs have lost back-to-back games by more than 50 points.

"We didn't execute the way we wanted to going inside 50 and they were able to rebound really well," Pyramid Hill co-coach Nathan Fitzpatrick said.

"We were four goals down at half-time, but in terms of possession and time in forward half, it was fairly level. But they got away from us in the second half and were able to put too big a gap on us."

Jake Willcocks enjoyed a switch of role, moving from centre half-back to the forward line to be the Bulldogs' best, while midfielders Scott Mann and Matt Ladson battled hard, as did Bailey Goodwin on a wing.

The Bulldogs' loss was further soured by Brad Driscoll re-injuring his hamstring and Ben Dalton suffering a concussion.

Marong has assured itself of its first double chance since 2004 after winning its sixth game in a row at the expense of Bears Lagoon-Serpentine.

The Panthers booted seven goals to two in the first quarter on the way to their 21.18 (144) to 9.7 (61) win at Serpentine.

"To be honest, the scoreboard probably flattered us a bit at quarter-time (7.2 to 2.3). Serp was really good around the contest and physical and I thought we probably lacked a bit of intensity and want for the contest early," Marong coach Linton Jacobs said.

"I challenged the boys at quarter-time to start getting their hands dirty around the contest and they responded well."

The Panthers - whose six-game winning streak is the club's best since 1994 - shared their 21 goals among 10 players, led by four each to Brandyn Grenfell and Nathan Devanny.

Devanny's four goals were the icing on the cake for a dominant midfield game, while Harry Graham in defence and Justin Hynes in the ruck were others to impress for the in-form Panthers.

"Zach Turnbull (three goals) did some good work in the midfield and Jimmy Gadsden was good in his first game kicking a couple of goals playing midfield and forward," Jacobs said.

The only injury worry out of the game for the Panthers was a rolled ankle to Will Gadsden.

For the Bears, Justin Laird kicked four of their nine goals to be their best player, while Orion Downing was named second-best for his job on Panthers' power forward Grenfell, whose four goals included two from down-field free kicks.

"Our pressure was good early, but we couldn't sustain it. We turned the ball over way too often and they made us pay," Bears coach Greg Gadsden said.

Bears Lagoon-Serpentine will now turn its attention to a big game next Saturday against Maiden Gully YCW, with the Eagles still in the hunt to snatch fifth spot from the Bears with two rounds remaining.

An eight-goal haul to Jake Lawry spearheaded Calivil United to its second win of the season.

The Demons recorded a 120-point victory over Inglewood, winning 24.22 (166) to 7.4 (46) in a dominant scoreline more accustomed to what the rebuilding Calivil United has long been renowned for.

As well as Lawry's eight goals, the Demons also had Ben Baker slot six.

"We bombed away a bit in the first half; we spoke at half-time about being smarter and we adjusted and it paid off well," Demons coach Glen Scholtes said.

"It was really pleasing to see the way the boys worked to the gameplan."

After kicking nine goals in the first half the Demons added 15 in the second, which could have been more had it not been for a wayward 7.9 in the final term.

Lawry, ruckman Jayden Manderson and Tim Lloyd headed the best players for the Demons, who have one game to play with a bye still to come in round 18.

Usual defender Cody Stobaus with three was the only multiple goalkicker for the Blues and again their best player.

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