HDFNL: Saints put Cats to sword early on way to 68-point win

In a clash of two of the Heathcote District league's round one winners the Saints never gave the Cats the chance to get into the game as they cruised to a 68-point win at Barrack Reserve, 16.12 (108) to 5.10 (40).

The Saints had already scored more at quarter-time than the Cats would for the entire match as the home side led by 42 points at the first change, 7.4 to 0.4.

"It was a really good start by the boys," Heathcote coach Andrew Saladino said.

"We haven't been great starters over the past couple of years, so I really put it on the boys to get away to a good start against a good side.

"It was a seven-goal to none first quarter, so I couldn't have asked for a better start and it really set up the win."

As well as the flying start to the game the Saints were also at their most dominant during the third quarter kicking five goals to one.

Apart from the first and third quarters when the Saints kicked a combined 12 goals to one it was four goals apiece in the second and final terms.

Reigning Cheatley Medal winner Liam Jacques was best for the Saints.

"Jacquesy was on top in the middle and also got forward and kicked a couple of goals," Saladino said.

"Corey Grindlay (four goals) was a good target for us up forward, the Birch brothers Liam (three goals) and Callum were both really good and Lachy Freeman did a good job to keep Stuart Taylor goalless."

For the Cats, forward Anthony McMahon kicked three of their five goals.

"We spoke before the game that Heathcote is being talked about as one of the benchmarks of the competition and we saw why today," LBU coach Stacy Fiske said.

"Their ability to hurt us on turnover really defined the game and obviously from the first quarter we were on the backfoot from the start.

"As much as it was disappointing and frustrating to lose by the amount we did, we take a lot out of the game in terms of what we've got to do to take the next step to be able to compete with the big boys.

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"There was plenty of patches where we controlled the ball and the stats showed the inside 50s were quite even, but our ability to use the ball forward let us down and that's credit to Heathcote and their ability to defend."

On a disappointing day for the Cats after such an encouraging round one win over Leitchville-Gunbower a shining light was Bowden Stone.

"We were really happy with Bowden; he's only 17, but his attack on the ball and his ball-use was fantastic," Fiske said.

"Brodie Collins was good through the middle, Joey Wolfe off half-back used the ball well and Tyler Phillips was good in the ruck for us."

White Hills is 2-0, while reigning premier Mount Pleasant is 0-2 following their clash under lights at Scott Street.

In a re-match of last year's preliminary final which Mount Pleasant won by four points, the Demons delivered an early-season statement with their 31-point win.

Powered by a strong third quarter White Hills won 12.15 (87) to 8.8 (56).

The game had been in the balance at half-time with White Hills ahead by four points before the Demons grabbed the ascendancy with a 4.6 to 1.1 third term.

It was a similar storyline for the Blues to a week earlier against Heathcote when after that game had also been tight at half-time they were also left to rue a drop-off in the third term.

"It has a bit of a similar feel to round one; we showed we can compete and we've been there for three quarters two games in a row, but haven't been able to put the four quarters together," Mount Pleasant coach Cameron Carter said.

"Against good opposition they make you pay and that's what has happened.

"White Hills just got on top all over the ground in that third quarter. They started winning clearances and had some really good delivery into their forward line and there wasn't a lot our backs could do.

"And down the other end our entries going inside 50 weren't great and we were probably too reliant on that one big kick going in."

SATURDAY SCOREBOARD - April 13, 2024

White Hills' best players were led by new defender Alex Davis, half-back Jake Pallpratt and Cohen Kekich, while vice-captain Liam Bartels was the leading goalkicker on the ground with three.

"It was a good team-win by the boys. I thought probably outside of the second quarter when they were able to get through us a few times with their run and carry we had the game on our terms," White Hills co-coach Jack Fallon said.

The Blues' standout players were led by their two Queensland recruits in forward Ben Bisset and defender Daniel Frame.

"Ben is just lionhearted; he gets from contest to contest and just keeps competing," Carter said.

"I thought Daniel Frame in defence was great and Fletcher White did a good job on Kaiden Antonowicz (two goals), who is obviously a very good player."

Leitchville-Gunbower kicked the last two goals of the game to defeat Colbinabbin by six points.

In what was an arm-wrestle at Gunbower the Bombers won a hard-fought contest 8.12 (60) to 8.6 (54).

"Fortunately, we were on the right side of the scoreboard at the right time," Bombers coach Shannon Keam said.

"It was one of those games where we'd have control and then they'd get some control back; they were in front during the last quarter, but we were able to kick the last couple of goals to back in front at the siren."

Dylan Jardine and Chris Horman kicked the last two goals of the match to get the Bombers over the line.

"It was one of those games where we didn't have any real standouts, but a lot of solid contributors," Keam said.

"I thought Josh Hawken was really important for us. He was solid for us in the backline and we swung him forward and he gave us a target and attacked the ball really hard.

"Jobee Warde was really important in the crunch period in the last quarter when the game had to be won.

"Brad Green off half-back was good and Tommy Guerra was solid in the backline."

For the second game in a row to start the season recruit Nathan Basile was the Grasshoppers' best, while fellow recruit Alex Carr kicked three of their eight goals.

North Bendigo opened its 2024 campaign with a 58-point win over Elmore.

The Bulldogs, who had Jordan Ford (gastro) a late out, extended their run of consecutive victories against the Bloods to 23 on the trot with the 19.14 (128) to 10.10 (70) win at Elmore.

"I was really pleased with the way we played today first-up and the composure our boys showed," North Bendigo coach Rob Bennett said.

Billy Robertson was named best for the Bulldogs, who finished the game with 17 on the field after Pat Bogers was sent off late.

"Billy played on the wing and through the midfield and would have covered a lot of kms today, hit the scoreboard (two goals) and used the footy well every time it was in his hands," Bennett said.

Captain Aarryn Craig off half-back also impressed as did two of the Bulldogs' new recruits in gun midfielder Ryan Hartley and Bailey Cain.

Dylan Klemm kicked four goals for the Bulldogs, while down the other end vice-captain James Harney (five) and Elmore's best Nathan Kay (three) combined for eight of the Bloods' 10 goals.