HDFNL ROUND 10: Huntly secures first win of season against Elmore

HUNTLY has its first win of the Heathcote District league season after beating Elmore by 27 points on Saturday.

After enduring a winless first half of the season, the second half got off to a bright start for the Hawks with their 11.9 (75) to 6.12 (48) victory at Elmore.

"It's obviously a great feeling for the boys and today shows that we can play good, tough footy," Huntly co-coach Harry Whittle said.

"We've been able to play periods of good footy over the year, but being able to do it for four quarters is what has been letting us down.

"Today we were able to sustain it throughout and get the result."

The Hawks trailed by 12 points at quarter-time before booting 5.6 to 1.0 during the second term to build an 18-point buffer at the main break.

The only other time this season the Hawks had led at half-time was against Colbinabbin by 14 points in round six before dropping off and losing by 17.

But there was no being run over a second time for the Hawks, who closed the game out with six goals to three in the second half.

"We've always had the belief as a group that we could win three or four games this year and, hopefully, today proves to the boys that we have the capability of playing some really good footy," Whittle said.

"Every week we keep drilling in about believing in each other and yourself and winning today should really help that belief."

Among the catalysts for the Hawks' win was skipper Steve Kairn, who shifted from his customary role in defence be prominent through the midfield.

"Steve was unreal for us in the midfield today," Whittle said.

"It's the first time he has played through the middle and he had a lot of footy and really led from the front.

"I thought Mitch Billings played a really good game in the back half. He took a lot of marks and ran the ball out of defence really well.

"Lachy Wilson was a great target for us up forward kicking five goals, Kyle Forster played a really good game on the wing and Matt Jeffries controlled the backline really well."

As well as Wilson's five goals, the Hawks also had Koby Gibson, Abe Sladden and Whittle kick two apiece in their breakthrough victory.

The loss was the sixth in a row for Elmore, which had its better players headed by Rhys Holmberg, ruckman Daniel Russell and Mitch Carson (two goals).

Mount Pleasant has become the first team to beat North Bendigo this season.

The Blues inflicted the first loss of the season on the Bulldogs with an 11-point victory, 10.12 (72) to 9.7 (61), at Toolleen.

Scores had been level 53-apiece at three quarter-time before the Blues closed the game out with a 3.1 to 1.2 final term.

"We used our leg speed and run and carry really well today," Mount Pleasant co-coach Adam Baird said.

"We were really flat against Lockington last week (lost by 8 points) and just weren't physical enough, but the desire and thirst for the contest was really there from the boys today and it's a great result."

The Blues' two best players named were co-coaches Baird (two goals) and Ben Weightman (three goals).

"I don't think there was any absolute standouts... it was 22 blokes who all played their role," Baird said.

One of the most entertaining duels of the game was the battle between Blues' defender Will Wallace and Bulldogs' forward Dylan Klemm (four goals), while Mount Pleasant had a key return in ruckman Chris Down back from a knee injury.

"It was really important getting Downsy back in for not just his ruckwork, but it allowed Mitch Bennett to start forward and give us a big target," Baird said.

"We didn't have a tall target inside 50 last week, so it was really important having both Mitch and Downsy play that role today."

North Bendigo named prime-mover Nick Waterson its best player, while the Blues' best featured Jack Craig, who had the job of tagging the Bulldogs' gun.

Saturday was the third time in their past four meetings the Blues and Bulldogs have been separated by less than two goals.

It was a pivotal win for the fourth-placed Blues, who remain within one game of the top three rather than the eight points they would have fallen adrift had they lost.

Heathcote overcame a 14-point deficit at half-time to defeat Colbinabbin.

The home side Saints trailed 31-44 at half-time, before levelling the scores 51 apiece at three quarter-time.

Having got the game back on an even keel, the Saints closed it out with a 2.3 to 0.2 final quarter to win 9.12 (66) to 8.5 (53) and claim their first pair of victories in a season over Colbinabbin since 2012 having also won their round one encounter.

"It was a win we really had to grind out," Heathcote coach Andrew Saladino said.

"I thought we might have been in a bit of trouble in the first half, but to the boys' credit they chipped away and were able to come away with an important four points for us."

The Saints do have a key injury concern out of the game, though, to star forward and league leading goalkicker Corey Grindlay (one goal).

"We're not sure exactly what it is yet, but he has possibly broken either his finger or knuckle," Saladino said.

"We'll have to wait and see what the scans show, but he played the game out."

Captain Codie Price was best for the Saints, who are hopeful of regaining star midfield recruit Jesse Davies for his first game since round three against Leitchville-Gunbower next week.

"Codie was fantastic for us across half-back," Saladino said.

"Liam Jacques and Braden Padmore both had really good games as well and I thought Liam Birch was fantastic kicking a couple of goals."

Heathcote now has seven wins - the equal-most it has had in a year since 2012 with seven more home and away games still to come.

For Colbinabbin, which is now 2-7, it was a frustrating fourth loss by less than 15 points - three of which have come against top-five sides.

"It was one of those games that we let slip today," Colbinabbin coach Jed Brain said.

"I thought we were in control for most of the first three quarters, but in the end a few crucial mistakes let us down, so it was another learning curve for us.

"One of the big positives we'll take from today is Jude Ryan as a 17-year-old across half-back was one of the best players on the field against one of the top sides in the competition.

"We've just got to keep soldiering on and stick together."

A six-goal haul to Liam Bartels helped White Hills to a 24-point win over Leitchville-Gunbower at Scott Street.

The Demons held on to their spot in the top three with their 12.19 (91) to 10.7 (67) victory.

The Bombers won both the first and final quarters, but it was the middle two quarters when White Hills kicked 8.15 to 4.4 that the Demons gained the ascendancy in the contest.

"The conditions were tricky and I really rate Leitchy, so it was a good win by the boys," White Hills co-coach Jack Fallon said.

"If we had have kicked straight we could have done some more damage, but it was one of those wet, windy days."

Fallon labelled Bartels' performance the best game he has played for the Demons since joining the club last year.

"He played midfield resting forward and to finish with six goals was a great effort," Fallon said.

"Liam was our best and I thought Ben Taylor was super... coming from Ballarat those wet conditions really suited him."

As well as Bartels' six, the Demons also had Kaiden Antonowicz kick three goals splitting his time between midfield and forward.

White Hills, which has now strung together three wins in a row, got through the game unscathed.

In their first game for 21 days the Bombers' best players were led by Caleb Hislop and Xavier Colvin, while Billy Hawken, assistant coach Chris Horman and Lachlan Sverns each kicked two goals.

"White Hills had some key moments in the middle two quarters that in the end were the difference," Bombers coach Shannon Keam said.

"I can't fault the effort of our guys; they fought the game right out until the end.

"But in the end White Hills had a bit too much class in those middle two quarters."

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