Colbinabbin took out consecutive undefeated HDFNL premierships. Photo: Matthew Kappos.
A blockbuster Heathcote District League grand final day saw Colbinabbin and North Bendigo claim top flight premierships.
A-grade netball
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For a second season running, Colbinabbin is the undefeated A-grade netball champion in the Heathcote District League.
The Grasshoppers had to work hard for title number two on grand final day on Saturday, with the game against Mt Pleasant far closer than the final scoreline, 62-51, would indicate.
In fact, there was almost nothing between the two teams for three quarters, four the largest lead of the game going into the final term.
Both teams executed expertly on attack for most of the game, and opportunities to generate turnovers and break centre pass were few and far between.
Mount Pleasant seemed to have the best of the chances to burst clear in the first half, leading by a couple of goals for significant stretches, but each time Colbinabbin was able to respond and level the game.
At halftime, we were no closer to finding an A-grade premier, the teams locked at 30-all.
Colbo looked to have finally found its winning formula, opening up a then-game high four-goal lead in the third, but the underdog Mount Pleasant wasn’t done yet, and a goal on the siren saw Mounts lead by one, 44-43, at the final break.
Trailing with a quarter to play for the first time this season, the Hoppers needed to find an extra gear and did just that, breaking centre pass sequence at 49-47, and running away with the game late as a demoralised Mounts fell off the boil.
“We were one down at three-quarter time, so really unfamiliar territory for us,” Colbinabbin coach Jen McIntyre said.
“Super proud of how the girls rallied in the last; Mounts are an amazing team, so it was a great last quarter.”
Senior football
North Bendigo’s Jordan Hargreaves and Mount Pleasant’s Chris Down in the ruck. Photo: Jordan Townrow.
Mount Pleasant fell just short of winning back-to-back premierships, going down to North Bendigo by 11 points at Strauch Reserve.
The Mounts were the stronger side early on, but the comfortable advantage they held was slowly walked down by the Bulldogs over the course of the match.
The Mounts still took a 7.4 (46) to 4.6 (30) lead into half-time and maintained the three-goal advantage early in the third term, before a big downpour came — both in the conditions and a Bulldogs avalanche.
North Bendigo adjusted quicker to the sudden heavy rain, kicking four straight goals to suddenly hold a 10-point lead heading towards three-quarter time.
Bulldogs forward Dylan Klemm was dominant, displaying strong marking ability as he booted three majors in the term and helped his side swing the game back in its favour.
At three-quarter time, Pleasant coach Cam Carter emphasised to his side that just one more strong term was all that was required for consecutive flags, but also expressed his pride in the Mounts’ players during the year, regardless of the outcome.
After North Bendigo retook the lead to open the fourth, Pleasant kicked two straight, opening up an eight-point lead as Carter’s team talk had seemingly spurred the side into an extra gear.
But the Bulldogs, desperate to make amends after losing the 2025 decider to the same opposition by five points, found another timely momentum shift, one that would secure them the premiership.
North Bendigo showed more composure with ball in hand down the stretch as a goal for Harrison Jarvie and two more for Klemm saw Pleasant relinquish its advantage and fall to a 12.9 (81) to 13.14 (92) defeat.
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