AND down the stretch they come.
The Millewa Football Netball League’s A Grade competition has rounded the final bend, and the regular season finish line is well in sight, with just four rounds to play.
Bambill have a clear lead, but Cardross, Werrimull and Nangiloc are jostling for finals placings before the big race for the pennant – and don’t rule out roughies Meringur, who are only a game off the pace.
Today there will be plenty of bumping as the undefeated Saints try to rein back late-charging reigning premiers Nangiloc and the Magpies and Lions try to get the inside running on the double chance.
Bambill will cross the line first having dropped only two points (in a draw) all season and will want to keep Nangiloc, who made a late charge to glory last season, near the back of the field.
The Saints outclassed Cardross, the team which snatched those couple of points from them earlier in the campaign, last time out before the Dreamtime at the P break by an emphatic 26-goal margin with veteran defender Breigh Hammet, Maddy Tormey and Kaylie Monaghan, who was a standout for Millewa against the Mallee Tigers at the weekend, leading the way.
But the Demons, after a painfully slow start, have won five of their past six games and had no trouble dispatching bottom side Gol Gol by 37 goals in their round 11 clash at home with coach Ginine Sluiter, shooter Amber King, who scored 38 goals against the Tigers at the P last Saturday, and Sienna Charles, who turned out for the Indigenous side, remaining in top form.
Another tough contest pits Cardy against the Magpies with second place very much up for grabs.
Despite the efforts of Bronte Burgess, Lily Thompson and shooter Tamara Hamence, the Lions had no answer for Bambill’s all-court strength two weeks ago while the Pies were also rocked by the Kangaroos at the Lake – 39-32, that day.
Erin Sell, Brooke Watson and Cassie Morris were named among the black-and-white’s best in the loss which kept them in third.
Back at the Lake today, the Roos could put the squeeze on the three teams immediately above them with a victory over one-win Gol Gol.
The Hawks have been competitive in many of their game in ’25 but were utterly swamped by Nangy in their most recent match. Emily Phillips, Jarae Johnson and Abbey Curran played well for the team north of the big river, but they are going to need more help against a tricky side which features the talents of Millewa A Grade defender Madelyn McPhee, Jessica Tiller and Emily Birch.
PREDICTIONS: Saints by six goals, Lions by three and Kangaroos by 15
