As befitting a battle of two of the league’s top-four sides in the Cats and the Bulldogs, it was a tight contest from the get go at North Bendigo Oval.
LBU held a narrow five-point lead after the first term and the scores were deadlocked at 50 points apiece at the main break. But the Cats showed their class in the second term, kicking eight goals to two to run out 15.15 (105) to 9.13 (67) victors.
Anthony McMahon was the main man up forward for the Cats, booting five goals, while his teammates Jesse Collins and Thomas Leech had three goals each.
Tyler Phillips, Lachlan Atherton, McMahon and Trent Bacon were some of the best for the Cats on the day.
After a tight first half, LBU coach Brodie Collins said it was great to get the win on the board.
“It was pretty pleasing. We knew it was never going to be easy. That kind of ground they play really well,” he said.
“It was pleasing to get over the line. The end outcome is what you want, it doesn’t really matter how you get there.”
Collins said his side knew it was going to be a tough clash against the Dogs, and that was reflected in a tight first half.
“We knew it was never going to be easy, that kind of ground they play really well,” he said.
“It was a good tussle early and a good first half of football. It is a short ground and any mistake costs you a goal.
“North are a really well-drilled side, the way they play their ground is excellent.
“They are going to be right into it come September, there is no doubt about that. It is going to be interesting to see how deep they can go, they have a really good system.”
LBU’s win means it maintains its spot on top of the ladder, but Colbinabbin is hot on its heels, with the two sides set to face off this Saturday.
The Hoppers sit two points behind the Cats on the ladder and they kept the pressure up with a win over Huntly heading into their blockbuster clash this weekend
Colbinabbin was able to get the job done against the Hawks, but it looked like an upset might be on the cards early on.
Huntly started well and held a 27-point lead at the main break, but a strong second half from Colbo saw it storm back and kick eight goals to two in the second half to eventually claim a 15-point victory.
LBU has two wins over fellow top-four sides in recent weeks, but Collins said that would count for nothing if it couldn’t get over the Hoppers.
“It means nothing if we don’t knock off Colbo. And we need to knock of Colbo to finish on top,” Collins said.
“That’s what our aim is, and we have to prove that we can actually take it to them and beat them.”
A win against Colbo would clinch the minor premiership for the Cats, but they will face a Hoppers side that handed them their only loss in the past two years back in round eight.
The Cats coach said his side’s pressure was one of the things that stood out most to him.
“I loved how hard our pressure was at times, but again it wasn’t for four quarters, so that is something we will strive to improve on this week heading into the game against Colbo,” he said.
The Game
North Bendigo: 4.3, 7.8, 8.9, 9.13 (67)
LBU: 5.2, 7.8, 10.12, 15,15 (105)
Goals
North Bendigo: Jordan Ford, Dylan Klemm 3, Storm Giri, Manny Thalasinos, Nicholas Waterson
LBU: Anthony McMahon 5, Jesse Collins, Thomas Leech 3, Tyler Phillips 2, Jarod Bacon, Joss Howlett
Best
North Bendigo: Jeremy Lambden, Jordan Ford, Storm Giri, Shane Harris, Dylan Klemm, Bailey Wingrave
LBU: Tyler Phillips, Lachlan Atherton, Anthony McMahon, Jesse Collins, Trent Bacon, Joseph Wolfe
