The state of play in the Heathcote District Football League is starting to emerge after Sunday’s round three action saw largely one-sided encounters.
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Mount Pleasant and Colbinabbin prolonged perfect starts with thumping wins over Lockington Bamawm United and White Hills, respectively, while Elmore’s disappointing start to the season continued with a home loss to North Bendigo.
RESULTS
Round three
Lockington Bamawm United 8.6 (54) lt Mount Pleasant 16.17 (113)
Colbinabbin 18.19 (127) d White Hills 11.8 (74)
Elmore 9.9 (63) lt North Bendigo 15.13 (103)
Huntly 9.10 (64) lt Heathcote 9.16 (70)
Leitchville-Gunbower bye
Mount Pleasant entered its meeting with Lockington Bamawm United having started with two wins from two, facing a Cats side that split its opening two fixtures, but came close in defeat to White Hills last time out.
The Mighty Mounts beat Huntly by 45 points in round two, looking closer to the best version of themselves, and they picked up where they left off by starting fast at Lockington Recreation Reserve, booting five majors to Locky’s two in the first quarter.
In an early season litmus test to see how Lockington would match up against one of the league’s best, the Cats clawed their way back in the second term, kicking four goals to Pleasant’s two, the visitors still leading 7.9 (51) to 6.2 (38) at half-time.
Whatever Cam Carter said to his Mounts at the main break clearly sparked a reaction in the third quarter, Pleasant piling on six goals in its best period of the afternoon, putting itself in a commanding position heading into the fourth.
The lead was lengthened in the final term, the Mounts adding another three majors, with only inaccuracy preventing a greater margin, as the Cats only mustered two goals for the second half, Mount Pleasant prevailing 16.17 (113) to 8.6 (54).
Bryce Hinneberg was in fine form on the day for the visitors, leading all goal kickers with six, being supplemented by three each from Caelen Smith and Alex Wharton, while Locky captain Tyler Phillips contributed four majors for the home side.
Phillips was joined by Marcus Angove, Cooper Mitchell, Lachlan Holthuisen, Bowden Stone, and Nick Smart in the Cats’ best, while Pleasant’s list included Hinneberg, Wharton, Smith, Adam Triplett, Deklan Wille, and Jack Hickman.
Up next, Mount Pleasant is back at home against Colbinabbin in arguably the game of the round, with two premiership contenders meeting, while Lockington looks to respond when it travels to Heathcote.
Colbinabbin v White Hills
Colbinabbin’s defensive displays caught the eye in its opening two wins, keeping Elmore and North Bendigo under 100 points, and the Grasshoppers faced White Hills looking to continue that trend in their first home game of 2026.
Colbo started slowly, conceding four majors to the Demons in the first quarter, but kicking three of its own to stay attached, going into the first interval trailing by seven points.
The Grasshoppers then came out and turned the game on its head in the second term in a period of dominance that displayed its full capabilities at both ends, Colbo kicking eight goals to White Hills’ two to suddenly take an 11.7 (73) to 6.2 (38) lead into half-time.
That quarter would end up being decisive as the two sides played out a more even second half, starting in the third where both kicked two majors each.
Colbinabbin’s inaccuracy prevented an even bigger statement being made by the margin of victory, which ended up being 53 points, as the Hoppers booted five more majors in the fourth to the Demons’ three, prevailing 18.19 (127) to 11.8 (74).
Laine Fitzgerald led the home side’s goal kickers with four, while Jai Carn and Alex Carr added three each, with Fitzgerald and Carn also named in the best players alongside Jasper McArdle, William Le Deux, Tanner Nally and Aidan Basile.
Colbo was able to put it together at both ends by holding an opponent to under 100 again while kicking its highest score of the season, putting it in a great spot ahead of the aforementioned battle against Mount Pleasant this weekend.
Elmore v North Bendigo
Elmore had the week off in round two and headed into a meeting with last year’s runner-up North Bendigo refreshed as it searched for a first win of 2026.
The visiting Bulldogs were in the same boat and started well at Elmore Recreation Reserve, booting four first-quarter majors to Elmore’s two to take a small buffer into the first change.
The Swans had a better second term by creating more scoring shots, though their inaccuracy would bite them, particularly by only converting one goal to North Bendigo’s three, the Bulldogs starting to run up the margin by leading 7.8 (50) to 3.6 (24) at half-time.
Elmore wasn’t able to make serious inroads in the third quarter, which mirrored the first, as North Bendigo again booted four majors to two for the Swans.
With the result effectively decided heading into the fourth, Elmore was playing for pride as much as anything else in the final term and, although it conceded another four majors, still marginally won the quarter by kicking four of its own, the Swans nonetheless going down 9.9 (63) to 15.13 (103).
Matthew Cox, Lachie Gawel, and Ashton Sinn booted two goals each for the hosts, while Cox and Sinn were also named in the best players with Rhys Holmberg, Matthew O'Dwyer, Charlie O’Toole and Xavier Coghill.
Elmore will be on the road for the first time this season on Saturday, facing a White Hills side that was last year’s wooden spooner, but has started 2026 with a winning record.
Round three’s other fixture ended up being the most entertaining, as Heathcote secured a dramatic one-goal win over Huntly for its first win of the season.
The Saints seemed destined to cruise to victory at three-quarter time, leading by 26 points, but had to hold off a resurgent Hawks in the final term, Huntly rallying back with four goals to one in the fourth, but coming up short, Heathcote prevailing 9.16 (70) to 9.10 (64).