Sport
2 May, 2026
Injured half-dozen back within a fortnight
NEWBRIDGE will get up to half a dozen players back in the next two weeks, making Sunday’s 57-point win over Mitiamo all the sweeter.
NEWBRIDGE will get up to half a dozen players back in the next two weeks, making Sunday’s 57-point win over Mitiamo all the sweeter.
The Maroons broke open the game in the second and third quarters, kicking 11 goals to two after a tight opening term.
Coach Jayden Cordy openly targeted a 100-point win at the last change, but the Superoos fought out the game well, booting 3.4 to 2.3 in the final quarter.
“We just ran out of legs,” Cordy said. “We only had one on the bench and it was a hot day.”
Midfielder Andrew Willett (knee) and Kyan Dooley (shoulder) couldn’t play out the game, with Willett’s injury to be assessed, although the club is confident it is not an ACL.
Cordy was delighted with his first win as coach of Newbridge, and especially happy with his team’s ability to shut down Mitiamo when the Superoos got a run-on early in the third quarter.
“We showed a lot of maturity in slowing the game up,” he said.
With Billy Schilling’s back injury set to sideline the key forward in the long-term, the Maroons turned to veteran Chris Dixon, called up from the reserves.
“We needed a tall target, and ‘Dicko’ did his job and kicked a goal,” Cordy said.
Dixon will play again next week against Calivil and then get his wish to go back to the twos.
The side’s top forward was Caleb Sanders, who kicked five goals and was named best afield.
Coach and midfielder Luke Lougoon battled as hard as ever for Mitiamo, with young North Bendigo recruit Joey Mizzi also prominent.
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IT WAS an unequal battle for Calivil against Marong on Sunday, with the Panthers kicking eight goals in the first quarter and the Demons scoreless on the way to a 120-point defeat.
And for a fatalistic Calivil coach Sam Maher, the result was as much a testament to Marong’s remarkable playing depth than anything else.
Cooper Hale, who won the league reserves best and fairest award last season, booted seven goals after making a commitment to full-time senior football in 2026.
“They are definitely as strong as ever,” Maher said of four-time premiers Marong.
“The top six players in their reserves would be better than the bottom six of most senior sides.”
He bemoaned his team’s performance in the first quarter, when Marong kicked with the assistance of a moderate breeze.
“They got on top early and we sagged off too much,” he said.
The Panthers were held to two goals in the second quarter while Calivil booted one, but another nine goals in the third term saw them 108 points in front, having kicked a remarkably accurate 19.4.
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