UNASSAILABLE? Perhaps not so for the all-conquering Marong!
The reigning triple premiers in Loddon Valley football - seniors, reserves and under 18s - have been untouchable in pursuit of repeat flag glory after more than a month of play this season.
Those sides last Saturday had a combined 444-point winning margin - depth and dominance on show.
A year on from the Panthers wanting to leave Loddon Valley for neighbouring Heathcote league, the Malone Park outfit is stringing together a little dynasty.
One junior coach when asked at the weekend who can beat the Panthers in under 18s, simply replied: “It won’t be us.”
But in senior ranks, depth of players available for selection at Marong is equally admired and acting as a spur to tame the Loddon Valley’s reigning football beast that is seen as having a recruitment advantage, based on the outskirts of Bendigo, over Loddon clubs.
Club coaches have been reluctant to talk publicly about big winning margins of Marong this year. 
“We can’t make excuses when we don’t beat them,” one of the more experienced mentors said.
“They have depth and that’s a credit to them. But they can be beaten and that’s what we’re plotting to do. 
“They can be pushed and return clashes later in the season will be when we’ll see how good they are as other teams settle their lineups and keep improving.”
The Panthers have held two teams - Maiden Gully and Calivil last weekend - goalless while Newbridge managed just two majors in 120 minutes of football.
Big improver Inglewood stunned Marong in the first term of their round two clash before the Panthers pounced.
And the side still regarded as the best Loddon outfit, Pyramid Hill, also matched on the field and scoreboard for a quarter a fortnight ago before going down by 42 points.
Marong’s depth and versatility has also seen more than a dozen players kick goals in 2023.
Rivals still have their recruitment antennae on high alert searching for players to connect missing links in team structure before the June 30 registration cut-off. 
Another seasoned watcher of Loddon Valley football wryly said: “Marong’s winning the sprint but the season’s a marathon.”