A stunning end to the Heathcote District Football League regular season saw Lockington-Bamawm United claim the competition’s last finals spot by the tightest of margins.
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The round
Lockington-Bamawm United 20.10 (130) d Elmore 7.7 (49)
Heathcote 7.9 (51) lt Mount Pleasant 14.18 (102)
Leitchville-Gunbower 21.8 (134) d White Hills 12.9 (81)
Huntly 4.4 (28) lt North Bendigo 12.15 (87)
Colbinabbin bye
Heading into the last round 18, sixth-placed Lockington only trailed fifth-placed Leitchville-Gunbower via a marginal percentage difference.
Lockington’s figure sat at 83.2 per cent entering the day, with the Bombers just ahead at 85.07.
The two sides had favourable match-ups to close their seasons, which they both won with ease.
Lockington faced bottom-placed Elmore, cruising to an 81-point triumph.
Meanwhile, Leitchville didn’t have it all its way against second-bottom White Hills, requiring a strong fourth quarter to secure a comfortable 53-point victory.
As both teams were expected to beat their two struggling opponents, percentage became the most important metric to track and play for at both Lockington Recreation Reserve and Leitchville Recreation Reserve.
Cats coach Jayden Howe said the club didn’t send anyone to Leitchville, but still found a way to gather updates throughout the day.
The afternoon began with Lockington leading Elmore 19-3 at the first change, and it suddenly had the better percentage at 84.55 to the Bombers’ 84.37, who were trailing the Demons at quarter-time.
Howe said knowing Leitchville had started slowly while his side came out firing changed his messaging to the playing group, though the coach still had other goals he wanted the side to achieve.
“We hadn’t put a side away all year,” he said.
“Priority one wasn't finals, priority one was winning the game and finishing a game for once.”
The Cats met that task in the second quarter by doubling down on the first, outscoring the Bloods 32-8 to lead 8.3 (51) to 1.5 (11) at half-time, with a percentage of 86.61.
That was still ahead of Leitchville’s 86.1, the Bombers having struck back in their second term to lead by a goal at the main break.
Lockington hand all but secured its victory heading into the second half, and after winning the third term 33-19, it continued to have the upper hand with a 87.94 percentage to the Bombers’ 87.01.
Leitchville’s metric jumped up in its third quarter, but it was yet to guarantee victory, only up by 14 entering the fourth.
The Bombers not only needed to ensure victory but do so in a comfortable fashion, meaning it required a dominant final term, which they produced.
Leitchville outscored the Demons 45-6 in the fourth, culminating in a 21.8 (134) to 12.9 (81) full-time score.
But in Lockington, the Cats continued to go for the jugular, producing their own seven-goal period — Elmore kicking three in reply — to run out as 20.10 (130) to 7.7 (49) winners.
Lockington keeping its appetite right until the end proved critical as it overtook Leitchville and snuck into the post-season picture by finishing fifth.
The Bombers had boosted their percentage all the way up to 90.05 by full-time, but the Cats ended at 90.26, with a mere 0.21 splitting the two sides.
As a result, Howe’s side met its pre-season target by returning to the post-season for the first time since 2022.
“Not only did we achieve that goal, but we take another step forward, we had a lot of young kids debut this year and [we grew] that base level of talent,” the Lockington coach said.
Next, the Cats face Heathcote in an elimination final, the two sides having split their regular season meetings.
“It’s an exciting opportunity,” Howe said.
“When we versed them the second time, we still only got beaten by 20 points, so for us it's an achievable outcome to go out there and win this weekend, and we'll put things in place to make sure that's realistic.”
The coach added that Lockington could welcome a few players back from injury for the big clash, while key forward Thomas Leech will return from a five-game suspension.
Meanwhile, Elmore’s challenging season concluded with a 14th loss from 16 games, the Bloods finishing bottom of the ladder in 2026.
Heathcote v Mount Pleasant
Mount Pleasant secured the minor premiership on the final day of the regular season by cruising to a 51-point win over Heathcote at Barrack Reserve.
The Mounts were fast starters, racing out to a 36-12 quarter-time lead, an advantage which could’ve been more if not for some inaccurate kicking, the visitors having booted 5.6.
Pleasant added another three majors in the second term to the Saints’ one to sit comfortably ahead at half-time, 8.8 (56) to 3.2 (20).
Much of the damage was done in the first half as the two sides were more evenly matched after the main break, with Heathcote only narrowly losing the third quarter 18-16.
But the home side’s improved second half effort was redundant in the overall picture, and Pleasant added another four goals to its tally in the final term to put extra gloss on its 12th victory of the season, winning 14.18 (102) to 7.9 (51).
Cam Carter’s side shared the love in the goal scoring department with 10 different contributors, while Nathan Kay, Jack Hickman, Xavier Carter, Joey Bell, William Wallace, and Caelan Smith made up Pleasant’s best.
The Mounts were competing with North Bendigo for first, only needing to win to earn the first week off in the finals series.
Although the Bulldogs defeated Huntly 12.15 (87) to 4.4 (28) in action elsewhere, they were consigned to second, with third-placed Colbinabbin being their first match-up in the post-season.