HDFL | Saints hammer Bombers in season finale

The contest was relatively tight early on with the Saints ahead by just nine points at quarter-time, but they blew the game wide open with a dominant second term.

Heathcote booted a massive 11 goals to two in the second stanza as it opened up a 63-point lead at the main break.

The Bombers were able to stem the tide somewhat in the second half, but the Saints’ nine goals to L-G’s five saw them pick up their seventh win of the season.

Bombers coach Tim Bannan admitted the result was a disheartening way to close out the season.

“It was a pretty good first quarter, but we got blown out of the water in the second term. We had a fade out and they went to town on us,” Bannan said.

“The positive is we didn’t give up, we kept fighting. It looked like we had put the cue in the rack in the second quarter, but then in the second half the boys fought really hard. That was pleasing to see.”

“We had three pull out early Saturday morning, so we had three reserves players double-up and we had two under-18s players do that as well.”

The result means the Bombers have finished last on the ladder with one win this season, their second consecutive wooden spoon.

Bannan said his side was hoping for a better season, but again, he was focusing on the positives.

“It has been disappointing. We were hoping for three or four wins. But with the injuries we’ve had, I can’t be too disappointed,” he said.

“Overall, we still had a pretty good year. We have blooded a lot of kids through the seniors and that will set us in good stead for next season and hopefully into the future.

“We have played a lot of kids and we are going in the right direction. When we do stick to structure and stick to our plans, we know we can run with some of the better sides.”

Jackson Jones led the way for the Saints up front, booting five majors, while his teammates Kai Cavallaro and Connor Hamilton each kicked three. Billy Hawken was the Bombers’ leading goal-kicker with four on the day.

Bannan said Hawke, Nathan McLellan and Blake Azzopardi were the three top performers for his side.

For Heathcote, the big win wasn’t enough to lift it into the top five, with White Hills clinching the last finals position with it 69-point win over Huntly.