The Heathcote District Football League kicks off this weekend with a host of local sides competing with varying expectations.

Reigning premier Mount Pleasant is eyeing of a third flag in four seasons in 2026 after clinching last year’s top honours with a thrilling five-point victory in the grand final against North Bendigo.

The Toolleen-based outfit starts its premiership defence by opening the season league-wide with a meeting away to Leitchville-Gunbower this Saturday afternoon, a clash between two sides expected to challenge near the summit.

Mount Pleasant is expected to field a slightly different side this year, having lost a few players from its premiership-winning team, notably Fletch White and Coby Dunlop to Rochester, though coach Cam Carter is aware of what a title defence brings.

“Obviously, we’ve become the hunted again and, with that, every week it doesn’t matter who you play, what position they are on the ladder, they all set themselves up to beat you,” he said.

One side certainly looking to best the Mighty Mounts this year is Colbinabbin, which was one step away from playing in the 2026 decider, bowing out at the preliminary final stage after a third place finish in the regular season.

Linton Jacobs’ team starts its campaign by featuring in one of the three Saturday night games in round one, with a trip to Elmore on the horizon.

The Grasshoppers have steadily improved over the past two seasons after missing the finals in 2023, but Jacobs knows they will have to fare better against fellow top sides to take the next step.

“In a couple of those bigger games we got beat up around the footy and couldn’t get our hands on it, so we’ve worked heavily on our contest in pre-season,” he said.

This weekend’s opposition, Elmore, has different fish to fry in 2026, aiming to return to the post-season having been a regular absentee over the past few seasons.

An early test against a potential contender in Colbo may be welcomed by the Swans, whose main priority is improvement after hovering between seventh and ninth on the ladder over the past four seasons.

A new coach will also be at the helm in Luke Freeman, who has already set about refreshing things out on the field.

“We’ve brought in some new concepts and systems that some of the boys, not all the boys, have been exposed to, and we’re just trying to implement them,” he said.

Lockington-Bamawm United enters the new season with a similar goal of improving its on-field structure, though coach Jayden Howe is clear that the side wants to play finals football.

Having won the premiership as recently as 2022, LBU has been surprisingly absent from the post-season over the past three years.

The Cats have an early challenge this weekend against North Bendigo in a home night fixture at Lockington Recreation Reserve, which is also the first opportunity for the club to showcase a feature of its squad Howe sees as a key strength.

“Our kids. I think that’s one thing we really need to hang our hat on, we’ve got a lot of really good talented youth,” he said.

Elsewhere, Heathcote has the opening round bye, while the other game will see White Hills host Huntly, the Hawks likely to also be in and around the top five in 2026.

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Wednesday, 26th September 2029

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