THE goalie combinations of two undefeated teams are helping drive their sides towards premiership glory in their respective leagues.
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Ladder leaders Cobden and Nirranda are mid-season favourites to win the top-grade premiership in the Hampden and Warrnambool and District leagues respectively, and it is due in part to their prolific goalies.
The two teams are undefeated and have shown no signs of being beaten at the midway point of the season.
And their goalies have been difficult to contain during that time too.
An on-song attacking end can make or break a team's push for victory but a prolific one can be a big tick for any premiership contender.
So far this season the Blues and Bombers' attacks are the best in their leagues and it is showing on the win-loss tally and could play a part in a deep finals run if opposition teams can't shut down or limit them.
Cobden's settled combination of Molly Hutt and sisters Emily and Jaymie Finch has combined for 392 goals this season.
The next best attack in the Hampden league is Koroit's trio of Nell Mitchell, Rachel Dobson and Belle Baker, who have combined for 368 goals.
The new-look South Warrnambool shooting circle, led by a mix of youth and experience in Olivia Marris and Annie Blackburn, follows the Saints in third with 350.
Emily Finch is the league's top scorer after eight games this year with Hamilton Kangaroos' rising star Hollie Phillips just one goal behind her at this stage of the season.
The star shooter has played eight games and is averaging 30 goals a game, which is the third best this season behind Phillips (34.14) and Mitchell (31.16).
The Cobden trio is just one of two combinations in the league to score 100 per cent of their teams goals.
North Warrnambool Eagles' Vic Grundy, coach Skye Billings and Tahni Porter, who have scored 311 goals, is the other side.
While the trio has been smashing it stats wise the expected return of coach Sophie Hinkley in the not too distant future will put heat on competition for spots in the attacking end.
The Bombers' trio has the second best combined average of 59.33 (Emily 30, Jaymie 12 and Molly 17.33) goals a game.
Koroit's is the best with 63.22 (Mitchell 31.16, Dobson 20.66 and Baker 11.4) goals a game.
The Kangaroos come in third with 49.39 a games from its combination of Phillips (34.14), Hayley Sherlock (8.25) and Steph Holcombe (7).
Nirranda's premiership duo of playing-coach Steph Townsend and Sophie Adams have combined for a staggering 567 goals in the Warrnambool and District league's top grade this season.
Their impressive haul is more than 100 ahead of Timboon Demons trio Hayley Plozza, Raina Hunt and Laura Rosolin, who have combined for 441 goals in nine games.
Reigning premiers Merrivale has the third best combination with Chloe Lovell, Millie Mahony and Jess Haberfield scoring a total of 428 goals this season.
Townsend is by far the league's best scorer with an impressive 401 goals from her nine games this season.
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Old Collegians' Chelsea Quinn (272) and Russells Creek's Sarah Forbes (245) are trying to chase down the multi-talented Townsend in the league's goal tally.
Adams is also in the top 10 in eighth with 166 goals, at an average of 18.4 a game, of her own. The goal shooter has played all nine games this season as well.
Townsend also has the best average goals a game with 44.6 with Panmure's Eliza Dwyer, who has played just four games this season, not far behind with 44.
Forbes, who has played alongside Sophie Morton and Emily Armstrong in Creek's attack, follows the pair with an average of 30.6.
Townsend and Adams have scored 95.45 per cent of the Blues' total goals this season.
The premiership mentor has also played Jo Couch, Paige and captain Georgia Haberfield through the attacking end at stages this season.
Merrivale and Russells Creek's combinations have scored 100 per cent of their goals this season.
The Blues duo has the second best combined average of 63 (Townsend 44.6 and Adams 18.4) goals a game.
Panmure's trio of Dwyer (44), Abby Sheehan (14.8) and Charlotte Lenehan (13.5) is the top combination in this category with 72.3 goals a game.
The Demons trio of Plozza (21.2), Hunt (17.2) and Rosolin (11.9) follow the Blues in third, averaging 50.3 goals a game.
If Cobden and Nirranda's goalies continue their impressive form into the back half of the year then they will pose an even deadlier threat come finals time.
Top combinations
HFNL top five
Cobden (392 - Emily Finch 240, Jaymie Finch 48, Molly Hutt 104)
Koroit (368 - Nell Mitchell 187, Rachel Dobson 124, Belle Baker 57)
South Warrnambool (350 - Olivia Marris 204, Annie Blackburn 146)
Portland (317 - Hannah Bunney 118, Lauren Hockley 114, Heidi Jones 85)
North Warrnambool Eagles (311 - Tahni Porter 131, Vic Grundy 122, Skye Billings 58)
WDFNL top five
Nirranda (567 Steph Townsend 401, Sophie Adams 166)
Timboon Demons (441 - Hayley Plozza 191, Raina Hunt 155, Laura Rosolin 95)
Merrivale (428 - Chloe Lovell 232, Millie Mahony 117, Jess Haberfield 79)
Panmure (417 - Eliza Dwyer 176, Abby Sheehan 133, Charlotte Lenehan 108)
Russells Creek (402 - Sarah Forbes 245, Sophie Morton 83, Emily Armstrong 74)
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