Dragons mark David McCann Memorial trophy hat-trick
Dragons mark David McCann Memorial trophy hat-trick
SANDHURST has marked a hat-trick of David McCann Memorial Trophy wins as champion club for the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s 2025 season.
A tally of 98 points which was earned across all grades of football and netball put the Dragons at number one on the board.
Sandhurst FNC president Mark O’Farrell said at Sunday night’s presentation the David McCann trophy was highly sought-after every season.
The long-running award honours McCann who was secretary of the Bendigo Golden City Football League and later racked up a 10-year stint as Castlemaine FNC secretary.
The McCann family is still actively involved with the Magpies.
Elaine and Sean McCann presented the award to O’Farrell.
“We value this award highly,” O’Farrell said.
“To have seven teams in grand finals is a fantastic reward for effort.”
The Dragons’ off-field leader said many played their part in the club’s long-running success.
There was a special mention for A-grade coach Tamara Gilchrist who is in her 10th year at the club and will chase premiership glory this Saturday against Kangaroo Flat.
Another outstanding season by Sandhurst’s on-baller/mid Lachlan Tardrew included the Derrick Filo Medal as Bendigo’s best in the inter-league clash with the Victorian Amateurs at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The match was won by the VAFA in extra time.
Tardrew racked up 46 disposals as he starred for the Simon Rosa-coached Bendigo FNL representatives.
The Robert O’Connell Medal for Bendigo’s best in the under-19s clash with the VAFA went to Gisborne on-baller James Gray.
The talented rover was captain of the blue and gold and racked up 29 disposals and four clearances against a powerful opponent.
It was a mix of senior and reserves footy for Castlemaine’s Archie Rixon across the season.
A tally of 14 votes earnt Rixon the Alan McDonald Medal as fairest and best in the reserves.
A high was a breakthrough finals victory at open-age level for the Magpies as they beat Eaglehawk in the elimination final.
The run for Rixon and his team-mates ended in a one-point loss to South Bendigo in the first semi-final.
Rixon represented the Jason Stevens-coached Bendigo in the under-19s match against the VAFA.
The night included a special presentation to Workforce XS for its support of the inter-league campaign.
A top defender in his playing days with Sandhurst FNC and later president, Chris Greene accepted the award.
Greene praised all players, coaches and support staff on what was an outstanding game.
“If there were any doubts about the quality of the league then it was there for all to see in that match,” Greene said.
Golden Square key forward Jack McMahon earnt the Bart ‘n Print Rising Star award which was presented by Steve Bright.
McMahon stepped up from playing under-18s last season to be a key target in attack for the Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs.
“The first eight weeks of the season were really tough,” McMahon said of a one-seven start.
“I learnt a lot.”
McMahon said a young team which sometimes had up to a dozen players either under-20 or under-19 kept working hard and put in a strong second half of the season.
There were many tough opponents, but McMahon said team-mate Zack Shelton was an incredibly difficult match-up at training.
“A lot of people have given their time to help us develop and improve and we appreciate it a lot.”
For the seventh time there were joint winners of the George Symons Medal as fairest and best in the Bendigo FNL under-18s competition.
Sandhurst forward Oscar Cail and Eaglehawk on-baller Cahal Blandthorn were locked on 21 votes after the final card was called in the pre-Michelsen/Thompson Medal vote count held on Radio Fresh fm 101.5.
Leading goalkicker on 44 in the Coffee Storm award, Cail will chase a premiership this Saturday against Golden Square.
Cail said he did not have the best start to the season, but support from coaches and team-mates helped him strike form.
Another key off-field player in dealing with goal-setting, mental toughness and more was Bob Fletcher who had a long-time involvement with Bendigo Pioneers through player welfare and more.
Cail played some reserves matches this season and has sights on stepping up to play at senior level with the maroon and blue.
Blandthorn also stepped up to play at “twos” level for the Hawks in ’25 and will be working on increasing fitness and strength to play seniors for the Borough.
On the Coffee Storm-sponsored goalkicking awards front, South Bendigo’s Brock Harvey claimed the Ron Best Medal as the leader in seniors on 48 goals.
Harvey teamed with Kaiden Antonowicz and Steven Stroobants in attack and all three played key roles in the Bloods’ resurgence and run to a first semi-final against Gisborne.
Harvey’s career kicked off with Golden Square juniors and he later crossed to South Bendigo, as did his brother, Regan.
For Brock Harvey and his clubmates the goal is to build on this season’s momentum in which the Bloods finished fourth in the seniors, third in reserves and under-18s.
Joint winners of the reserves goalkicking were Golden Square’s Tanner Rayner and South Bendigo’s Will Purcell on 28 goals.
They were opponents in last Sunday’s preliminary final which Golden Square.
Tanner and his team-mates will now tackle Sandhurst in the grand final.
