Strathfieldsaye fights on to end Golden Square’s run
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Strathfieldsaye fights on to end Golden Square’s run
STRATHFIELDSAYE Storm showed plenty of fighting spirit to win the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy first semi-final against Golden Square on Sunday.
Storm and the Bulldogs were in a clash to keep their premiership dream alive on Queen Elizabeth Oval.
After Storm surged to a 25-9 lead by quarter-time it was the Bulldogs who capitalised on the breeze in the second to score 4.3 as Strathfieldsaye added just two behinds.
Storm looked to be in all sorts after injuries put Charlie King and Darcy Mulquiny out of the game in the second quarter.
Despite injuring his hamstring, Shannon Geary switched from defence to play deep in the forward 50m arc to ensure Storm had some rotations off the bench in the second quarter.
Talented youngster Jaidi Jackson-Leahy also played on through injury.
Their efforts inspired team-mates as the Luke Freeman-coached Strathfieldsaye won the third quarter, 42-12.
Playing into the breeze and limited by just 18 fully-fit players raised concerns for some in the Storm camp.
Led by the play of Bode Stevens, Daniel Clohesy and Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye scored 1.3 in the last and more importantly kept the Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs to a score of 3.4.
At the final siren Strathfieldsaye celebrated a 78-70 victory in one of the club’s most memorable finals matches.
Best for Golden Square were Jordan Rosengren, Tom Toma, Terence Reeves and Jack Threlfall.
Strathfieldsaye’s next target is Sandhurst in Saturday’s preliminary final.
The Dragons were outplayed for a lot of the second semi-final showdown with Gisborne.
At one stage the Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs had gained a 38-point lead against the Dragons.
Although Sandhurst won the last term, 28-13, it was Gisborne which was first to qualify for the September 21 grand final as it claimed an 89-66 victory.
The Bulldogs are in the box seat to claim the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.
Zac Denany led the Bulldogs’ attack on three goals as Brad Bernacki and Matt Merrett added two each.
Sandhurst’s leading goalkickers were Fergus Greene and Cobi Maxted on two.
Gun on-baller Flynn Lakey was best afield for Gisborne as Zach Vescovi, Brad Bernacki and Macklan Lord won plenty of contests.
Best for Sandhurst were Lachlan Tardrew, Cooper Smith, Harrison Free and Noah Walsh.
After finishing the home-and-away series on top of the ladder the Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Dragons now have plenty of work to do to gain another crack at Gisborne.
There will be at least one change to Gisborne’s team for the grand final after Shane Clough sustained a season-ending broken jaw.
In the reserves competition, Strathfieldsaye won the first semi-final against Golden Square by 25 points to set up a preliminary final showdown with Gisborne.
The Sandhurst Dragons fired up for an eight-point win against the Bulldogs in the second semi-final as Wil Pinniger, Darcy Mills, Rory Ellett and Brodie Montague were best.
Sandhurst is first to the SporstPower under-18s grand final after a two-point victory against Golden Square in the second semi-final.
The Jarrod Bateson-coached Dragons led 25-13 at half-time, but the Bulldogs bit back to win the third term, 16-7.
The final quarter went Square’s way, 2-1, but the Dragons led 33-31 at the final siren.
Oscar Cail kicked three goals for Sandhurst as Jaxon Howard, Will Bassett and Charles Duke were best.
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by James Wilkinson with two goals as Oliver Eaton, Lincoln McKern, Riley Dillon and Jack McMahon.
It’s an all-Bulldogs clash in the preliminary final after Gisborne won Sunday’s first semi-final against Castlemaine by 15 points.
Bendigo FNL footy first semi-finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Strathfieldsaye 3.7 3.9 9.15 10.18 (78)
Golden Square 1.3 5.6 7.6 10.10 (70)
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Lachlan Gill, Matt Harvey 2, Zach Charles, Daniel Clohesy, Shannon Geary, Malik Gordon, Shannon Murphy, Riley Wilson. Golden Square: Jordan Rosengren 4, Jack Stewart, Tom Toma 2, Jayden Burke, Hugh Freckleton.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Bode Stevens, Daniel Clohesy, Riley Wilson, Matt Harvey, Malik Gordon, Lachlan Ratcliffe. Golden Square: Jordan Rosengren, Tom Toma, Terence Reeves, Jack Threlfall, Jon Coe, Dylan Hird.
Drummond Golf Reserves:
Strathfieldsaye 0.2 2.5 3.7 7.12 (54)
Golden Square 0.0 1.1 3.4 4.5 (29)
GOALS – Strathfieldsaye: Siologa Siu, Jye Stephens 2, Hugh Behrens, Ned Hayes, Carson James. Golden Square: Paul Symons 3, Lachlan Monti.
BEST – Strathfieldsaye: Ned Hayes, Carson James, Dermott Bell, Hugh Behrens, Charles Dole, Charlie Morrison. Golden Square: Lachlan Monti, Rory McCrann-Peters, Zac Tickell, Bailey Rackstraw, Dean Norris, Noah Warfe.
Sportspower under-18s:
Gisborne 2.5 4.5 8.9 9.10 (64)
Castlemaine 2.2 4.5 4.5 7.7 (49)
GOALS – Gisborne: Harrison Bryant, Wilhem Mackay 2, James Bullen, Lucas Hannon, Campbell Johns, Diesel Lewis, Jack Rutten. Castlemaine: Chaz Holman 3, Jackson Balcombe, Kyan Martin, Mitchell McKnight, Jack Nuttall.
BEST – Gisborne: Campbell Johns, Jacob Floreani, Baden Dickins, Thomas Dawson, Diesel Lewis. Castlemaine: Thomas Ford, Archie Rixon, Chaz Holman, Mitchell McKnight, Alton Bracken, Jackson Balcombe.
Bendigo FNL footy second semi-finals scoreboard:
Seniors:
Gisborne 4.3 6.5 11.10 13.11 (89)
Sandhurst 3.1 4.5 5.8 9.12 (66)
GOALS – Gisborne: Zac Denahy 3, Brad Bernacki, Matt Merrett 2, Braidon Blake, Shane Clough, James Gray, Dylan Johnstone, Harry Luxmoore, Pat McKenna. Sandhurst: Fergus Greene, Cobi Maxted 2, Bryce Curnow, Cooper Smith, Lachlan Tardrew, Dayten Uerata, Lachlan Wright.
BEST – Gisborne: Flynn Lakey, Zach Vescovi, Brad Bernacki, Macklan Lord, Frank Schipano, Liam Spear. Sandhurst: Lachlan Tardrew, Cooper Smith, Harrison Free, Noah Walsh, Cobi Maxted, James Coghlan.
Drummond Golf reserves:
Sandhurst 3.0 3.2 4.6 5.6 (36)
Gisborne 0.1 1.6 2.7 3.10 (28)
GOALS – Sandhurst: Luke Crawford, Jack Keating, Brodie Montague, Oscar Perez, Alex Wharton. Gisborne: Hayden Doricic, Luke Weber, Tom Wood.
BEST – Sandhurst: Wil Pinniger, Darcy Mills, Rory Ellett, Brodie Montague, Oscar Perez, Jack Keating. Gisborne: Boyd Nalder, Ed Williams, Rohan Nicol, Jacob Murphy, Tom Wood, Kane Minns.
Sportspower under-18s:
Sandhurst 2.1 4.1 5.2 5.3 (33)
Golden Square 1.0 2.1 4.5 4.7 (31)
GOALS – Sandhurst: Oscar Cail 3, Joseph Artavilla, Finlay Lockhart. Golden Square: James Wilkinson 2, Archie Eaton, Jack McMahon.
BEST – Sandhurst: Jaxon Howard, Will Bassett, Charles Duke, Oscar Cail, Deakin Andrews, Shannon Tardrew. Golden Square: Oliver Eaton, Lincoln McKern, Riley Dillon, Jack McMahon, Melvic Pambai.
Schedule for Saturday’s preliminary finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval:
Under-18s at 10.45am: Golden Square v Gisborne.
Reserves at 12.45: Gisborne v Strathfieldsaye.
Seniors at 2.20pm: Sandhurst v Strathfieldsaye.
