Round 11 Football Review | Bulldogs line-ups mark crucial victories
THE Bulldogs from Golden Square and Gisborne both marked crucial wins in Saturday’s 11th round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.
Golden Square’s win against Strathfieldsaye meant the blue and gold moved within a win of the fifth-placed Storm.
In what may well have been a qualifying final prelude at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve it was the Bulldogs who defeated Eaglehawk for a second time.
Two of the league’s fiercest rivals, Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye clashed on the Bulldogs’ ground in Wade Street.
A hat-trick of goals for Storm as Riley Mulquiny, Cooper Jones and Bode Stevens were on target gave the visitors a nine-point lead going into the final term.
Jack Stewart slotted a great goal from the pocket for Golden Square early in the last, but Storm struck back with goals by Jed Daniels and Bode Stevens.
From there it was the dare by the Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square which was to the fore.
Goals by Tommi Turner and Xavier Carter made it 54-all.
A defender for most of his career, Harrison Burke was on target for the blue and gold and Jordan Rosengren then kicked a fourth unanswered goal for the Dogs to lead 68-54.
Storm finished with three behinds in a row as Square achieved a 68-57 victory.
Leading goalkickers for the Bulldogs were Harrison Burke, Ollie Eaton and Jack McMahon with two each.
Storm’s attack was led by Jed Daniels and Bode Stevens with two.
A late call-up, Noah Warfe played an outstanding game in defence to be best for the Bulldogs along with Ollie Eaton, Harrison and Jayden Burke, Jack Stewart and Brodie James.
Bode Stevens, Jake Moorhead, Charlie King, Jed Daniels, Tim Hosking and Riley Wilson were best for the Luke Freeman-coached Strathfieldsaye.
It was an absorbing contest between Gisborne and Eaglehawk in the Bulldogs’ kennel.
The Hawks had first use of the breeze and led 24-1 by quarter-time.
Gisborne hit back to score 5.4 in the second and led 35-25 by the main break.
Quarter three was to be one of the Bulldogs best of the season.
The Hawks did plenty of attacking, but were wayward as they added 1.6.
A goal by Matt Merrett into the breeze proved crucial as Gisborne led 43-37 going into the fourth quarter.
The Hawks levelled scores early in the last, but Gisborne then controlled a lot of play.
Goals by Campbell Johns, James Gray and a fourth major by Merrett clinched a 66-51 win for the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne.
Eaglehawk’s leading goalkicker was Nick Hoare on two.
Bulldogs’ gun forward Pat McKenna played further up the ground and was best afield as Zach Vescovi, James Gray, Brad Bernacki, Matt Merrett and captain Jack Reaper also starred for the red, white and blue.
Eaglehawk’s best were Joel Budarick, Nick Hoare, Ben Thompson, Brayden Frost, Charlie Langford and Joel Mullen.
The Hawks are jointly coached by Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes.
South Bendigo withstood a spirited challenge from Castlemaine to win the clash on the Bloods’ turf at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval by 14 points.
On a day where the wind tested all teams, South Bendigo had first use of the breeze and led 27-3 at quarter-time.
Castlemaine hit back to score six goals in the second, but South’s ability to add three goals meant it led 47-40 by half-time.
South Bendigo added three majors as it kept the Magpies goalless in the third term.
Although Castlemaine won the last, 18-8, it was the Bloods who took the premiership points in a 75-61 result.
Brock Harvey kicked two goals as the Bloods list of nine goalkickers included Logan Howell in his first senior game.
The race for the Ron Best Medal for leading goalkicker is now led by Brock Harvey on 29 from Bloods’ team-mate Kaiden Antonowicz, 29, and Sandhurst’s Tom Campbell, 28.
Castlemaine’s Jack Chester kicked a match-high four goals as Kalan Huntly added two.
Best for the Bloods were on-ballers Brody Haddow and Tom Brereton, ruckman Callum Crisp, Hayden Geddes, Jake Rusbridge and Isaiah Miller.
In their first season as South Bendigo’s coaches, Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, have guided the team to a win-loss tally of seven four.
Best for Castlemaine were coach Michael Hartley, Jack Chester, Josh Eyre, Zach Greeves, Kalan Huntly and Curtis McLennan.
It was another big win for Sandhurst on Kangaroo Flat’s ground at Dower Park.
The ladder-leading Dragons led 43-8 by quarter-time and then slammed on seven goals in the second as the Roos added two majors.
Kangaroo Flat’s best term was the third as it scored 2.2 and kept the maroon and blue to a tally of 2.6.
It was an 11-goal blitz by the Dragons in the final term to complete a 176-42 victory.
Co-captain Fergus Greene and Matt Wilkinson kicked four goals each for Sandhurst.
Other multiple goalkickers for the reigning premier were Tom Campbell, Lachie Hood, co-coach Oliver Morris, Lachlan Tardrew and Dayten Uerata on two.
Kangaroo Flat had six goalkickers.
Best for Sandhurst were Hugh Schmetzer, Lachlan Tardrew, Cobi Maxted, Matt Wilkinson, Dayten Uerata and Lachlan Wright.
Aaron Nevins, Daniel Stagg, Ethan Roberts, Zach Bird, Jay Newman and Kyle Symons were best for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroo Flat.
It was a first senior game for Louis Banfield in a Sandhurst team which has Bryce Curnow as co-coach.
The Kangaroos had long-time player Jarryd Wiegard contest his first senior match since round 10 in the 2023 season.
It’s a rest for Bendigo FNL clubs next weekend.
The Bendigo FNL will tackle the Victorian Amateurs in Sunday’s inter-league match at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo’s View Street.
A big day of footy action kicks off with the under-19s and then seniors.
The Bendigo FNL home-and-away series resumes on July 19 in which Sandhurst and South Bendigo will contest the 12th round showdown at the QEO.
Strathfieldsaye faces Eaglehawk at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
Golden Square will face Kangaroo Flat on the Bulldogs’ turf in Wade Street.
Castlemaine plays Gisborne in the Magpies’ nest at Camp Reserve.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 255 per cent, 40 points; Gisborne 147, 36; Eaglehawk 165, 32; South Bendigo 130, 28; Strathfieldsaye 83, 16; Castlemaine 73, 12; Golden Square 66, 12; Kangaroo Flat 29, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
30 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
29 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
28 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
27 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
26 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
20 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
18 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
18 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
17 Jack McMahon, Golden Square.
16 Clayton Holmes, Eaglehawk.
16 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
16 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
16 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
15 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
15 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
15 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
14 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
14Lachie Hood, Sandhurst.
14 Cooper Jones, Strathfieldsaye.
14 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
14 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
13 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
12 Tyh Evans, Eaglehawk.
12 Josh Eyre, Castlemaine.
12 Charlie Robinson, Sandhurst.
10 Sam Barnes, Kangaroo Flat.
10 Nick Lang, Kangaroo Flat.
10 Charlie Robinson, Sandhurst.
10 Thomas Werner, Gisborne.
9 Xavier Carter, Golden Square.
9 Shane Clough, Gisborne.
9 James Gray, Gisborne.
9 Jake Hywood, Kangaroo Flat.
9 Luke Meletis, Gisborne.
9 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
9 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
9 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
9 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
8 Jack Fallon, South Bendigo.
8 Tom Strauch, Golden Square.
8 John Watson, Castlemaine.
7 Jack Chester, Castlemaine.
7 Caleb Connick, Sandhurst.
7 Jed Daniels, Strathfieldsaye.
7 Zach Greeves, Castlemaine.
7 Nick Hoare, Eaglehawk.
7 Lachie Hood, Sandhurst.
7 Kalan Huntly, Castlemaine.
7 Nick Keogh, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Oliver Morris, Sandhurst.
7 Cooper Smith, Sandhurst.
7 Jack Thompson, Eaglehawk.
7 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.
