ROUND 12 FOOTBALL REVIEW | Dragons unleash final quarter blitz
THE Sandhurst Dragons unleashed a brilliant final quarter blitz to beat South Bendigo in Saturday’s 12th round clash in Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy.
Scores were locked on 66-all in the early minutes of the last term at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
A run of eight unanswered goals by Sandhurst completed a 115-66 victory against the Bloods.
The Dragons controlled a lot of the play in the first half to lead 52-37 at the main break.
South Bendigo fought back superbly to be within seven points at the last change and a great goal by on-baller Anthony Zimmerman tied the contest early in the last.
The Dragons then fired up with goals by co-coach Lachlan Tardrew, Caleb Connick and Fergus Greene.
Consecutive goals by Tom Campbell were followed by successful shots by Nick Stagg and co-captain Cooper Smith.
Six goals by Fergus Greene capped a best on ground performance by the gun forward as Tom Campbell finished on four majors.
Nick Stagg and on-baller/forward Matt Wilkinson booted two goals.
South Bendigo’s attack was brilliantly led by Steven Stroobants on five goals as Kaiden Antonowicz kicked two.
Best for Sandhurst were Fergus Greene, Cooper Smith, James Coghlan, Darcy Mills, Lachlan Tardrew and Tom Campbell.
The Dragons also have Bryce Curnow as co-coach in the pursuit of back-to-back premierships.
South Bendigo’s best were Steven Stroobants, Hayden Geddes, Isaiah Miller, Brody Haddow, Tom Brereton and Callum Crisp.
The Bloods are jointly coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing.
Eaglehawk was in control for most of its clash with Strathfieldsaye in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
The Hawks led 14-3 at quarter-time and then scored three goals in the second as it kept Storm to a goal.
The Luke Freeman-coached Strathfieldsaye hit back to win the third term, 19-11.
Eaglehawk responded to the challenge by kicking two goals in the last as Storm was held to a tally of two behinds.
Bailey Ilsley led the Two Blues attack with three goals in a 61-31 victory.
The Hawks also had captain Billy Evans, Brayden Frost, Nick Hoare, Ben and Jack Thompson on target.
Storm’s goalkickers were Patrick Blandford, Charlie King, Bode Stevens and Jordan Wilson.
Best for Eaglehawk were Ben Thompson, Joel Budarick, Billy Evans, Thomas Bennett, Charlie Langford and Dylan Hanley.
The Hawks are jointly coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, playing.
Strathfieldsaye’s best were talented youngster Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, Bode Stevens, Jack Bell, Lachlan Ratcliffe, Pat Blake and Jed Daniels.
Gisborne withstood a strong second half fightback at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve to defeat the Magpies by 21 points.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne led 33-19 at quarter-time and then slammed on six goals in the second as it kept the Magpies to a solitary major.
Although it faced a seven goal deficit at the start of the second half the Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine lifted its play, especially in terms of contested footy.
The Magpies won the third term, 34-20, and the last, 22-15.
At the final siren Gisborne led 106-85.
On-baller Brad Bernacki and the classy Matt Merrett led Gisborne’s attack on three goals.
The Bulldogs had James Gray, Campbell Johns, Dylan Johnstone and Harry Luxmoore add two goals each.
Castlemaine’s attack was led by Hunter Staples on two goals as 10 team-mates chipped in with a goal.
Less than a week after earning the Robert O’Connell Medal as Bendigo’s best in the under-19s match with the Victorian Amateurs, James Gray was best afield for Gisborne.
The Bulldogs also had Brad Bernacki, Matt Merrett, Lachlan Evans, Darcy Young and Kane Minns play key roles in this victory.
Castlemaine’s best were ruckman Patrik Balta, Curtis McLennan, Darby Semmens, Kalan Huntly, Rhys Jenkins and Hunter Staples.
Another victory by Golden Square meant it joined Strathfieldsaye on 16 points as the fight to claim fifth place heated up.
The Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square was too strong at home against Kangaroo Flat.
The Bulldogs added to a remarkable winning streak against the Roos as they won Saturday’s showdown by 107 points.
Golden Square led 30-8 at quarter-time and then took charge in the second as it added five goals and kept the Roos to a major.
It was 64-14 by half-time.
Inspired by the play of on-baller Jordan Rosengren, key defender Zack Shelton and midfielder Tom Strauch, Golden Square scored 13 goals in the second half to complete a 151-44 victory.
Xavier Carter, Jack McMahon and Jordan Rosengren led the attack on four goals each.
Talented teenager Riley Dillon slotted three goals as Lachlan Humphrey and Jack Stewart kicked two.
Kangaroo Flat’s goalkickers were Sam Barnes, Jack Bell, Jake Hywood, Harrison Jackman, Aaron Melis, and captain Ethan Roberts.
The best for Golden Square included Dylan Hird, Harrison Kelly and Lachlan Humphrey.
Kangaroo Flat ruckman Angus Macpherson was best along with Ethan Roberts, Jack Bell, Jeremy Rodi, Josh Leersen and Jay Newman.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 246 per cent, 44 points; Gisborne 144, 40; Eaglehawk 167, 36; South Bendigo 121, 28; Strathfieldsaye 81, 16; Golden Square 78, 16; Castlemaine 74, 12; Kangaroo Flat 29, 0.
It’s a rematch of ’24 grand finalists Gisborne and Sandhurst in next Saturday’s 13th round at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve from 2.20pm.
South Bendigo faces the in-form Golden Square at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Streete.
Eaglehawk will be on home turf at Canterbury Park to meet Castlemaine in the clash of the Hawks and Magpies.
Strathfieldsaye Storm will be back at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane to take on Kangaroo Flat.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
34 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
32 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
30 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
27 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
27 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
25 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
24 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
21 Jack McMahon, Golden Square.
20 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
19 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
18 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
18 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
17 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
16 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
16 Clayton Holmes, Eaglehawk.
16 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
16 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
15 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
15 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
15 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
14 Lachie Hood, Sandhurst.
14 Cooper Jones, Strathfieldsaye.
