ROUND 4 FOOTBALL REVIEW
BY NATHAN DOLE
Gisborne wins great match on Eaglehawk’s ground
GISBORNE marked a thrilling 11-point victory at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park in Saturday’s fourth round of senior football in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.
Fans were treated to arguably the league’s best match of ’25 so far in the Borough.
Gisborne led 26-25 at quarter-time before scores were 51-all by the long break.
Eaglehawk won the third term, 23-31.
In the last it was the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne which scored five goals in a high-pressure contest and kept the Two Blues to a tally of three.
At the final siren Gisborne led 105-94.
Gun forward Pat McKenna led the Bulldogs’ attack on five goals as Brad Bernacki, Shane Clough, James Gray and Thomas Werner kicked two each.
The Hawks’ attack was led by co-coach Clayton Holmes and Jack O’Shannessy with three as Jonty Neaves and Ben Thompson added two.
Best for Gisborne were Matt Merrett, Pat McKenna, Shane Clough, Ryan Bourke, Brad Bernacki and Patrick Trotta.
Clayton Holmes, Brayden Frost, Billy Evans, Ben Thompson, Joel Mullen and Nick Hoare were best for an Eaglehawk team which has Travis Matheson as non-playing co-coach.
Strathfieldsaye Storm surged to its first win of the season in the marquee match for the Pat Cronin Foundation round against Golden Square.
The Luke Freeman-coached Storm led 21-13 at quarter-time and then scored 4.6 as it kept the Bulldogs to a tally of two behinds in the second term.
Golden Square fought back strongly to score 4.2 and held Storm to just two behinds in the third term.
Defences were well on top in the last.
Storm goaled through Cooper Jones to seal a 62-43 victory.
Strathfieldsaye’s attack was led by Charlie King, Bode Stevens and Riley Wilson with two goals each.
Drew Barrett and Jordan Rosengren kicked two goals for the Bulldogs.
Best for Storm were on-baller Sam Heavyside, Riley Wilson, Tim Hosking, Charlie King, Cooper Jones and Bode Stevens.
Tom Strauch, Carson James, Jake Maher, Jon Coe, Jordan Rosengren and Brodie James were best for the Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square.
At Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve it was South Bendigo which stunned the Magpies.
On the rebound from its first defeat of the season, South Bendigo raced to a 34-8 lead by quarter-time.
The Bloods then added 5.4 and kept the Pies to a tally of 2.5 in the second.
Kept goalless for one of the few times in his career, Kaiden Antonowicz responded brilliantly for the Bloods with a match-high seven goals as the classy Brock Harvey added five in what became a 56-point victory.
Antonowicz was best afield in the 115-59 result as Alex Davis, Brock Harvey, Brody Haddow, Zaydyn Lockwood and Jesse Collins also starred for the red and white.
Leading goalkicker for Castlemaine was Josh Eyre on four.
Best for the Michael Hartley-coached Magpies were Ryan Eyre, Callum McConachy, Michael Hartley, Zavier Murley, Patrick Balta and Will Marks.
A South Bendigo line-up coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, will now focus on trying to wrest the Graeme Wright Memorial Cup from Sandhurst’s grasp in next Saturday’s match at Harry Trott Oval.
Sandhurst showed it has plenty of scoring options in a 171-15 victory against Kangaroo Flat at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Although he had declared playing days were over after last Saturday’s grand final victory, co-coach Bryce Curnow was back on field for the Dragons.
There were 14 goalkickers for the maroon and blue in a tally of 26 goals.
Tom Campbell led the way on five goals as Hugh Schmetzer and Matt Wilkinson kicked three each.
Players on the two-goal tally were Lachie Hood, Cobi Maxted, Nick Stagg and co-coach Lachlan Tardrew.
Was a tough afternoon for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroo Flat in which Toby Roberts was on target with two goals.
After featuring in a three-way tie for the Michelsen Medal as league fairest and best in ’24, Lachlan Tardrew’s hot form rolled on in a best on ground performance against the Kangaroos.
Best for Sandhurst included Lachie Hood, co-captain Cooper Smith, Seb Collins, Matt Wilkinson and Charlie Robinson.
Ethan Roberts, Shaun Watson, Zach Rouse, Daniel Stagg, Jake Hywood and Zach Bird were Kangaroo Flat’s best.
The split fifth round kicks off next Saturday in which South Bendigo and Sandhurst will fight for the points and Graeme Wright Memorial Cup from 2.20pm at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
Saturday’s other match features Gisborne against Castlemaine at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
The round will be completed on May 17 when Kangaroo Flat or Golden Square end their winless run at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Eaglehawk will be back on home turf at Canterbury Park against Strathfieldsaye Storm.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 277 per cent, 16 points; Eaglehawk 206, 12; Gisborne 150, 12; South Bendigo 116, 12; Castlemaine 88, 8; Strathfieldsaye 86, 4; Golden Square 50, 0; Kangaroo Flat 25, 0.
Leaders in goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
15 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
11 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
11 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
10 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
10 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
9 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
9 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
8 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
8 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
8 Thomas Werner, Gisborne.
7 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
7 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
6 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
6 Tyh Evans, Eaglehawk.
6 James Gray, Gisborne.
6 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
6 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
6 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
6 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
5 Seb Bell-Bartels, Gisborne.
5 Jack Fallon, South Bendigo.
5 Matt Filo, Castlemaine.
