ROUND 7 FOOTBALL PREVIEW ~ League leaders meet in Indigenous Round
BY NATHAN DOLE
THE ladder-leading Sandhurst and Eaglehawk meet as the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL marks Indigenous Round this Saturday.
A big crowd is tipped to make its way into Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park to watch the Two Blues take on the reigning premier.
It’s second against first in a showdown which starts at the Simpsons Road ground at 2.20pm.
The Hawks dominated last Saturday’s match at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve to win by 79 points.
Sandhurst is on the rebound from its first defeat of the season following a 73-85 result against Gisborne in the rematch of the ’24 grand finalists at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
There will be many crucial match-ups in the clash of the Hawks and Dragons.
Eaglehawk co-coach Clayton Holmes and talented youngster Jack O’Shannessy are in superb form.
Both will test the defensive skills of Liam Ireland and Lachlan Wright.
At the other end of the ground, Sandhurst welcomes back co-captain and last season’s Ron Best medallist, Fergus Greene.
It will be Greene’s first match since he broke a leg in first round against Castlemaine.
Last season Greene kicked 83 goals in 19 matches as the Dragons won the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.
Sandhurst’s attack to face the Borough this Saturday includes Tom Campbell and Cobi Maxted.
A crucial contest will be in the ruck where Brayden Frost is in hot form for the Hawks.
Sandhurst co-coaches Bryce Curnow and Lachlan Tardrew named Hugh Schmetzer in the ruck.
Hawks’ on-ballers Joel Budarick, Billy Evans and centreman Ben Thompson take on Lachlan Tardrew, James Coghlan and co-captain Cooper Smith.
Another big match will be across the city at Strathfieldsaye’s Triple M Park where Storm fronts Castlemaine at the Tannery Lane venue.
Both teams are locked on eight points and in battle to hold fifth place.
Storm moved into the top five after last Saturday’s win at Kangaroo Flat as Castlemaine dropped a rung.
It’s a huge match for Storm and the Magpies as they are two wins behind the fourth-placed South Bendigo.
A Strathfieldsaye line-up coached by Luke Freeman includes Michelsen medallist Jake Moorhead, Bode Stevens, Sam Heavyside, Lachlan Ratcliffe, Riley and Jordan Wilson, and Cooper Jones.
A gun cricketer, Hugh Behrens is in for his first senior match of the season for Strathfieldsaye.
After a big recruiting spree, Castlemaine has not built on the momentum of last season’s vastly improved performance to record seven wins and finish in sixth place.
The Michael Hartley-coached Magpies will be desperate for victory in Storm territory and to be on a three-four record nearing the halfway mark of the home-and-away series.
Key players for Castlemaine include Kalan Huntly, Jack Chester, Hunter Staples, Patrik Balta, John Watson, Josh Eyre and Liam Wilkinson.
South Bendigo will be back its turf at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington to play Kangaroo Flat.
The Bloods improved to a four-two record after last Saturday’s win at Golden Square by 86 points.
Huge plus for South Bendigo is the form of Callum Crisp in the ruck which meant Mac Cameron played in attack and kicked five goals in his return from injury.
Bloods’ small forwards Kaiden Antonowicz, Brock Harvey and Steven Stroobants will test the Roos with their pace, skill and goal-smarts.
South Bendigo also has plenty of rebound from half-back through the play of co-coach Jack Fallon and Tom Brereton.
Other key players in the red and white are Jesse Collins, Brody Haddow, captain Zac Hare, Joel Swatton and Anthony Zimmerman.
The Bloods will also have Toby Hardingham mark his first senior game.
There were plenty of positive signs for Kangaroo Flat in its clash with Strathfieldsaye at Dower Park.
Maintaining a high level pressure for longer is a goal for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos in every match.
Key roles will be played by Daniel Stagg, Zach Bird, Zach Rouse and Luke Stagg in defence.
Kangaroo Flat has Angus Macpherson, Ethan Roberts, Kyle Symons and Pat Murphy to compete at the centre clearances and stoppages.
Their ability to link up in possession and workrate when the Bloods have the ball will be vital on the short ground.
It’s the battle of the Bulldogs between Gisborne and Golden Square at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne will start favourite to mark a fifth win.
In recent weeks Gisborne has teamed brilliantly to win away games against Eaglehawk and Sandhurst.
Best in the two-goal win against Sandhurst were ruckman Braidon Blake, key forward Pat McKenna, ruck-rover Brad Bernacki and captain Jack Reaper.
Gisborne’s line-up for this round includes Jed Denahy at centre half-back, Zac Denahy at full-forward, Dylan Johnstone and Thomas Werner in midfield, Elijah Brererton and Harry Manders in defence.
Boyd Nalder moves back into the number one ruck role in place of Braidon Blake.
Playing at Gisborne is never easy, no matter where the red, white and blue is placed in the premiership race.
Being at Gardiner Reserve will be another crucial learning experience for the Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square line-up.
Golden Square will rely a lot on the experience of captain Jayden Burke, Drew Barrett, Jake Maher, Terence Reeves, Jordan Rosengren and Tom Strauch to take it up to Gisborne.
Fans of the blue and gold would be rapt with the progress of exciting youngsters Harrison Kelly, Rory McCrann-Peters, Jack McMahon and Melvic Pambai.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 226 per cent, 20 points; Eaglehawk 204, 20; Gisborne 142, 20; South Bendigo 112, 16; Strathfieldsaye 100, 8; Castlemaine 74, 8; Golden Square 61, 4; Kangaroo Flat 28, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
19 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
18 Jack O’shannessy, Eaglehawk.
16 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
16 Clayton Holmes, Eaglehawk.
16 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
13 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
12 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
10 Billy Evans, Eagleawk.
10 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
10 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
9 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
9 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
9 Cooper Jones, Strathfieldsaye.
9 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
9 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
8 Josh Eyre, Castlemaine.
8 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
8 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
8 Thomas Werner, Gisborne.
7 Tyh Evans, Eaglehawk.
7 James Gray, Gisborne,
7 Nick Lang, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
7 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
7 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
6 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
6 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
6 Tom Strauch, Golden Square.
6 John Watson, Castlemaine.
6 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.
