STRATHFIELDSAYE Storm played a brilliant final quarter to beat Sandhurst in Sunday’s senior footy match to complete Indigenous Round across the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL.
The Jeff Andrews-coached Strathfieldsaye showed it’s a strong contender for the premiership as it beat last seasons’s runner-up by 19 points at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
As Storm proved it’s a force to be reckoned with in the seventh round, Sandhurst now has to bounce back from consecutive defeats rolling into Saturday’s match at Gisborne.
The Dragons and Storm had identical scores of 2.3 in the opening quarter of Sunday’s match.
In the second it was Strathfieldsaye which won a lot of the footy and capitalised to score four goals as the maroon and blue added two.
Storm was up 43-28 by the long break.
A Sandhurst team coached by Bryce Curnow, non-playing, and Fergus Greene, playing, struck back to win the third quarter, 25-9.
In the last it was Strathfieldsaye which kicked away.
As Storm scored five goals it kept Sandhurst to just two majors.
Strathfieldsaye led 84-65 at the final siren.
A six-goal haul by James Schischka after representing the Bendigo FNL against Ovens and Murray capped an outstanding match.
The Dragons’ attack was led by Fergus Greene on five goals just eight days after he captained Bendigo to victory against the O and M.
Storm’s best were young on-baller Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, James Schischka in attack, and Darcy Mulquiny.
Co-captain Daniel Clohesy, Pat Blake and Riley Mulquiny also starred for the team in the blue and white hoops.
Sandhurst’s best were Fergus Greene, Caleb Connick, Charlie Robinson, Ollie Morris, Nick Stagg and Wil Pinniger.
South Bendigo surged to a 52-point victory on Golden Square’s turf at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Wade Street on Saturday.
The ladder-leading Bloods were under pressure early as the Bulldogs were up 20-6 after goals by co-coach Liam Barrett, Jack McMahon and Tom Strauch.
Next three goals were slotted by Bloods as Mac Cameron, Callum Crisp and Brock Harvey gave their team a 26-21 lead by the first break.
It was goal-for-goal in the early minutes of the second term as a Harvey major was answered by Jordan Rosengren.
South Bendigo hit back through Anthony Zimmerman, but Rosengren replied for the blue and gold.
A major by Bloods’ youngster Logan Howell gave his team a 12-point buffer in the 17th minute.
When Rosengren kicked his third the Bulldogs were back within seven points.
Three of the last four goals in the half went South Bendigo’s way as Alex Smith, Harvey and Howell capped fine team play to lead 65-45 at the long break.
Quarter three went the way of the Bloods, 20-14.
Golden Square scored the first goal of the last through Liam Barrett.
Four unanswered goals by a South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, put the result beyond doubt.
The Bloods scored 6.2 and kept the Dogs to a tally of 2.2 in the final term to seal a 125-73 victory.
Leading goalkickers for South Bendigo were Brock Harvey, four; Anthony Zimmerman, three; and Brody Haddow and Logan Howell on two each.
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by Liam Barrett and Jordan Rosengren on three each as Jack McMahon added two.
Best for the Bloods were Tom Templeton, Brody Haddow, Will Allen, Hayden Geddes, Jack Fallon and Callum Crisp.
Golden Square’s best were Jordan Rosengren, Liam Barrett, Noah Warfe, Tom Strauch, Luke Holt and Jack McMahon.
Reigning premier Eaglehawk soared back to the fifth rung after a 16-point on its turf at C & M Oval in Canterbury Park against Castlemaine.
The Hawks won every quarter in a crucial contest for both clubs.
Eaglehawk led 19-9 at quarter-time and then scored three goals in the second as the Magpies added two majors.
The Bailey Henderson-coached Bailey Henderson moved within 10 points early in the third, but the Two Blues struck back with a hat-trick of goals.
By three quarter-time an Eaglehawk team coached by Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes led 65-38.
The Hawks were first to goal in the final term.
Castlemaine up its attacking play, but was not on target.
A goal for the Magpies cut the margin to 28 points in the 17th minute, but back-to-back goals to the Borough made it a 40-point game.
It was Castlemaine which finished with four unanswered goals, but the Hawks led 88-72 at the final siren.
The Hawks’ attack was led by Connor Evans with three goals as Jack O’Shannessy and Ben Thompson added two each.
Henderson slotted three goals for the Magpies as Zack Derksen finished on two.
Hawks’ ruckman Callum Heath was best afield as key defender Jonty Neaves, the hard-running Oscar White were among the best.
The Borough also had Ben Thompson, Joel Mullen and captain Billy Evans win plenty of the footy.
Key defender Michael Hartley was clearly Castlemaine’s best as Dylan Landt, Zavier Murley, Darby Semmens, Jack Sutherland and Oscar Giddings worked hard all match.
A 12-goal haul by gun forward Pat McKenna highlighted Gisborne’s big win on Broadford’s ground at Harley Hammond Reserve.
Gisborne’s powerful attack was always going to have plentiful supply set up by gun on-ballers in ruckman Braidon Blake, Brad Bernacki, James Gray and Dylan Johnstone.
It turned out that way as the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne slammed on 12 goals in the opening quarter and seven in the second.
Gisborne’s pressure and run did not let up as the red, white and blue added six goals in the third and 10 in the last.
By the final siren the Bulldogs led by 228-7.
McKenna’s tally of 12 goals meant he grab the lead in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal.
Gisborne had Campbell Johns slot four goals and Zac Denahy kick three as Braidon Blake, Lucas Hannon, Dominic Sullivan and Thomas Werner added two.
Broadford’s sole goalkicker was Jay Eager.
McKenna’s feats earned best-on-ground honours as James Gray, Thomas Werner, Brad Bernacki, Lucas Hannon and Harry Thomas also starred for the Bulldogs.
Best for the Nathan Thompson-coached Broadford were Jay Eager, Charles Neilson, Isaac Smithwick, Taiten Thomas, Seb Morris and Toby Hope.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
South Bendigo 171 per cent, 24 points; Gisborne 198, 20; Strathfieldsaye 166, 20; Sandhurst 174, 16; Eaglehawk 103, 12; Golden Square 109, 8; Castlemaine 96, 8; Kangaroo Flat 59, 4; Broadford 12, 0.
Highlight of round eight on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend will be Saturday’s clash between Gisborne and Sandhurst at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve from 2.20pm.
Strathfieldsaye tackles Golden Square in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Castlemaine takes on Broadford at The Railway Hotel in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
South Bendigo faces Kangaroo Flat at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street.
Eaglehawk has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal,
28 Pat McKenna, Gis.
24 James Schischka, S’saye.
19 Brock Harvey, SB.
15 Fergus Greene, Sh; Nick Keogh, KF.
13 Brody Haddow, SB; Ben Thompson, Eh.
12 Zac Denahy, Gis.; Archie Eaton, GS; James Frawley, SB; Cobi Maxted, Sh; Tyson McKenzie, S’saye; Alex Smith, SB.
11 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Pat Blake, S’saye; Michael Hartley, Cm.
10 Bailey Henderson, Cm; Harry Luxmoore, Gis.; Jordan Rosengren, GS; Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Tom Strauch, GS.
