SANDHURST made a brilliant fightback to beat Gisborne in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy clash on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend.
The Dragons faced a 25-point deficit and the prospect of a hat-trick of defeats at half-time of Saturday’s match at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
Some positional moves and a change in the way it played reaped rewards as Sandhurst won the third quarter, 25-16.
As a Dragons’ team coached by Bryce Curnow, non-playing, and Fergus Greene, playing, fired up to score five goals in the last quarter the Bulldogs replied with five behinds.
By the final siren Sandhurst led 86-75 and ended Gisborne’s remarkable winning streak at home.
Injuries meant the Dragons fielded one of their most inexperienced teams in several seasons.
The club’s youngsters were outstanding, especially in the final hour.
Talented forward Oscar Cail who is playing for Bendigo Pioneers in Talent League capped his senior debut for the Dragons with three goals.
Matt Wilkinson and Noah Willits slotted two majors for the maroon and blue.
Gisborne’s attack was led by Campbell Johns and Dominic Sullivan on two.
The Sandhurst defence worked incredibly hard to keep Pat McKenna goalless.
Best for the Dragons were Lachie Hood, Lachlan Wright, Cooper Smith, Jack Keating, Matt Wilkinson and Lachlan Watson.
Gisborne’s best were captain Zach Vescovi, Brad Bernacki, James Gray, Will Elliott, Dominic Sullivan and Lachlan Evans.
The winning streak for Strathfieldsaye rolled on as Storm beat Golden Square by 39 points at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
It was a tough afternoon for Golden Square as injuries to co-captain Jayden Burke, Archie Edwards and Daniel Keating had a major impact.
Storm raced to a 27-8 lead by quarter-time and was up 48-27 by the main break.
After scoring consecutive goals for the first time in the match, Golden Square was within 16 points less than five minutes into the third quarter.
The Jeff Andrews-coached Strathfieldsaye steadied with goals by Tyson McKenzie, Pat Blake and Tyce Griffin to lead 74-42 going into the final term.
Goals by McKenzie, James Schischka and then McKenzie put the result beyond doubt less than 10 minutes into the last.
Golden Square fought back with a hat-trick of goals before Storm added another to complete a 99-60 victory.
Blake and McKenzie led Storm’s attack on four goals each as Schischka kicked two.
Eight players kicked a goal for Golden Square.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were Tyson McKenzie, Pat Blake, Cooper Jones, Riley Mulquiny, Tyce Griffin and Darcy Mulquiny.
The Warfe brothers, Bailey and Noah teamed up in a senior match for the first time and were Golden Square’s best.
The Bulldogs also had Macey Eaton win plenty of the footy and welcomed back Riley Dillon who is playing VFL with Greater Western Sydney for a special appearance.
Isaac Corvo and Jordan Rosengren also played well for a Golden Square team coached by Brad Eaton, non-playing, and Liam Barrett, playing.
A 15-goal haul by Michael Hartley highlighted Castlemaine’s big win against Broadford.
After playing as a key defender in recent matches, Hartley swung back to attack with telling effect against the Kangaroos at The Railway Hotel in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The Bailey Henderson-coached Magpies charged to a 59-2 lead by quarter-time.
Broadford’s best quarter of the season was to be the second.
A run of 13 unanswered goals by Castlemaine was broken when Jarrah Younger slotted Broadford’s first major.
Taiten Thomas kicked the last goal of the half as the Magpies led 102-16 by the long break.
Castlemaine’s intensity at the contest did not ease up as it scored nine goals in the third and 10 in the final term on the way to a 224-17 victory.
Hartley’s marking strength and goalkicking was superb as he slotted 15 goals in a best-on-ground performance.
Magpies’ team-mates Harrison Sheahan and Hunter Staples slotted three each.
In his 200th senior match, John Watson kicked two goals as Kalan Huntly and Archie Rixon added two.
Castlemaine’s best were Michael Hartley, Hunter Staples, Harrison Sheahan, Darby Semmens, Zavier Murley and John Watson.
Jay Eager, Taiten Thomas, Adam Miles, Louis Thompson, Jacob Street-Glasson and Harry Behan were best for the Nathan Thompson-coached Broadford.
Kangaroo Flat took it right up to the ladder-leading South Bendigo at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
The Roos pounced on early opportunities to lead 20-7 before the Bloods replied with back-to-back goals.
Another goal for the Roos sparked a strong response as South Bendigo scored the last three goals of the opening quarter to be up 39-28 at the break.
A South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, took control to win quarters two and three, 31-14 and 27-13.
A hat-trick of goals by the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos cut the margin to 23 points as the clocked neared the 10-minute mark in the final term.
South Bendigo responded with two of the last three goals of the contest to claim a 113-81 victory.
The Bloods’ attack was led by Brock Harvey on six goals as Jack Fallon who is usually racing off half-back showed his skill in the forward line with four goals.
Other multiple goalkickers were Coen Harker and co-captain Josh Nitschke on two each.
Leading goalkicker for the Kangaroos was club legend Nick Lang on three as Sam Barnes and Nick Keogh kicked two each.
Now playing for Richmond in the VFL, athletic ruckman Zaydn Lockwood marked his first game for the Bloods this season to be among the best.
On-ballers Coen Harker and Brody Haddow continued their hot form to lead South Bendigo’s charge along with Lockwood, Hayden Geddes, key defender Will Allen and Jack Fallon.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Aaron Nevins, ruckman Angus Macpherson, Jake Hywood, Zach Bird, Kyle Symons and Mitch Collins.
Eaglehawk had the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
South Bendigo 167 per cent, 28 points; Strathfieldsaye 166, 24; Gisborne 179, 20; Sandhurst 163, 20; Castlemaine 135, 12; Eaglehawk 103, 12; Golden Square 101, 8; Kangaroo Flat 60, 4; Broadford 11, 0.
In next Saturday’s round 10 action it will be Sandhurst marking its return to Queen Elizabeth Oval when it plays Castlemaine from 2.20pm.
Broadford takes on Eaglehawk on the Kangaroos’ ground at Harley Hammond Reserve.
It’s the battle of the Bulldogs as Golden Square faces Gisborne at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Kangaroo Flat meets Strathfieldsaye on the Kangaroos’ ground at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Dower Park.
South Bendigo has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
28 Pat McKenna, Gis.
26 Michael Hartley, Cm; James Schischka, S’saye.
25 Brock Harvey, SB.
17 Nick Keogh, KF.
16 Tyson McKenzie, S’saye.
15 Pat Blake, S’saye; Fergus Greene, Sh.
14 Brody Haddow, SB.
13 Zac Denahy, Gis.; Cobi Maxted, Sh; Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Ben Thompson, Eh.
12 Archie Eaton, GS; James Frawley, SB; Alex Smith, SB.
11 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Coen Harker, SB; Jordan Rosengren, GS; Archie Rixon, Cm.
10 Bailey Henderson, Cm; Harry Luxmoore, Gis.; Tom Strauch, GS.
