EAGLEHAWK charges into a qualifying final showdown with Strathfieldsaye Storm in Saturday’s start to the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy finals series.
It’s a break in tradition as the league has switched week one of the finals away from Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Storm and Hawks will do battle from 2.20pm at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the clubs.
A great start by the Jeff Andrews-coached Strathfieldsaye included a 69-62 victory on Eaglehawk’s turf at C and M Oval in Canterbury Park in the fifth round.
The Hawks dominated the return match in the 14th round at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
An Eaglehawk line-up coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, playing, racked up a score of 13.25 (103) and kept Storm to a season-low 35 points.
A Storm defence led by co-captain Lachlan Ratcliffe, Kya Lanfranchi, Ben Lester and Patrick Blandford faces a huge task against Bailey Ilsley, Jacquin Mifsud, co-coach Clayton Holmes and Nick Blandford.
Major factor will be control at centre ball-ups, stoppages and through the centre.
Strathfieldsaye has Jed Brereton in the ruck to team with co-captain Daniel Clohesy, Riley Mulquiny and Jaidi Jackson-Leahy.
The Hawks’ on-ball group of Callum Heath, Ben Thompson, Joel Mullen and captain Billy Evans is one of the league’s strongest.
Key forward James Schishcka has kicked 68 goals for Storm and will be a key target along with Zach Charles, Drew Lloyd and Tyson McKenzie.
A Borough defence led by Jonty Neaves, James Schischka, Dylan Hanley and Sam Thompson just gets the job done week-by-week.
The winner meets Sandhurst in the second semi-final on September 5 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
On Sunday it will be Gisborne and South Bendigo fighting to stay in the race for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup when they play at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane from 2.20pm.
It’s also one-all in this season’s meetings between the Bulldogs and Bloods.
A South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, scored a 91-81 victory in round two on its turf at Harry Trott Oval.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne marked a nine-goal win against the red and white at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval at Gardiner Reserve in the 11th round.
Bound to play from Ballarat from the ’27 season, Gisborne’s coaches and players will be determined the run in Bendigo’s senior footy action rolls on through September.
Key players for Gisborne include Pat McKenna who has kicked 78 goals in 14 matches to earn the Ron Best Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker.
A talented attack for Gisborne includes Harry Luxmoore, Shane Clough, Dominic Sullivan and Matt Merrett.
They will be be up against Alex Davis, Nathan Horbury, Will Allen, Thomas Brereton and co-coach Jack Fallon.
Centre breaks are crucial on the big ground.
Gisborne has Lucas Carnell in the ruck to team with Brad Bernacki, Dylan Johnstone and Adam Brancatisano against Zaydyn Lockwood, Coen Harker, Josh Nitschke and Jake Rusbridge.
Bulldogs’ captain and full-back Zach Vescovi is likely to start on James Frawley, a premiership winner with Hawthorn.
Injury has restricted Frawley to just four games for the Bloods in which he has kicked 13 goals.
A lot of Gisborne’s planning will have gone in to how to curb the play of Brock Harvey who leads the Bloods’ attack on 61 goals.
Other targets for South Bendigo include Callum Crisp, Sam Langley and Alex Smith-Ralph as Brody Haddow, Wil McCaig and Jack English look to swoop on chances.
The Bulldogs’ defence includes Jed Denahy, Will Elliott, Frank Schipano and Harry Thomas.
In the Drummond Golf reserves, Eaglehawk faces Sandhurst in Saturday’s qualifying final from 12.15pm.
The Dragons won the Easter Saturday match in Eaglehawk by 17 points.
Eaglehawk hit back for a 60-33 win against the maroon and blue at the QEO in the 10th round.
The Hawks’ attack is led by Sam Dean and Ryan Wellington on 24 and 22 goals.
Key targets for the Dragons are Daniel Noden and James Vlaeminck.
An Eaglehawk team captained by Ethan Hanley includes Cahal Blandthorn, Jakeb Hanley, Cory Jacobs, Blake McGregor and Jaxon Vroom.
Sandhurst will look to Jonty Davis, Gus Hay, Finlay Lockhart, Patrick O’Farrell, Shannon Tardrew and Fraser Walsh to lead the charge to victory.
The winner meets South Bendigo in the second semi-final.
On Sunday it’s Strathfieldsaye and Kangaroo Flat fighting to avoid elimination.
Storm starts as favourite after wins against the Roos by 57 points in round nine, and by 28 points at Triple M Park last Saturday.
Players to watch for Strathfieldsaye include captain Rhys Zera, Jai Featherby, Declan Lowther, Marco Mentha, Nate Rodda, George Simpson, Jordan Wilson and Alex Wingrave.
The Roos’ squad to face Storm includes brilliant on-baller and seniors captain Ethan Roberts who was sidelined for a lot of this season because of injury.
Kangaroo Flat is bolstered by the inclusion of Mitch Rovers who had played seven of eight matches in the seniors until injured.
A dual premiership-winning player with Mount Pleasant, Rovers returned via the reserves in the 14th round, played seniors the next week, did not play in the 16th, and was in the reserves for round 17.
Kangaroo Flat’s team for Sunday’s clash includes Mitch Holt, Jade Mayes, Toby Roberts, Ben Savy, Tucker Thach, and Jarryd and Matt Wiegard.
It’s Sandhurst against South Bendigo in the Sportspower under-18s qualifying final.
The Dragons and Bloods will clash from 10.15am in Kennington.
Both teams have a 13-3 record.
The Bloods won the round six match at Harry Trott Oval by 50 points.
Sandhurst dominated the round 15 match on the QEO to mark an 83-30 victory.
Dragons’ gun forward Miller Armstrong has kicked 50 goals and key figure in an attack that includes Carter Reid, Jaxon Kelly and Patrick McNamara.
The Sandhurst squad includes Hudson Banfield, Charlie Bombardieri, Maurice and Miller Nihill, Duncan Strahan and Kingston Uerata.
Bloods’ captain Anthony Gray has kicked 46 goals and marked his senior debut against Golden Square in the seventh round.
Players to watch in the red and white include Logan Howell, Zavier Ralphs, Max Kornmann, Lachlan Magee, Harry Warne and Hamish Worme.
The Dragons or Bloods will meet Strathfieldsaye in the second semi-final.
The under-18s elimination final on Sunday features Castlemaine and Golden Square from 10.15am at Triple M Park.
The Magpies and Bulldogs played two exciting contests in the home-and-away series.
Castlemaine won 61-58 on its turf at Camp Reserve on Good Friday.
The round 10 match at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street ended in a 43-39 win for the blue and gold.
A Castlemaine team co-captained by Oscar Giddings and Ben Jardine includes Jack Archer who has kicked 43 goals, Flynn Bruce, Max Matheson, Brian Shafik-Eid, Zach Thompson and Charlie Waters.
Golden Square’s squad which is captained by Logan Wilson includes Bentley Geary, Will Pike, Jake Rosa, Alex Ryan, Mehtaab Sandhu, Mack Skinner and Tyler Wescott.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street, Kennington:
Sportspower under-18s at 10.15am: Sandhurst v South Bendigo.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: Eaglehawk v Sandhurst.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: Strathfieldsaye v Eaglehawk.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane:
Sportspower under-18s at 10.15am: Castlemaine v Golden Square.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: Strathfieldsaye v Kangaroo Flat.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: Gisborne v South Bendigo.
