BY NATHAN DOLE
Gisborne breaks Castlemaine’s run at top five
GISBORNE ended Castlemaine’s charge toward a top five finish in Saturday’s 17th round in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy action.
The Bulldogs won every quarter on their way to a 92-39 victory at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve against the Mapgies.
A hat-trick of wins had kept Castlemaine in the race for the finals, but they needed to beat Gisborne and then Sandhurst in the final round to be any chance.
On Saturday it was the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne which led 38-17 at half-time.
The Bulldogs then scored five goals and kept the Magpies to a tally of two majors in the crucial third quarter.
Stung by defeat at Strathfieldsaye the previous round, Gisborne responded strongly.
A tally of 32 scoring shots to 14 was a sign of the Buldogs dominance against Castlemaine.
Captain of the 2022 premiership team, Pat McKenna led Gisborne’s attack on three goals.
Seb Bell-Bartels marked his return by kicking two goals as Macklan Lord added two majors.
Brad Keogh kicked two goals for the Magpies.
Gun ruckman Braidon Blake was best afield against his former club as Macklan Lord, Pat McKenna, Flynn Lakey, Jackson Cardillo and Frank Schipano were among Gisborne’s best.
Castlemaine’s best were Lloyd Butcher, coach Michael Hartley, Zavier Murley, Bailey Henderson, Jack Sutherland and Darby Semmens.
It was a scrappy and defence-oriented contest between Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
No matter how the game looked, Sandhurst would have been rapt with a five-goal win which is likely to have sealed top spot and a rest in the first week of the finals.
The Dragons led 23-8 at quarter-time.
Strathfieldsaye struck back to win the second, 15-8.
Across the second half Sandhurst scored four goals and worked hard to limit Storm to just the one major.
The Dragons led 62-32 at the final siren.
Fergus Greene kicked two goals for Sandhurst which was a feat match by Storm’s Malik Gordon.
A list of best players for both teams was not supplied.
Eaglehawk marked an 81-point win on Maryborough’s turf at Princes Park.
The Hawks led 21-13 at quarter-time and then scored 9.20 to a point across the next three quarters.
Goalkicking practice is likely at Eaglehawk this week as the Two Blues finished with a tally of 12.20 (92) as the Magpies reached 2.2 (14).
Joel Mullen and Darcy Richards led Eaglehawk’s attack on two goals.
It was Zac Cicchini and Sean Davidson who were on target for the Coby Perry and Matt Johnston-coached Magpies.
Best for the Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk were Ben Thompson, Bailey Ilsley, Joel Mullen, Thomas Bennett, Zack Bulger and Kallen Geary.
Coby Perry, Tom Myers, Kya Lanfranchi, Josh Britten, Zac Cicchini and Mitch McClure were best for the Magpies.
South Bendigo took on Golden Square on the Bloods’ turf at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
The Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs led 38-15 at quarter-time and then scored four goals as the Bloods added a behind in the second.
In its final hit-out before the finals, Golden Square played at a high level of intensity.
The blue and gold scored 9.8 to 5.5 in the second half to complete a 129-51 victory.
Jack Stewart capped another great match with five goals as Kai Daniels, Jack Sampson and Tom Toma booted two each.
A highlight for the Bulldogs was a goal by key defender Jon Coe in his 200th match for the club.
South Bendigo’s leading goalkicker was on-baller Brody Haddow on two.
Best afield honours went to Tom Toma as Tom Strauch, Jack Stewart, Jack Threlfall, Luke Holt and Zac Wescott led the best for Golden Square.
Cody Brooks, Tait Poyser, Riley Walsh, Anthony Zimmerman, Zac Sims and Brody Haddow played well for the Steven Stroobants and Isaiah Miller-coached Bloods.
Kangaroo Flat had the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 296 per cent, 52 points; Gisborne 208, 52; Golden Square 159, 40; Strathfieldsaye 147, 40; Eaglehawk 138, 32; Castlemaine 108, 28; South Bendigo 69, 16; Kangaroo Flat 54, 12; Maryborough 14, 0.
In next Saturday’s 18th and final round of the home-and-away series, Castlemaine will be home at Camp Reserve to take on Sandhurst.
Strathfieldsaye Storm faces Maryborough at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
Kangaroo Flat and Gisborne clash on the Kangaroos’ turf at Dower Park.
Eaglehawk and South Bendigo do battle on the Borough’s ground in Canterbury Park.
Golden Square has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
76 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
51 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
50 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
47 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
46 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
46 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
42 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
42 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
29 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
29 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
29 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
26 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
25 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
25 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
24 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
23 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
22 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
20 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
20 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
20 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
20 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
19 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
18 Kalan Huntly, Castlemaine.
18 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
18 Tom Strauch, Golden Square.
17 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
16 Zac Greeves, Castlemaine.
16 Bailey Ilsley, Eaglehawk.
16 Abe Sheahan, Strathfieldsaye.
16 Joel Wharton, Sandhurst.
16 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.
15 Bryce Curnow, Sandhurst.
14 Luke Ellings, Kangaroo Flat.
14 Lachlan Gill, Strathfieldsaye.
14 Joel Mullen, Eaglehawk.
14 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
13 Ricky Monti, Golden Square.
12 Zach Charles, Strathfieldsaye.
12 Matt Johnston, Maryborough.
12 Jack Lefroy, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Jake McLean, Sandhurst.
12 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
12 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
11 Matt Harvey, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Jack Sampson, Golden Square.
10 Cooper Jones, Strathfieldsaye.
10 Blake McGregor, Eaglehawk.
10 Tanner Nally, Sandhurst.
10 Mitch Ronchieri, Eaglehawk.
10 Tom Toma, Golden Square.