SOUTH Bendigo won a hotly-contested Anzac Day clash with Eaglehawk to kick off the split fourth round in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy season.
For the second year in a row the Bloods and Hawks played under the lights at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Scores were locked on 57-all going into the final quarter.
South Bendigo’s accuracy would prove a telling factor as the Bloods scored 9.3 in the opening three terms as the Hawks racked up 7.15.
The Bloods surged to a 14-point lead at 16 minutes to go, but back-to-back goals by the Borough meant South Bendigo was up 77-75 in the 11th minute.
A South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, answered the Hawks challenge with the last two goals to complete a 92-75 victory.
Alex Smith led South Bendigo’s attack on four goals.
Back in the Bloods line-up for the first time since he booted five goals in the Good Friday match at Strathfieldsaye, Hawthorn premiership player James Frawley slotted two goals.
The Bloods also had Ron Best medallist Brock Harvey kick two goals along with Callum Crisp and Jack English.
The Thompson’s – Ben, Jack and Nick all booted two goals for the Borough.
Best for South Bendigo were Brody Haddow, Hayden Geddes, Coen Harker, Tom Templeton, Alex Smith and Mac Cameron.
Eaglehawk’s best were Michelsen medallists Noah Wheeler and Billy Evans, along with Jonty Neaves, Ben Thompson, James Coates-Moore and Oscar White.
Although disappointed with the final margin there were plenty of positives for the Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes-coached Eaglehawk which has several key players on the sidelines.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
South Bendigo 168 per cent, 16 points; Sandhurst 322, 8; Gisborne 170, 8; Castlemaine 123, 8; Eaglehawk 103, 8; Golden Square 141, 4; Strathfieldsaye 87, 4; Kangaroo Flat 42, 0; Broadford 11, 0.
The split fourth round which is also the Pat Cronin Foundation Round will be completed next Saturday.
It’s the match of two Kangaroos’ mobs as Kangaroo Flat meets Broadford in the Pat Cronin Feature match at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park from 2.20pm.
Sandhurst and Golden Square meet in the Dragons’ den at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Strathfieldsaye faces Castlemaine in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Gisborne has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
15 Brock Harvey, SB.
12 Alex Smith, SB.
11 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Pat McKenna, Gis.
10 Michael Hartley, Cm; Harry Luxmoore, Gis.
8 Ben Thompson, Eh.
7 Zac Denahy, Gis.; James Frawley, SB; Brody Haddow, SB; Cobi Maxted, Sh; Archie Rixon, Cm; Harrison Sheahan, Cm.
6 Archie Eaton, GS; Coen Harker, SB; Nick Keogh, KF; Tyson McKenzie, S’saye; Jack Stewart, GS; Jack Thompson, Eh.
5 Jacob Austin, Sh; Mac Cameron, SB; Zach Charles, S’saye; Caleb Connick, Sh; Callum Crisp, SB; Nick Hoare, Eh; Anthony Zimmerman, SB.
4 Brad Bernacki, Gis.; Adam Brancatisano, Gis.; Tom Campbell, Sh; Bailey Henderson, Cm; Dylan Landt, Cm; Nick Lang, KF; Drew Lloyd, S’saye; Matt Merrett, Gis.; Oliver Morris, Sh; Joel Mullen, Eh; Josh Nitschke, SB; Terry Reeves, GS; Jordan Rosengren, GS; James Schischka, S’saye; Tom Strauch, GS; Dominic Sullivan, Gis.; Jack Thompson, Eh.
In the netball action……….SOUTH Bendigo clinched a six-goal victory against Eaglehawk in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball match on Anzac Day.
The Bloods and Hawks played under the lights at Queen Elizabeth Oval as the league marked the start of the split fourth round which is to assist the Pat Cronin Foundation.
On the netball court it was the Lauren Bowles-coached South Bendigo which had to work hard for a 58-52 victory against the Two Blues.
The win put the Bloods on top of the ladder for at least a week as reigning premier Kangaroo Flat is likely to jump to number one after next Saturday’s match against Broadford.
Although disappointed not to have taken the premiership points there was a lot to like about the play of the Jannelle Hobbs-coached Eaglehawk.
It was a five-one result for South Bendigo across the six netball grades.
The Bloods won the A-reserve match, 52-43, and netted a 43-31 win in B-grade.
South Bendigo won the B-reserve contest, 52-30.
There was joy for the Hawks as they marked a 48-40 victory in the 17-and-under match.
Six goals separated the 15-under teams as South Bendigo won 39-33.
The split fourth round will be completed next Saturday.
Play in A-grade will start at 2.30pm.
Feature match in the Pat Cronin Foundation Round will be Kangaroo Flat against the Kangaroos from Broadford at Dower Park.
Strathfieldsaye Storm faces Castlemaine at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
Sandhurst takes on Golden Square at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Gisborne has the bye.
Bendigo FNL netball ladders after day one in the split fourth round:
A-grade:
South Bendigo 157 per cent, 16 points; Kangaroo Flat 226, 12; Sandhurst 246, 8; Golden Square 130, 8; Gisborne 125, 8; Eaglehawk 87, 4; Strathfieldsaye 71, 0; Broadford 34, 0; Castlemaine 31, 0.
A-reserve:
South Bendigo 132 per cent, 16 points; Kangaroo Flat 162, 8; Gisborne 131, 8; Sandhurst 125, 4; Golden Square 92, 4; Eaglehawk 81, 4; Castlemaine 61, 0; Strathfieldsaye 48, 0.
B-grade:
South Bendigo 163 per cent, 16 points; Golden Square 192, 12; Gisborne 134, 12; Sandhurst 233, 8; Kangaroo Flat 166, 8; Eaglehawk 66, 0; Strathfieldsaye 62, 0; Castlemaine 37, 0; Broadford 33, 0.
B-reserve:
South Bendigo 186 per cent, 16 points; Kangaroo Flat 177, 12; Sandhurst 215, 8; Golden Square 165, 8; Golden Square 165, 8; Gisborne 115, 8; Eaglehawk 75, 4; Strathfieldsaye 71, 0; Castlemaine 43, 0; Broadford 23, 0.
17-and-under:
Golden Square 416 per cent, 12 points; South Bendigo 100, 12; Sandhurst 315, 8; Strathfieldsaye 210, 8; Eaglehawk 81, 8; Kangaroo Flat 108, 4; Gisborne 100, 4; Castlemaine 44, 0; Broadford 19, 0.
15-and-under:
South Bendigo 160 per cent, 12 points; Golden Square 307, 8; Sandhurst 323, 4; Kangaroo Flat 81, 4; Eaglehawk 64, 4; Castlemaine 55, 0; Strathfieldsaye 51, 0.