IT’S Bendigo Health Round across the Bendigo Bank BFL this Saturday as clubs raise funds and support for the hospital’s neurology team.
Round 16 features the clash between Strathfieldsaye and Sandhurst in the fight for top spot.
The Storm and Dragons will play at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane from 2.20pm.
Both teams are locked on 44 points, but it’s Sandhurst which is perched on top.
The Dragons have been unbeaten since a 19-point loss to Strathfieldsaye in the stand-alone match at the QEO on May 31 to complete Indigenous Round.
Storm forwards James Schischka, Zach Charles, Tyson McKenzie and Riley Mulquiny are up against a strong defence.
Three of the Dragons’ greatest defenders in Chris Greene, Brendan Hartney and Mark O’Farrell would be rapt with how Lachlan Wright, Liam Ireland, James Coghlan and Darcy Mills complete in one-on-one duels and their workrate to assist team-mates.
At the other end of the ground, Storm’s defence led by Cooper Jones, Ben Lester, Hunter Lawrence, and Lachlan Ratcliffe takes on Hugh Schmetzer, Cobi Maxted, Matt Wilkinson and Finlay Lockhart.
In the middle it will be Storm young gun Jaidi Jackson-Leahy opposed to Dayten Uerata.
Storm has Darcy Mulquiny and Jack Bell in midfield roles.
Sandhurst co-coach Fergus Greene is on wing and Caleb Connick the other.
Centre clearances and stoppages are crucial on the big ground.
Storm ruckman George Simpson teams with Daniel Clohesy and Riley Wilson against Connor Sexton, Cooper Smith and Harrison Free.
The Jeff Andrews-coached Storm will be desperate to mark win number two against the maroon and blue and also earn a week’s rest at finals time.
Non-playing co-coach of the Dragons, Bryce Curnow is up against a club he was a premiership player with.
Feature match of the round is South Bendigo against Golden Square at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
It’s Fluoro For Neuro Day in which South Bendigo will wear specially designed jumpers in the seniors and reserves footy matches.
The jumpers will be auctioned to raise funds for the Bendigo Health neurology team.
On field the Bloods and Bulldogs are on the rebound from defeat.
Victory is a must for South Bendigo which in the past five rounds has gone loss, win, loss, win, loss.
The Bloods won Golden Square’s turf at Gourmet Pantry Oval in the seventh round by seven goals.
Key players for South Bendigo include ruckman Callum Crisp, on-ballers Coen Harker and Brody Haddow, co-captains Zach Hare and Josh Nitschke, Will Allen and Anthony Zimmerman.
Brock Harvey leads the Bloods attack on 53 goals and will be keen to perform well against his former club.
A team jointly coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, will be determined to build confidence in the lead-up to another finals campaign.
Golden Square’s streak of consecutive wins against Kangaroo Flat ended on 48 after the Roos won last Saturday’s match in Wade Street by six goals.
Was a tough afternoon for the Bulldogs who scored 4.13.
A Golden Square team jointly coached by Brad Eaton and Liam Barrett will be desperate to perform well against a fierce rival.
Players to watch in the blue and gold include Adam Baird, Harry Burke, Archie and Macey Eaton, Jack McMahon, Jordan Rosengren, Jack Stewart, and Tom Strauch.
Isaac Corvo returns to the Bulldogs for his first match since round 13.
It’s the Magpies against the Hawks as Castlemaine faces Eaglehawk at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
Eaglehawk is riding a five-match winning streak which has included wins against top-five opponents South Bendigo, 48 points; Strathfieldsaye, 68; and Gisborne, 45 points.
The reigning premier is still in the running to grab a top-three berth and double chance at finals time.
A powerful attack for the Borough includes Jacquin Mifsud, Lewin Davis, Jack O’Shannessy and Nick Thompson.
In the midfield and on-ball duels the Hawks have Billy Evans, Ben Thompson, Oscar White, Joel Mullen and Callum Heath capable of winning plenty of contests.
There’s also the run of Tyh Evans and James Coates-moore off half-back.
Huge test for the Bailey Henderson-coached Castlemaine.
The Magpies have a five-eight record, but are yet to beat any of the league’s top five.
Key players for Castlemaine include Michael Hartley, Jacob Bauer, Jack Chester, Ben and Callum McConachy, John Watson and Darby Semmens.
Gisborne is back on its turf at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve to play Broadford.
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs will be fired up after a 45-point loss at Eaglehawk.
A Gisborne attack which includes Pat McKenna, Shane Clough, Adam Brancatisano and Dominic Sullivan.
The Bulldogs also welcome back Harry Luxmoore and Matt Merrett who have not played since the round six win against Eaglehawk.
The Bulldogs have ruckman Lucas Carnell to team with Brad Bernacki, Flynn Lakey and and James Gray for centre clearances and stoppages.
Another massive test for the Nathan Thompson-coached Broadford in the club’s debut season in the league.
The Kangaroos faced South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye the previous two rounds.
Louis Thompson, Brodie Stray, captain Adam Miles, Harry Behan, Jarrah Younger and Taiten Thomas were best in Broadford’s clash with Storm.
The Kangaroos’ line-up includes Jay Eager in the ruck, Jacob Street-Glasson roving, Rhys Carman and Ryder Primrose in defence, Oliver Lubeck and Owen Sloan in attack.
Kangaroo Flat has the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder after 15 rounds:
Sandhurst 201 per cent, 44 points; Strathfieldsaye 169, 44; Gisborne 167, 36; Eaglehawk 160, 36; South Bendigo 147, 36; Castlemaine 108, 20; Golden Square 97, 12; Kangaroo Flat 59, 12; Broadford 11, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
57 James Schischka, S’saye.
55 Pat McKenna, Gis.
53 Brock Harvey, SB.
34 Nick Keogh, KF.
31 Michael Hartley, Cm.
26 Tyson McKenzie, S’saye.
25 Ben Thompson, Eh.
24 Cobi Maxted, Sh.
23 Fergus Greene, Sh; Dominic Sullivan, Gis.
21 Jordan Rosengren, GS.
20 Jacquin Mifsud, Eh; Oliver Morris, Sh.
19 Brody Haddow, SB.
18 Nick Lang, KF; Jack McMahon, GS; Tom Strauch, GS.
17 Brad Bernacki, Gis.; Zac Denahy, Gis.; Nick Lang, KF; Jack O’Shannessy, Eh; Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Oscar White, Eh; Anthony Zimmerman, SB.
15 James Gray, Gis.; Alex Smith-Ralph, SB.
SOUTH Bendigo is on the rebound from defeat as it takes on Golden Square in Saturday’s 16th round of A-grade netball in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.
The Bloods and Bulldogs meet in the marquee match on Bendigo Health Round at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval in Neale Street from 2.30pm.
Clubs are chipping in to raise funds for Bendigo Health’s neurology team.
On court the Lauren Bowles-coached South Bendigo will chase its ninth win of the season as it wears the fluorescent pink and blue bibs.
The Bloods were outplayed in last Saturday’s return to Queen Elizabeth Oval where Sandhurst scored a 53-42 victory.
South Bendigo and Golden Square met in Indigenous Round at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
The visitors netted a 68-53 win against the Teigan Redwood-coached Golden Square.
Latest hit-out for the Bulldogs was at home against Kangaroo Flat where the reigning premier won 88-47 against the blue and gold.
Strathfieldsaye faces Sandhurst in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane from 2.30pm.
The Jess Mangan-coached Strathfieldsaye is fighting to reclaim its place in the top five.
Storm won last Saturday’s clash at Broadford’s Harley Hammond Reserve by 36 goals.
Huge test for Storm against the Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst which is second on an 11-2 record.
The Dragons fired up for last Saturday’s match against previous QEO co-tenant South Bendigo.
Sandhurst’s run to another finals campaign involves clashes with Gisborne at the QEO; and at Castlemaine.
First pass in this Saturday’s action for A-grade will be at 2pm on Gisborne’s court at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve.
The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne will take on Broadford.
Was a hard-earned victory for Gisborne at Eaglehawk last Saturday as the red, white and blue led by 13 goals at the final whistle.
In Indigenous Round the Gisborne mid-court and attack dominated on the Kangaroos’ court in Broadford to win by 76 goals.
Every match is a great learning experience for the Jaimie Hooper-coached Broadford in its first season in the Bendigo FNL competition.
Final match for A-grade this Saturday starts at 3.20pm when Castlemaine faces Eaglehawk at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The Vanessa Saunders-coached Castlemaine is back on court after the bye.
When the Magpies and Hawks met in Indigenous Round it was the Janelle Hobbs-coached Eaglehawk which won at C and M Oval in Canterbury Park by 23 goals.
Kangaroo Flat has the bye.
Standings in the Bendigo FNL A-grade netball competitions after 15 rounds:
A-grade:
Kangaroo Flat 201 per cent, 56 points; Sandhurst 165, 44; Gisborne 174, 36; South Bendigo 128, 32; Eaglehawk 98, 24; Strathfieldsaye 95, 24; Golden Square 93, 16; Castlemaine 43, 4; Broadford 28, 0.
A-reserve:
South Bendigo 148 per cent, 44 points; Kangaroo Flat 153, 42; Gisborne 141, 28; Sandhurst 108, 28; Eaglehawk 91, 22; Strathfieldsaye 72, 8; Castlemaine 62, 8; Golden Square 64, 4.
B-grade:
Gisborne 213 per cent, 52 points; South Bendigo 132, 44; Strathfieldsaye 123, 40; Kangaroo Flat 129, 38; Sandhurst 120, 28; Golden Square 88, 20; Eaglehawk 79, 10; Broadford 58, 8; Castlemaine 42, 0.
B-reserve:
Kangaroo Flat 180 per cent, 52 points; South Bendigo 152, 44; Gisborne 165, 42; Strathfieldsaye 132, 34; Sandhurst 123, 32; Golden Square 98, 16; Eaglehawk 85, 16; Castlemaine 51, 4; Broadford 23, 0.
17-and-under:
Sandhurst 189 per cent, 44 points; Golden Square 175, 44; Strathfieldsaye 174, 44; Kangaroo Flat 119, 30; Eaglehawk 90, 26; Gisborne 117, 24; South Bendigo 96, 24; Castlemaine 48, 4; Broadford 25, 0.
15-and-under:
Sandhurst 317 per cent, 40 points; Golden Square 199, 32; South Bendigo 100, 28; Eaglehawk 78, 20; Strathfieldsaye 92, 12; Kangaroo Flat 56, 8; Castlemaine 36, 0.