Bloods return to five after they overrun Eaglehawk
SOUTH Bendigo is back in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s senior footy top five after a 22-point victory against Eaglehawk in the season’s 11th round.
The Bloods and Hawks met in a match vital to the finals aspirations of both at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Eaglehawk made a flying start and led 20-7 at quarter-time and 48-38 by the halfway mark of the match.
The Nathan Horbury-coached South Bendigo lifted the intensity and workrate in the third term to score 5.1 to 3.2.
Led by the play of Brock Harvey and Kaiden Antonowicz in attack, South Bendigo then broke clear in the last term.
The Bloods won the quarter, 28-7, and the match, 97-75.
Antonowicz kicked five goals and Harvey added three as the Bloods marked their sixth win of the clear and moved four points clear of the sixth and seventh-placed Sandhurst and Eaglehawk.
The Hawks’ leading goalkickers were Darcy Richards, four, and Sean Williams, three.
Best for the Bloods were Brock Harvey, Kaiden Antonowicz, Michael Herlihy, Isaiah Miller and captain Zac Hare.
Joel Mullen, Darcy Richards, Oscar Madden, Kobe Lloyd, Ben Thompson and Jack Lawton were best for the Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk.
A final quarter surge by Strathfieldsaye Storm could not be stopped by Sandhurst at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
After breaking Gisborne’s unbeaten run the previous round, Sandhurst made a great start to lead 56-49 at half-time of a great contest in Storm territory.
The Ash Connick-coached Dragons led 70-69 going into the last term.
It was to be all Storm in the fourth quarter as an incredibly accurate attack added 5.2 to 1.2 to complete a 16.5 (101) to 11.12 (78) victory.
James Schischka led Strathfieldsaye’s attack on five goals as Lachlan Gill capped a best afield performance with four goals.
Dragons’ key forward Matt Thornton marked a great game with five goals as Cobi Maxted added three.
Best for the Darryl Wilson and Shannon Geary-coached Storm were Lachlan Gill, Callum McCarty, Mitchell Hallinan, Jake Moorhead, Ben Lester and Lachlan Ratcliffe.
Tanner Nally, Isaac Ruff, Matt Thornton, Lee Coghlan, Cobi Maxted and Jeremy Rodi were the Dragons’ best.
Kyneton’s winning streak was stopped on six after the Tigers were outplayed at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
Stung by its first loss of the season on the QEO the previous round, Gisborne made a brilliant start against the Tigers.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne led 46-8 at quarter-time.
Gisborne’s ferocity at the contest did not ease up in the second as it added 7.4, but the Paul Chapman-coached Tigers matched that score.
The Bulldogs led 92-54 at half-time.
Defences controlled the third as Gisborne added 1.2 to a goal.
At the final siren, Gisborne led 119 to 60.
Josh Kemp’s athleticism and marking were highlights as he kicked six goals for the Bulldogs and Luke Ellings added three.
Leading goalkickers for Kyneton were Angus Nolte and Ryan Pretty on two.
The in-form Rhys Magin was kept to a goal for the yellow and black.
Best for Gisborne were Macklan Lord, Luke Ellings, Flynn Lakey, Liam Spear, Liam Rodgers and Sam Graham.
Frazer Driscoll, Guy Dickson, Harrison Huntley, Mason Crozier, Harrison Sheahan and James Gaff were the Tigers’ best.
Castlemaine marked its second win of the season as it won the all-Magpies showdown with Maryborough at Camp Reserve.
The Don Moran-coached Castlemaine led 33-12 at quarter-time and won the second term, 14-12, to led 47-24 by the main break.
Led by the play of Tommy Horne, Riley Pedretti and Jackson Hood, Castlemaine scored 6.7 to 5.1 in a closely-fought second half to win 13.12 (90) to 8.8 (56).
Zac Denahy was in hot form as he kicked a match-high six goals as Jack Chester and Bradley Keogh added two.
Maryborough’s attack was led by Kaian Constable on three and Patrick Van der Pol, two.
Best for Castlemaine included Zac Denahy, Will Moran and Brad Keogh.
Liam Latch, Kya Lanfranchi, Liam Murphy, Patrick Van der Pol, Kaian Constable and Damon Nitschke played well for the Rick Andrews-coached Maryborough.
Golden Square’s attacking prowess was to the fore in its clash on Kangaroo Flat’s ground at Dower Park.
At the end of a high-scoring first term, Golden Square led 32-20.
The Bulldogs then took control of the contest as they scored 6.5 to a goal in the second.
Captain Jack Geary, young forward Tom Strauch and defender Liam Duguid went on to be Golden Square’s best in a 161-45 victory.
Gun forward Joel Brett brought up his 50th goal of the season as he kicked a match-high six goals and Jayden Burke added four.
The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs had 13 goalkickers in this contest.
Kangaroo Flat had seven goalkickers.
Best for Golden Square included Joel Brett, Jayden Burke and Jack Hickman.
Liam Collins, Max Johnson, Campbell Smith, Mitch Rovers, Ethan Roberts and Sam Barnes played well for the James Flaherty-coached Kangaroos.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Gisborne 241 per cent, 40 points; Strathfieldsaye 181, 36; Golden Square 251, 32; Kyneton 122, 28; South Bendigo 93, 24; Sandhurst 128, 20; Eaglehawk 105, 20; Kangaroo Flat 52, 12; Castlemaine 37, 8; Maryborough 29, 0.
Leaders in the Ron Best Medal goalkicking award:
53 Joel Brett, GS.
46 Rhys Magin, Kyn.
35 Jayden Burke, GS.
33 Pat McKenna, Gis.
30 James Schischka, S’saye.
29 Josh Kemp, Gis.
28 Brock Harvey, SB; Cobi Maxted, Sh.
24 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Cameron Manuel, Kyn.
23 Darcy Richards, Eh.
21 Matt Thornton, Sh; Braydon Vaz, GS; Joel Wharton, Sh; Lachy Wilson, KF.
20 Lachlan Sharp, S’saye.
18 Matt Merrett, Gis.
16 Chris Freeman, Mb.
15 Kallen Geary, S’saye; Liam Marciano, Eh; Matthew Panuccio, Gis.
14 Ryan Pretty, Kyn.; Lachlan Zimmer, Sh.
13 Mitch Rovers, KF; Jack Scanlon, Gis.; Ben Thompson, Eh; Jake Thrum, GS.
12 Riley Clarke, S’saye; Guy Dickson, Kyn.; Lachlan Gill, S’saye; Michael Herlihy, SB; Bradley Keogh, Cm; Hamish Morcom, GS; Baxter Slater, S’saye; Oscar White, SB.
The Bendigo FNL has a general bye on July 2.
Among the highlights of the 12th round on July 9 will be the clash of QEO co-tenants Sandhurst and South Bendigo, and the Kyneton and Strathfieldsaye showdown at Tigerland.
Eaglehawk takes on Kangaroo Flat at Canterbury Park.
Castlemaine and Gisborne clash at Camp Reserve.
Maryborough tackles Golden Square at Princes Park.
Written by Nathan Dole.