BY NATHAN DOLE
Gisborne wins dog-fight with Golden Square
GISBORNE reigned supreme in the battle of the Bulldogs with Golden Square in Saturday’s fifth round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy action.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne marked a superb start to the match on their turf at Gardiner Reserve.
A tally of seven goals as it kept the visitors to a goal in the opening term meant Gisborne led 46-8 by the first break.
Golden Square fought back to score 3.4 in the second, but the hosts led 74-30 by the long break.
Defences were on top in the third as Gisborne scored 2.3 to a point.
Brilliant forward Pat McKenna went on kick five goals and gun on-baller Brad Bernacki added four as Gisborne won 104-56.
The red, white and blue also had Matt Merrett chip in with two goals.
Leading goalkickers for Golden Square were Jack Stewart and Tom Strauch on two.
Gisborne’s best were Liam Spear, Brad Bernacki, Braidon Blake, Flynn Lakey, Matt Merrett and Jarrad Lynch in his 200th senior match.
Best for the Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square were Tom Strauch, Ricky Monti, Jon Coe, Jordan Rosengren, Dylan Hird and Zack Shelton.
Strathfieldsaye was too strong for a determined Castlemaine in the Magpies’ home at Camp Reserve.
Storm star Shannon Geary marked his 250th senior match in the Bendigo FNL.
The Storm led 25-16 at quarter-time and 52-25 by the main break.
Both teams added 2.3 in the third term.
Key forward James Schischka kicked a match-high four goals as Strathfieldsaye won 87-58.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Luke Freeman-coached Storm were Malik Gordon and Riley Wilson, two.
Castlemaine coach Michael Hartley kicked two goals, as did Kalan Huntly.
Storm’s best were Riley Wilson, Malik Gordon, Darcy Mulquiny, James Schischka, Matt Harvey and Ethan Featherby.
Best for Castlemaine were Zavier Murley, Zach Greeves, Curtis McLennan, Bailey Henderson, Brodie Byrne and Nicholas Woodman.
Eaglehawk doubled Kangaroo Flat’s score to record a 102-51 victory on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.
The Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk turned a 15-point lead at quarter-time into a 33-point buffer by the main break after it scored 4.2 to 1.2 in the second term.
A closely-fought third term went the Hawks’ way, 26-21.
Jonty Neaves, Darcy Richards and Ben Thompson led the Two Blues attack on three goals as Mitch Ronchieri added two.
The talented Jack Lefroy booted two goals for the Kangaroos.
Best for Eaglehawk were Joel Mullen, Billy Evans, Ben Thompson, Brayden Frost, Jonty Neaves and Brady Rowles.
Kyle Symons, Jack Lefroy, Corey Ash, Josh Leersen, Ethan Roberts and Luke Ellings were best for the Michael Ellings-coached Kangaroos.
A 10-goal haul in Sandhurst’s big win against South Bendigo has put Fergus Greene in front in the race for the Ron Best Medal goalkicking award.
The Dragons hot form continued against the Bloods at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Sandhurst led 107-19 by half-time after it scored eight goals in the first and matched the feat in the second.
As Greene capped off many moves the former Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn forward also had team-mates Noah Walsh, three;. and Caleb Connick, Lachie Hood, Matt Wilkinson chip in with two goals.
There were no multiple goalkickers for the Bloods.
Best for a Sandhurst team coached by Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing, were Fergus Greene, Lachlan Tardrew, Cobi Maxted, Lachie Hood, Harrison Free and Jake McLean.
Oliver Turnbull, Tait Poyser, Zac Hare, Alex Smith, Zavier Holmes and Brody Haddow worked hard for the Steven Stroobants and Isaiah Miller-coached Bloods.
Maryborough had the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 529 per cent, 16 points; Strathfieldsaye 139, 16; Gisborne 331, 12; Eaglehawk 145, 12; Golden Square 98, 8; Kangaroo Flat 65, 8; Castlemaine 87, 4; South Bendigo 54, 4; Maryborough 19, 0.
The split sixth round kicks off next Saturday.
Match of the day will be Eaglehawk on its turf at Canterbury Park against Gisborne.
Strathfieldsaye will be home at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane to take on Kangaroo Flat.
South Bendigo tackles Maryborough in the Bloods’ home at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street.
Castlemaine has the bye.
The round will be completed on May 25 when Golden Square and Sandhurst fight for the Ron Best Memorial Shield at Golden Square’s Wade Street ground.
The match honours the legendary goalkicker who was a premiership-winner at the Bulldogs and Dragons in the 1970s.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
26 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
22 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
21 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
18 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
17 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
16 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
12 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
10 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
9 Justin Bateson, Kangaroo Flat.
9 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
9 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
9 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
9 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
9 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
8 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
8 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
8 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
8 Joel Wharton, Sandhurst.
8 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
7 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
7 Sam Graham, Gisborne.
7 Zach Greeves, Castlemaine.
7 Fraser Russell, Maryborough.