BY NATHAN DOLE
Hawks too strong for South Bendigo on Bloods’ turf
EAGLEHAWK was too strong for South Bendigo as the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy competition hit the halfway mark on Saturday.
The Hawks have made South Bendigo’s quest to play finals extremely difficult following a 106-50 victory on the Bloods’ turf at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
The Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk did plenty of attacking in the first quarter, but South Bendigo’s accuracy kept it in the contest.
At the first break the Hawks led 4.10 (34) to 3.0 (18).
Eaglehawk sharpened its goalkicking in the second as it added 3.1.
By the main break the Two Blues led 53-32.
In the third the Hawks broke the game open to slam on 5.4 as the Bloods added a point.
Key forwards Cameron McGlashan and Jonty Neaves went on to kick three goals each as the Borough won 106-50.
Mitchell Ronchieri also booted two goals for the Hawks as seven team-mates chipped in with a goal.
The Bloods’ attack was led by co-coach Steven Stroobants on four.
Eaglehawk’s best were Bailey Ilsley, Joel Mullen, captain Billy Evans, Clayton Holmes, Marcus Angove and Oscar Madden.
Co-coach Isaiah Miller was South Bendigo’s best along with Brody Haddow, captain Zac Hare, Alex Smith, Jasper Langley and Tait Poyser.
Sandhurst has hit the halfway mark of the season on top of the ladder and unbeaten.
The Dragons did not have it all their own way in Saturday’s clash with Castlemaine at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Sandhurst raced to a 32-7 lead by quarter-time, but it was the Michael Hartley-coached Magpies who had plenty of the play in the second.
Castlemaine scored 4.3 and kept the maroon and blue to a tally of 1.4 to be within eight points at half-time.
In the second half the Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Sandhurst generated a lot more attacking play and capitalised to score 9.4 as the Pies were held to a score of 2.3.
At the final siren Sandhurst led 100-49.
The in-form Fergus Green kicked seven goals for Sandhurst as Nick Stagg added three and Cobi Maxted and Matt Wilkinson chipped in with two.
Castlemaine’s only multiple goalkicker was captain Bailey Henderson with two.
Best for Sandhurst were Fergus Greene, Cobi Maxted, Isaac Ruff, Lachlan Tardrew, Cooper Smith and Jake McLean.
Ryan Eyre, Matt Filo, Zavier Murley, Bailey Henderson, Michael Hartley and Liam Wilkinson worked hard for the Magpies.
Gisborne won a hard-fought contest with Kangaroo Flat at Gardiner Reserve by eight goals.
The Michael Ellings-coached Kangaroos worked hard to keep the pressure on their highly-rated opponents and to have plenty of numbers supporting the defence.
Gisborne led 30-13 at quarter-time and 56-20 by the main break.
Defences were on top for a lot of the second half as the Bulldogs were often forced to take shots from near the boundary.
The Dogs added 5.13 in the final hour as the Roos scored 4.7.
Matt Merrett marked his return to Gisborne’s line-up by kicking five goals as Brad Bernacki added two in a 99-51 result.
The Roos’ attack was led by Jake Hywood and Harry Whitty on two each.
Best for the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne were Macklan Lord, Flynn Lakey, Brad Bernacki, Harry Thomas, Jack Scanlon and Zach Vescovi.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Corey Ash, Jake Hywood, Daniel Stagg, Jack Lefroy, Ethan Roberts and Luke Ellings.
There were some injury blows for Gisborne.
Gun ruckman Braidon Blake was concussed and will be unavailable to represent Bendigo in the inter-league match against the Victorian Amateurs on July 6 at Elsternwick.
Harry Manders was another Gisborne player to be concussed.
An 11-goal haul by Strathfieldsaye Storm key forward James Schischka lifted his season tally to 38 goals and second place in the race for the Ron Best Medal.
Schischka and his Storm team-mates were ruthless in their match at Maryborough’s Princes Park.
A tally of 64 scoring shots by the Luke Freeman-coached Storm reflected its dominance.
Goalkicking practice may be on the cards as Strathfieldsaye finished with a tally of 34.30.
Storm’s best quarter was the third in which it scored 12.11 on the way to a 234-8 victory.
Leading goalkickers were Schischka, 11; Lachlan Gill and Malik Gordon, four; Zach Charles and Riley Wilson, three; and Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, two.
Maryborough’s sole goalkicker was Fraser Russell.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were James Schischka, Caleb Sheahan, Tim Hosking, Lachlan Gill, Riley Wilson and Malik Gordon.
Coby Perry was Maryborough’s best along with key defender Kya Lanfranchi, Beau Trahar, Ash Humphrey, Josh Britten and Dylan Reece.
The Magpies are jointly coached by Coby Perry and Matt Johnston.
Golden Square had the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 321 per cent, 32 points; Gisborne 233, 28; Strathfieldsaye 169, 24; Eaglehawk 150, 20; Golden Square 123, 16; Castlemaine 85, 8; South Bendigo 76, 8; Kangaroo Flat 58, 8; Maryborough 12, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s round 10 matches will be Golden Square on home turf at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street against Eaglehawk.
South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye clash at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington.
It’s an all-Magpies showdown between Maryborough and Castlemaine at Maryborough’s Princes Park.
Sandhurst faces Kangaroo Flat at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Gisborne has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
47 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
38 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
32 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
29 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
25 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
23 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
21 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
20 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
18 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
18 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
17 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
17 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
16 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
16 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
15 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
14 Bryce Curnow, Sandhurst.
13 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
13 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
12 Zac Greeves, Castlemaine.
12 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
12 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
11 Lachlan Gill, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
11 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
11 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
10 Abe Sheahan, Strathfieldsaye.
10 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.