-By Nathan Dole
IT’S only two rounds played, but South Bendigo has shown it’s a team to be reckoned with in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.
The Bloods celebrated a 27-point victory at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve as the league’s second round was played on Good Friday.
In consecutive weeks a South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, has taken on and beat last season’s preliminary finalist and now runner-up.
The Bloods charged to a 26-3 lead by quarter-time of the Good Friday contest.
Both teams scored four goals in the second as the visitors led 51-29 by half-time.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne hit back to win the third quarter, 20-9.
An 11-point buffer for the red and white at the start of the last became 27 by the siren after South Bendigo scored 6.2 to 3.4 in the final term.
A previous winner of the Ron Best Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker, Kaiden Antonowicz kicked three goals.
The brilliant small forward led an attack which was without Steven Stroobants who began a four-match suspension.
Other multiple goalkickers for the Bloods were Callum Crisp, Brody Haddow, Brock Harvey and Alex Smith on two.
Strong defence was a key factor in South Bendigo’s victory.
Gisborne’s leading goalkickers were Thomas Werner, three; Braidon Blake, James Gray and Harry Luxmoore on two.
Best for South Bendigo were Joel Swatton, Tom Brereton, Anthony Zimmerman, Alex Davis, Brody Haddow and Josh Nitschke.
Gisborne’s best were Zach Vescovi, Thomas Werner, Brad Bernacki, Jed Denahy, James Gray and Braidon Blake.
Sandhurst was too strong for Strathfieldsaye in the rematch of last season’s preliminary finalists at Triple P Mark in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
A seven-goal blitz in the first quarter set up what would be a 50-point victory for the reigning premier.
The Dragons led 44-13 at quarter-time before both teams added two majors in the second.
Led by the play of Liam Ireland, Lachlan Wright and Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst scored 6.2 in the second half as it held Storm to a tally of 3.3.
At the final siren Sandhurst led 96-46.
Schmetzer led the attack on five goals as Cobi Maxted added three and Tom Campbell and Charlie Robinson booted two each.
Storm’s only multiple goalkicker was Bode Stevens with two.
Best for Sandhurst included Nick Stagg, Tanner Nally and Matt Wilkinson.
Jye Formosa, Ben Lester, Pat Blake, Riley Wilson, Bode Stevens and Riley Mulquiny played well for the Luke Freeman-coached Storm.
A Sandhurst team coached by Bryce Curnow, non-playing, and Lachlan Tardrew, playing, is likely to be without gun forward and co-captain Fergus Greene for several weeks because of injury.
Castlemaine soared to a 50-point win against Golden Square in the Magpies’ nest at Camp Reserve.
The Magpies played well to score 11 goals, but more impressive was the defensive play to hold the Bulldogs to a tally of three goals.
Castlemaine led 19-nil at quarter-time and 46-7 by the main break.
The Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square hit back to win the third quarter, 17-1.
In the last it was the black and white which did plenty of attacking as it added 4.5 on the way to a 76-26 result.
Coach Michael Hartley and captain Bailey Henderson kicked two goals for the Magpies.
Goalkickers for the blue and gold were Riley Dillon, Carson James and Tom Strauch.
Castlemaine’s best were Hunter Staples, Liam Wilkinson, Brodie Byrne, Ryan Eyre, Callum McConachy and Jack Sutherland.
Jon Coe, Terence Reeves, Harrison Kelly, Jordan Rosengren, Xavier Carter and Zack Shelton were Golden Square’s best.
Eaglehawk scored a big win against Kangaroo Flat on the Borough’s turf in Canterbury Park.
The Hawks had 44 scoring shots on their way to a 149-17 victory.
The marking power of Jonty Neaves and Jack O’Shannessy was a highlight as both finished with four goals.
Captain Billy Evans and Jack Thompson chipped in with three as Nick Hoare and Ben Thompson added two.
Goalkickers for the Kangaroos were Jake Hywood and Aaron Melis.
Eaglehawk’s best were Billy Evans, Joel Budarick, Ben Thompson, Tyh Evans, Jack Thompson and Brayden Frost.
The Hawks are jointly coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, playing.
Pat Murphy, Jay Newman, Luke Stagg, Angus Macpherson, Kyle Symons and Ethan Roberts played well for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Eaglehawk 395 per cent, 8 points; Sandhurst 205, 8; South Bendigo 118, 8; Gisborne 189, 4; Castlemaine 96, 4; Strathfieldsaye 71, 0; Golden Square 40, 0; Kangaroo Flat 18, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
8 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
7 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
7 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
6 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
6 Thomas Werner, Gisborne.
5 Seb Bell-Bartels, Gisborne.
5 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
5 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
5 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
5 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
4 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
4 Tyh Evans, Eaglehawk.
4 James Gray, Gisborne.
4 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
3 Sam Dean, Eaglehawk.
3 Jack Fallon, South Bendigo.
3 Matt Filo, Castlemaine.
3 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
3 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
3 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
3 Jack McMahon, Golden Square.
3 Charlie Robinson, Sandhurst.
3 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
3 Jack Thompson, Eaglehawk.
Round three kicks off with the Anzac Day match on Friday between South Bendigo and Eaglehawk at Queen Elizabeth Oval from 6.30pm.
Gates to the QEO on Anzac Day will open at 1pm.
The under-18s football match starts at 2.20pm and will be followed by the reserves at 4pm.
An Anzac Day observance will be held from 6pm.
The round will be completed on Saturday when senior footy kicks off at 2.20pm.
Kangaroo Flat takes on Castlemaine at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Golden Square and Sandhurst clash on the Bulldogs’ turf in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Gisborne takes on Strathfieldsaye at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.