SOUTH Bendigo put Strathfieldsaye out of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy premiership race in Sunday’s dramatic elimination final.
The Bloods and Storm clash capped a great start to the finals series at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Among the changes, Storm welcomed back co-captain Daniel Clohesy for his first match following surgery on an AC joint from a collision in the first round against South Bendigo.
With 17 against 18 across the last 15 minutes in the elimination final it was South Bendigo which was able to find a way to win the contest and stay in the race for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.
Storm was first to goal in the match when Hunter Lawrence was on target.
It was then the Bloods who capitalised on the breeze with goals by Steven Stroobants, co-coach Jack Fallon, James Davies and Brock Harvey.
A second goal by Stroobants gave the Bloods a four-goal lead less than three minutes into the second quarter.
Key forward James Schischka was on target for Storm.
After a series of behinds it was Charlie King who brought up Storm’s third goal as Strathfieldsaye drew within seven points by half-time.
Consecutive goals by Jed Brereton put Storm up, 39-35 in the 17th minute of the third term.
The Bloods replied through this season’s Ron Best medallist in Brock Harvey
Storm regained the lead as Bode Stevens was on target.
One of many of the Bloods’ gun recruits, Josh Nitschke from Kerang capitalised on a centre break to goal as South Bendigo was up 47-46 as nine minutes to play.
Another major by Stroobants gave the red and white a seven-point buffer.
Heat was back on as Charlie King goaled for Strathfieldsaye.
A fourth goal by Stroobants meant South Bendigo led 61-52 at three quarter-time.
Storm did all the attacking in the final term.
After a run of five behinds it was Bode Stevens who goaled for Storm to lead 63-62 at 11 ½ minutes to play.
A brilliant goal by Jack Fallon put South Bendigo back in front.
Both of this season’s home-and-away matches between the teams had been thrillers and fans witnessed another superb showdown.
Storm had some chances to regain the lead, but both shots were astray.
A goal by Zac Sims sealed a 75-65 victory for South Bendigo.
Best for the Bloods were Josh Nitschke, ruckman Callum Crisp, Jack Fallon, Alex Davis, Andrew van Heumen, and ruck-rover Brody Haddow.
Storm’s best were Cooper Jones, Bode Stevens, Hunter Lawrence, Kya Lanfranchi, Sam Heavyside and Jed Brereton.
It was a long-awaited senior finals win for the Bloods who in the off-season brought in Troy Coates from Kerang as non-playing coach.
A multiple premiership winning playing coach with the Blues, Coates was also playing coach of Strathfieldsaye’s premiership team in 2019.
Jack Fallon returned to the Bloods after being co-coach of the premiership-winning White Hills the previous September.
At Strathfieldsaye it was Luke Freeman’s final game as senior coach.
On Saturday it was Eaglehawk which marked a nine-point victory against Gisborne in the senior qualifying final.
It was a high-pressure game from both teams.
The Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes-coached Hawks were first go goal through talented teenager Jack O’Shannessy.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne hit back with a Harry Luxmoore major.
A Deacon Marsh goal and the first of four by Holmes meant Eaglehawk was up 21-7.
The Bulldogs drew within nine points after Matt Merrett was on target.
Quarter two began with Holmes outpointed the Bulldogs defence once again.
Merrett replied for Gisborne, but a Ben Thompson goal gave the Hawks a 15-point buffer in the 15th minute.
A lot of play was between the 50m arcs across the next 10 minutes.
A goal by gun rover James Gray at just over a minute to go in the half put Gisborne within 11 points by the long break.
A joint Michelsen medallist as league fairest and best in ’24, Gisborne on-baller Brad Bernacki was first to goal in the third quarter.
A Holmes goal was answered by Gisborne gun forward Pat McKenna for the Bulldogs to be within five points.
It was Holmes who the Hawks turned to again to slot his fourth major.
A Harry Luxmoore goal to complete the third term meant Gisborne was within two points.
Merrett’s goal five minutes into the last quarter put the Bulldogs up 54-51.
The Hawks found Thomas Bennett in the clear to calmly slot a goal and regain the lead.
When Kyen Burrill-Grinton soccered a goal Eaglehawk led 65-54 at 10 minutes to play.
It was to the final goal of the match.
Gisborne had two more shots on goal, but both missed as the Hawks marked a 65-56 victory and moved through to Saturday’s second semi-final against Sandhurst.
Best for the Borough were Nick Hoare, Clayton Holmes, Ben Thompson, Dylan Hanley, Joel Mullen and Charlie Langford.
The Bulldogs’ best were James Gray, Jacob Floreani, Zach Vescovi, Harry Luxmoore, Lachlan Evans and Jake Normington.
Sandhurst marked a 13-point win against South Bendigo in the Drummond Golf reserves qualifying final.
The Dragons dominated the opening three quarters.
Sandhurst was up 14-7 at quarter-time and 32-15 by half-time.
The Dragons’ attack in the first half was led by James Vlaeminck and Joel Wharton with two each as Connor Sexton was also on target.
A major by Jack English put Sandhurst up 38-17 in the ninth minute of the third term.
When Patrick O’Farrell and James Vlaeminck capped excellent team play the Dragons led 52-18 at a quarter to go.
The Bloods were first to goal in the final term before Sean O’Farrell was on target.
South Bendigo struck back with goals by Braydan Torpey, Judd Ipsen and Torpey again to be within 15 points at just over seven minutes to go.
The Bloods kept attacking but racked up three behinds as the Dragons ran out 59-46 victors.
James Vlaeminck capped a great match with three goals as Joel Wharton booted two and Jack English, Patrick and Sean O’Farrell, Connor Sexton added one each.
South Bendigo’s attack was led by Braydan Torpey on a match-high five goals as Judd Ipsen added the other.
Best for Sandhurst were Henry Edwards, Wil Pinniger, Louis Banfield, Patrick and Sean O’Farrell, and Joel Wharton.
South Bendigo’s best were Josh Taylor, Braydan Torpey, Will Allen, Ollie Turnbull, Bailey Waterman and Tait Rojewski.
The Bloods will now take on Castlemaine in the first semi-final.
The Castlemaine Magpies overcame a two-goal deficit at half-time to win Sunday’s elimination final against Eaglehawk by 17 points.
The Borough led 21-9 at the main break, but it was the Magpies who dominated the second half.
As Castlemaine scored 5.4 in the second half the Hawks added just five behinds.
By the final siren the Magpies were up 43-26.
Castlemaine’s attack was led by Curtis McLennan and Wilson Staples on two goals as Aidan Goddard, Brad Keogh and Riley Pedretti were on target.
Goalkickers for Eaglehawk were Tyler Eliades, Jordy Holland and Ryan Wellington.
Castlemaine’s best were Riley Pedretti, Rhys Smith, Campbell McLennan, Bodhi Robinson, Oscar Giddings and Wilson Staples.
The Hawks’ best were Jordy Holland, Corey Roberts, Jaxon Vroom, Jack Kerr, Izak O’Sullivan and Corey Webb.
Finals action kicked off with the SportsPower under-18s qualifying final between South Bendigo and Golden Square on Saturday morning.
Golden Square raced to a 28-12 lead by quarter-time before the Bloods struck back to win the second term, 9-8.
A tally of 3.1 as it kept the opposition to a score of 2.3 meant Golden Square held a 19-point buffer going into the last.
As the Bulldogs added 1.4 the Bloods were held to a tally of three behinds.
A 65-39 victory meant Golden Square progressed to a showdown with Sandhurst in the second semi-final.
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by Seth Cooke-Kingston and Archie Eaton with two goals as Zach Barker, Axel Drummond, James Peter, captain Byron Ritchie, and Jaxson Smith were also on target.
For the Bloods, Logan Howell slotted a match-high three goals as Harry Purcell and Campbell Wood added a goal.
Best for Golden Square were Josh Kelly, Xavier Cain, Byron Ritchie, Archie Eaton, Zach Barker and Seth Cooke-Kingston.
South Bendigo’s best were Campbell Wood, Louis Eddy, Toby Hardingham, Ethan McMahon, Adam Triplett and Jasper Irwin.
The Bloods will aim to bounce back from defeat when they play Strathfieldsaye in the first semi-final on Sunday.
Storm scored a 27-point win against Gisborne in the elimination final.
Scores were locked on 13-all at quarter-time before Gisborne won the second term, 7-1.
It was a goalscoring surge by Storm in the third quarter.
A Luke Matheson goal was followed by back-to-back goals by co-captain Hugh Behrens as Storm charged to a 33-21 lead.
Excellent team play by Strathfieldsaye was capped with goals by Nathan Jones-Stibbe and Archie Stevens to be up 46-22 by three quarter-time.
Strathfieldsaye added another three goals in the last as Gisborne had Jack Palmer and Emil Stelma on target.
By the final siren Storm led 64-37.
Goalkickers for Storm were Hugh Behrens and Archie Stevens, three; Mack Elkington, Nathan Jones-Stibbe, Luke Matheson and Will Mayes.
Gisborne’s attack was led by Will Elliott, Lucas Jones, Jacob Muscat, Jack Palmer and Emil Stelma.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were Jack Molloy, Scout Hatcher, Archie Stevens, Ezekiel Cousins, Will Mayes and Jake Schubert.
Lucas Hannon, Lucas Carnell, Oliver Macnamara and Jack Rutten played well for Gisborne.
Schedule for Saturday’s second semi-finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street, Bendigo:
SportsPower under-18s at 10.15am: Sandhurst v Golden Square.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: Golden Square v Sandhurst.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: Sandhurst v Eaglehawk.
Schedule for Sunday’s first semi-finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street, Bendigo:
SportsPower under-18s at 10.15am: South Bendigo v Strathfieldsaye.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: South Bendigo v Castlemaine.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: Gisborne v South Bendigo.