Dragons dominate finals tune-up against Gisborne
SANDHURST marked a near 20-goal victory against Gisborne in Saturday’s round 16 clash to complete the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy’s home-and-away series.
The Dragons and Bulldogs tuned up for the finals by playing at Bendigo’s Queen Elizabeth Oval.
It was two-nil in Gisborne’s favour rolling into Saturday’s clash.
The Bulldogs had beaten Sandhurst by 12 points at the QEO and only a month earlier scored a 37-point win against the Dragons at Gardiner Reserve.
The Bryce Curnow and Lachlan Tardrew-coached Sandhurst made a brilliant start to the latest showdown with the red, white and blue.
The Dragons slammed on eight goals in the opening term.
Cobi Maxted marked his return to play by kicking three of the Dragons first four goals.
Co-captain Fergus Greene goaled twice as Tom Campbell and Jacob Austin were also on target.
By quarter-time Sandhurst led 52-1.
The Dragons’ relentless pressure and run did not ease up.
Oliver Morris, Maxted, Greene twice, and then Tardrew were on target as Sandhurst stormed to an 86-2 lead by half-time.
Gisborne finally goaled in the 14th minute of the third quarter through Harry Luxmoore.
Goals by Bulldogs’ team-mates Campbell Johns and Jacob Murphy meant Sandhurst led 100-21.
The Dragons finished with the term with another goal by the in-form Fergus Greene.
Back with Sandhurst after a VFL stint with Essendon, Dayten Uerata slotted three goals in the final term as Matt Wilkinson, Tardrew and Greene also capped outstanding teamwork.
Gisborne’s sole reply in the fourth was through Luxmoore.
At the final siren Sandhurst led 147-28.
Best for the Dragons were Fergus Greene, Lachlan Tardrew, Cobi Maxted, Dayten Uerata, Oliver Morris and co-captain Cooper Smith.
Was a tough afternoon for the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne.
Best for the Bulldogs were Zach Vescovi, Lachlan Evans, James Gray and Campbell Johns.
A win-loss tally of 14-2 meant Sandhurst finished the home-and-away series on top of the ladder for the second year in a row.
The Dragons have a rest when qualifying and elimination finals are played next weekend.
A new season for Gisborne kicks off with the qualifying final showdown on Saturday with Eaglehawk.
Strathfieldsaye Storm surged into another finals campaign following a 31-point win against Golden Square at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
The Luke Freeman-coached Strathfieldsaye started the round a win and more than 12 per cent clear of the sixth-placed Golden Square.
Storm led 20-14 at quarter-time and 47-33 by the main break.
Defences were on top for most of the third term.
As the Bulldogs added 1.4, Storm scored 1.3.
Strathfieldsaye led 56-43 at a quarter to go.
Storm started the final term with goals by Zach Charles and Michelsen medallist Jake Moorhead to open up a 26-point lead.
The Brad Eaton-coached Golden Square could not halt Storm’s run through midfield and in the forward 50m arc.
Goals by Jack Bell and then back-to-back majors by Patrick Blandford put Strathfieldsaye up by 43 points.
The Bulldogs fought on to score the last two goals of the contest.
At the final siren Strathfieldsaye led 88-57.
Jack Bell, Patrick Blandford, Jed Brereton and James Schischka led Storm’s attack on two goals each.
Golden Square’s only multiple goalkicker was Jack McMahon with two.
Best for Strathfieldsaye were Bode Stevens, Sam Heavyside, Cooper Jones, Jake Moorhead, Riley Mulquiny and Ned Hayes.
Golden Square’s best were Harrison Kelly, Dylan Hird, Jack Stewart, Xavier Carter, Terence Reeves and Jordan Rosengren.
After a 1-7 start to the season Golden Square fought back strongly to achieve a win-loss tally of 5-11 and sixth placing.
Eaglehawk withstood a spirited challenge on its turf at Canterbury Park to defeat Castlemaine by 27 points.
The Hawks were under extreme pressure across the opening three quarters.
Eaglehawk raced to a 20-7 lead by quarter-time and was up 32-13 by the long break.
In the third term it was the Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine which generated and capitalised on scoring chances.
As the Magpies added 3.3 they kept the Hawks to just two majors.
The Borough led 44-34 going into the final term.
Castlemaine never stopped trying, but Eaglehawk’s skill through midfield and on-ball proved to be a telling factor.
The Hawks won the last, 27-10, and the match, 71-44.
Talented teen Jack O’Shannessy marked a return to form with four goals as Bailey Ilsley slotted three.
The Castlemaine attack was led by ruckman/forward Patrik Balta on three goals.
Best for Eaglehawk were Nick Hoare, Jack O’Shannessy, Dylan Hanley, Marcus Angove, Joel Mullen and Ben Thompson.
A Hawks’ line-up coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, playing, finished the run to the finals on a 12-4 record and in second place.
Eaglehawk will tackle Gisborne in Saturday’s qualifying final at the QEO.
Although bitterly disappointed not to have taken the points the Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine finished the season strongly.
The Magpies were within four points of South Bendigo the previous round, and took it right up to the Borough on its ground.
Castlemaine has appointed Bailey Henderson as coach for the ’26 season as Michael Hartley will play on for the Magpies.
The “triple threat” of South Bendigo forwards Kaiden Antonowicz, Brock Harvey and Steven Stroobants was to the fore in the Bloods’ clash with Kangaroo Flat at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
The talented trio combined for 20 of the team’s 29 goals in a 191-56 win against the Roos.
South Bendigo’s previous two matches with the Roos ended in wins by 148 and 87 points.
Third time around it was Stroobants who dominated with a match-high 11 goals as Harvey and Antonowicz added five and four majors.
The Troy Coates and Jack Fallon-coached Bloods charged to a 62-14 lead by quarter-time and was up 108-24 at the long break.
South Bendigo added nine goals in the third term and three in the last as it warmed up for an elimination final showdown with Strathfieldsaye.
Best for the Bloods were Steven Stroobants, Hayden Geddes, Jack Fallon, Brock Harvey, Brody Haddow and Jasper Langley.
Angus Macpherson, Nic Keogh, Jeremy Rodi, Tyran Farmer, Jake Lyons and Zach Whalen were best for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroo Flat.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder after 16 rounds:
Sandhurst 231 per cent, 56 points; Eaglehawk 174, 48; Gisborne 126, 48; South Bendigo 137, 44; Strathfieldsaye 91, 28; Golden Square 74, 20; Castlemaine 73, 12; Kangaroo Flat 29, 0.
Schedule for Saturday’s qualifying finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo:
SportsPower under-18s at 10.15am: South Bendigo v Golden Square.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: South Bendigo v Sandhurst.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: Eaglehawk v Gisborne.
Schedule for Sunday’s elimination finals at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo:
SportsPower under-18s at 10.15am: Gisborne v Strathfieldsaye.
Drummond Golf reserves at 12.15pm: Castlemaine v Eaglehawk.
Bendigo Bank seniors at 2.20pm: South Bendigo v Strathfieldsaye.
Final standings in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
48 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
44 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
38 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
37 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
36 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
34 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
34 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
25 Jack McMahon, Golden Square.
25 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
23 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
23 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
22 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
21 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
20 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
20 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
18 Clayton Holmes, Eaglehawk.
18 Lachie Hood, Sandhurst.
17 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
17 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
17 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
16 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
16 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
16 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
15 Nick Lang, Kangaroo Flat.
14 Xavier Carter, Golden Square.
14 Josh Eyre, Castlemaine.
14 Cooper Jones, Strathfieldsaye.
13 Sam Barnes, Kangaroo Flat.
13 Tyh Evans, Eaglehawk.
13 Jack Fallon, South Bendigo.
13 James Gray, Gisborne.
13 Charlie Robinson, Sandhurst.
13 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
12 Jack Chester, Castlemaine.
12 James Schischka, Strathfieldsaye.
12 Anthony Zimmerman, South Bendigo.