EAGLEHAWK broke through Strathfieldsaye Storm’s fortress in Saturday’s 14th round to be the first senior footy team to win at Triple M Park in this season’s Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL action.
A 68-point victory by the reigning premier was also another sign it cannot be discounted from this year’s race for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.
Storm was far from full-strength for this contest, but that cannot take away from an impressive 103-35 victory by the Two Blues.
Eaglehawk charged to a 32-8 lead by quarter-time.
Strathfieldsaye hit back to win the second, 21-10.
The second half was dominated by the Borough.
Although it racked up an inaccurate 3.9, Eaglehawk’s defence teamed superbly to keep Storm scoreless in the third term.
The Borough led 69-29 going into the final term and did not let up.
As Eaglehawk scored five goals in the last, Strathfieldsaye’s only goal of the second half was kicked by Ethan Featherby at 24 ½ minutes to play.
Nick Thompson led Eaglehawk’s attack on three goals as Connor Evans and Oscar White kicked two each in a 103-35 result.
Leading goalkicker for Strathfieldsaye was James Schischka on three.
Eaglehawk’s best were Joel Mullen, Ben Thompson, Noah Wheeler, Charlie Langford, Callum Heath and Billy Evans.
The Two Blues are jointly coached by Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes.
Best for the Jeff Andrews-coached Storm were Lachlan Ratcliffe, Jye Chambers, Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, tim Hosking and Charles Dole.
Sandhurst climbed to the top rung of the ladder after a 124-51 victory on Kangaroo Flat’s ground at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Dower Park.
As Sandhurst marked another victory thoughts were with gun midfielder Lachlan Hood who dislocated an ankle in the early minutes of the third quarter.
Hood was taken to hospital by ambulance and had surgery on Sunday.
It was a closely-fought first half in which the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos kept the heat on.
As the Roos scored 3.4 the Dragons kicked 6.5.
After a 20-minute delay to treat Hood it was Sandhurst which quickly regained its composure.
The Dragons scored 5.8 in the third as the Roos added 1.2.
Seven goals in the last capped a 124-51 victory by the Dragons.
Finlay Lockhart marked his first senior game for Sandhurst by kicking six goals as Harrison Free, Lachie Hood and Matt Wilkinson finished with two each.
The Kangaroos’ attack was led by Sam Barnes and Nick Keogh on three and two goals.
Sandhurst’s best were Cooper Smith, Matt Wilkinson, Finlay Lockhart, Jaxon Howard, James Coghlan and Darcy Mills.
The Dragons are jointly coached by Bryce Curnow, non-playing, and Fergus Greene, playing.
Kangaroo Flat’s best were Aaron Nevins, Jeremy Rodi, Zach Bird, Jake Hywood, Angus Macpherson and Kyle Symons.
A strong first quarter set up Gisborne’s win against Castlemaine at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne led 33-2 at quarter-time.
Castlemaine hit back to win the second, 21-15, but it was Gisborne which held a 32-point buffer going into the final term.
The Magpies added three straight goals in the last and kept the Bulldogs to a major.
At the siren Gisborne was up 78-54.
James Gray led the Bulldogs’ attack on three goals as Brad Bernacki and Blake Freeth slotted two each.
Castlemaine’s leading goalkicker was Riley Pedretti on four goals as Kalan Huntly kicked two.
Best for Gisborne were James Gray, Zach Vescovi, Shane Clough, Brad Bernacki, Lachlan Evans and Lucas Hannon.
Castlemaine’s best were former Richmond forward Jacob Bauer in his first match for the club after recovering from major knee surgery.
Riley Pedretti, Bodhi Robinson, Darby Semmens, Ben McConachy and Jack Sutherland also played well for the Bailey Henderson-coached Magpies.
South Bendigo scored a 207-point win against Broadford at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
The Bloods won 215-8.
It was the second time this year South Bendigo had passed the 200-point mark against the Kangaroos.
Broadford’s debut into the league was a stand-alone match against the Bloods at Harley Hammond Reserve on March 28.
On that occasion a South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, marked a 218-13 victory.
Was always going to be another huge challenge for the Nathan Thompson-coached Kangaroos as the Bloods were seething after an eight-goal loss at Eaglehawk the previous round.
South Bendigo scored 10 goals in the first term and nine in the second to lead 122-1 at half-time.
Winner of the Ron Best Medal as the league’s leading goalkicker last season, Brock Harvey was in superb touch as he went on to kick 12 goals.
The Bloods goals tally was six in the third and eight in the last.
Broadford’s sole goal of the match was off the boot of Harry Behan at just over 10 minutes to play in the final term.
Harvey was the number one target in the Bloods’ attack, but also had great support from Coen Harker and Logan Howell, three goals; Jack English, Sam Langley, Wil McCaig, Chase Poyser, Zac Sims and Bailey Waterman, two each.
Best for South Bendigo were Brock Harvey, Brody Haddow, Bailey Waterman, Zac Sims, Chase Poyser and Jack English.
Broadford’s best were Louis Thompson, Owen Sloan, Adam Miles, Harry Behan, Seb Morris and Frazer McMahon.
Golden Square had the bye.
Two crucial matches feature in next Saturday’s round 15 action starting at 2.20pm.
Sandhurst tackles South Bendigo at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Eaglehawk meets Gisborne at C and M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
Golden Square will be aiming to continue its long-running winning streak against Kangaroo Flat in the match at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Broadford meets Strathfieldsaye in the Kangaroos’ home at Harley Hammond Reserve.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 204 per cent, 40 points; Strathfieldsaye 146, 40; Gisborne 183, 36; South Bendigo 156, 36; Eaglehawk 160, 32; Castlemaine 108, 20; Golden Square 100, 12; Kangaroo Flat 56, 8; Broadford 11, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
53 Pat McKenna, Gis.
51 Brock Harvey, SB.
43 James Schischka, S’saye.
31 Michael Hartley, Cm; Nick Keogh, KF.
26 Tyson McKenzie, S’saye.
24 Ben Thompson, Eh.
23 Dominic Sullivan, Gis.
22 Fergus Greene, Sh.
21 Jordan Rosengren, GS.
20 Cobi Maxted, Sh.
19 Brody Haddow, SB.
18 Jack McMahon, GS; Oliver Morris, Sh; Tom Strauch, GS.
17 Zac Denahy, Gis.; Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Nick Lang, KF.
16 Pat Blake, S’saye; Bailey Henderson, Cm.
15 Brad Bernacki, Gis.; Jacquin Mifsud, Eh; Jack O’Shannessy, Eh; Alex Smith-Ralph, SB; Oscar White, Eh.
In the netball action…….KANGAROO Flat’s unbeaten run in A-grade netball rolled on after a hard-fought clash with long-time rival Sandhurst in Saturday’s 14th round in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.
The Roos and Dragons played at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
It was another rematch of the ’25 grand finalists.
When these teams met in round five it was the Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroo Flat which won 60-50 in Sandhurst’s home at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst showed it had learnt plenty from the previous contest.
The team in maroon and blue upped its goal tally by 10 goals, but the Kangaroos also responded by increasing their goal output by four.
A big weekend for Tamara Gilchrist included Sunday’s presentation of life membership.
A multiple premiership-winning coach in A-grade, Gilchrist has played a significant role in the club’s success across all grades of netball.
Eaglehawk has gained a four-point break on Strathfieldsaye in the A-grade netball finals race after their latest showdown.
The Janelle Hobbs-coached Hawks carried the momentum of victory against South Bendigo the previous round into the clash on Strathfieldsaye’s court at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
A high-scoring match ended in a 60-50 win for the Two Blues against the Jess Mangan-coached Storm.
It’s a tough run ahead for Eaglehawk as it faces Gisborne at Canterbury Park next Saturday.
In round 16, Eaglehawk will play at Castlemaine and then have the bye a week later.
The Hawks will be back at C and M Oval for their last match in the 18-round home-and-away series against Broadford.
Storm’s run across the next four weeks is Broadford, away; Sandhurst, home; Golden Square, away; and Kangaroo Flat, home.
South Bendigo hit back from its loss at Eaglehawk to score a 67-goal win against Broadford at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
The Lauren Bowles-coached Bloods marked an 88-21 win against the Kangaroos.
It’s Broadford’s first season in the Bendigo FNL.
A young Broadford line-up is coached by Jaimie Hooper.
Gisborne was too strong for Castlemaine at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne won 51-13.
Third in the premiership race on an eight-three record, Gisborne will play at Eaglehawk next round.
The Vanessa Saunders-coached Castlemaine has the bye in round 15 and then hosts Eaglehawk at The Railway Hotel Oval in Camp Reserve on August 8.
Golden Square had the bye.
Standings in the Bendigo FNL A-grade netball competition after 14 rounds:
Kangaroo Flat 202 per cent, 52 points; Sandhurst 169, 40; Gisborne 174, 36; South Bendigo 133, 32; Eaglehawk 98, 24; Strathfieldsaye 89, 20; Golden Square 99, 16; Castlemaine 44, 4; Broadford 28, 0.
The clash of Sandhurst and South Bendigo at Queen Elizabeth Oval highlights next Saturday’s round 15 matches.
The Dragons and Bloods will be on court from 2.30pm.
First of the A-grade matches starts at 2pm when Broadford hosts Strathfieldsaye at Harley Hammond Reserve.
Eaglehawk takes on Gisborne at C and M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park from 2.30pm.
It’s a 3.20pm start for Golden Square and Kangaroo Flat at Gourmet Pantry Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Bendigo FNL netball, round 14 scoreboard:
A-reserve:
Kangaroo Flat 61 d Sandhurst 34, Strathfieldsaye 45 lt Eaglehawk 51, Gisborne 82 d Castlemaine 30, South Bendigo bye, Golden Square bye.
B-grade:
Kangaroo Flat 44 d Sandhurst 37, Strathfieldsaye 35 d Eaglehawk 32, Gisborne 86 d Castlemaine 17, South Bendigo 59 d Broadford 42, Golden Square bye.
B-reserve:
Kangaroo Flat 55 d Sandhurst 34, Strathfieldsaye 60 d Eaglehawk 39, Gisborne 63 d Castlemaine 34, South Bendigo 60 d Broadford 15, Golden Square bye.
17-and-under:
Kangaroo Flat 45 lt Sandhurst 46, Strathfieldsaye 45 d Eaglehawk 33, Gisborne 48 d Castlemaine 23, South Bendigo 72 d Broadford 14, Golden Square bye.
15-and-under:
Kangaroo Flat 15 lt Sandhurst 67, Strathfieldsaye 35 lt Eaglehawk 36, Castlemaine bye, Golden Square bye, South Bendigo bye.
Bendigo FNL netball ladders after 14 rounds:
A-reserve:
South Bendigo 147 per cent, 40 points; Kangaroo Flat 150, 38; Gisborne 141, 28; Sandhurst 113, 28; Eaglehawk 91, 22; Strathfieldsaye 72, 8; Castlemaine 62, 8; Golden Square 65, 4.
B-grade:
Gisborne 214 per cent, 48 points; South Bendigo 134, 40; Strathfieldsaye 122, 36; Kangaroo Flat 128, 34; Sandhurst 123, 28; Golden Square 90, 20; Eaglehawk 83, 10; Broadford 57, 8; Castlemaine 42, 0.
B-reserve:
Kangaroo Flat 177 per cent, 48 points; South Bendigo 153, 40; Gisborne 166, 38; Sandhurst 131, 32; Strathfieldsaye 122, 30; Golden Square 105, 16; Eaglehawk 87, 16; Castlemaine 51, 4; Broadford 23, 0.
17-and-under:
Sandhurst 186 per cent, 40 points; Golden Square 180, 40; Strathfieldsaye 163, 40; Kangaroo Flat 122, 30; Gisborne 120, 24; South Bendigo 101, 24; Eaglehawk 88, 22; Castlemaine 48, 4; Broadford 25, 0.
15-and-under:
Sandhurst 333 per cent, 36 points; Golden Square 191, 28; South Bendigo 110, 28; Eaglehawk 78, 20; Strathfieldsaye 92, 12; Kangaroo Flat 59, 8; Castlemaine 36, 0.