THE ecstasy of victory and agony of defeat was felt in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy clashes at Castlemaine and Eaglehawk on Saturday.
As Gisborne and Strathfieldsaye marked wins by a point and seven points, Castlemaine and Eaglehawk were left to rue what have been in the season’s fifth round.
It was a top contest between Castlemaine and Gisborne at The Railway Hotel Oval in Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
The Bailey Henderson-coached Castlemaine raced to a 29-9 lead by quarter-time.
Gisborne hit back to win the second, 24-7.
A three-point buffer for the Magpies at half-time was 14 by the final change.
In the last it was the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne which faced a 21-point deficit after Dylan Landt landed a goal for Castlemaine.
A run of three goals by Gisborne was capped by a Dominic Sullivan goal to make it 60-all at just over four minutes to play.
A Matt Merrett major put Gisborne in front.
A behind for the Magpies was followed by a Harrison Sheahan goal to level scores.
What would be a 20th behind for Gisborne clinched a 68-67 victory.
In a match where defences were on top, Gisborne had Shane Clough and Matt Merrett kick two goals each.
Castlemaine’s attack was led by Bailey Henderson and Harrison Sheahan with two.
Best for Gisborne were Will Elliott, Dylan Johnstone, James Gray, Frank Schipano, Brad Bernacki and Zach Vescovi.
Jack Sutherland, Hunter Staples, Brodie Byrne, Harrison Sheahan, Zavier Murley and Dylan Landt were best for the Magpies.
Another thrilled was played out at C & M Oval in Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park between the Hawks and Strathfieldsaye Storm.
The Storm line-up led 16-8 at quarter-time and 25-18 by the main break.
Goals by James Schischka, Riley Wilson and Tyson McKenzie gave Storm a 26-point buffer in the third quarter.
Eaglehawk hit back with goals by Nick Thompson, Noah Wheeler and Jack Thompson.
A Riley Mulquiny major meant Strathfiledsaye was up by 14 points at 12 minutes to go in the term.
Defensive actions were a highlight of this match.
A Nick Thompson goal in the final minute put the Borough within seven points going into the final quarter.
The Hawks did plenty of attacking, but were off target.
Consecutive goals for Strathfieldsaye gave the Jeff Andrews-coached team a 17-point cushion.
The Hawks scored the last two goals through Tyh Evans and Lewin Davis, but it was Strathfieldsaye which celebrated a hard-fought 69-62 victory.
McKenzie and Schischka led Strathfieldsaye’s attack on three goals each.
Nick Thompson finished with two goals for the Borough.
Storm’s best were Riley and Darcy Mulquiny, Jaidi Jackson-Leahy, Cooper Jones, Zane Keighran and Tyson McKenzie.
Oscar White, Nick Hoare, Callum Heath, Jonty Neaves, Charlie Langford and Ben Thompson were best for the Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes-coached Eaglehawk.
At Queen Elizabeth Oval it was Sandhurst which dominated its clash with Kangaroo Flat.
The Roos took plenty of confidence into the match following a long-awaited win against Broadford the previous round.
After a wayward opening term in which it scored 2.6 and kept the Roos to a point, Sandhurst scored five goals in the second quarter to lead 50-1 by the long break.
Best quarter of the match was the third as both teams added three goals.
Sandhurst led 69-21 going into the last term and upped its pressure and run markedly.
As the Dragons scored eight goals they kept the Roos to a tally of three behinds.
Sandhurst led 121-24 at the final siren.
Cobi Maxted capped a fine match with five goals as Jonty Davis, Fergus Greene and Nick Stagg kicked two each.
The Roos’ goalkickers were Sam Barnes, Darby Brown and Jarrell Ratcliffe.
Sandhurst’s best were Caleb Connick, co-coach Fergus Greene, Cobi Maxted, Oliver Morris, Nick Stagg and Jonty Davis.
The Dragons have Bryce Curnow as non-playing co-coach.
Jeremy Rodi, Daniel Stagg, Tyran Farmer, Zach Bird, Aaron Nevins and Jarrell Ratcliffe were best for the Tyrone Downie-coached Kangaroos.
Golden Square had the bye.
It was also a rest for Broadford and South Bendigo who played in the stand-alone season launch on March 28 at Broadford’s Harley Hammond Reserve.
The Bloods marked a 205-point victory.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 299 per cent, 16 points; South Bendigo 168, 16; Gisborne 154, 12; Strathfieldsaye 110, 12; Eaglehawk 101, 8; Castlemaine 100, 8; Golden Square 120, 4; Kangaroo Flat 58, 4; Broadford 17, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s sixth round will be the Graeme Wright Memorial match between South Bendigo and Sandhurst at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington’s Neale Street from 2.20pm.
Another big match will be in Gisborne’s headquarters at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve as the Bulldogs face Eaglehawk.
Strathfieldsaye takes on Broadford in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
Kangaroo Flat and Golden Square meet in the duel of the neighbours at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
Castlemaine has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
15 Brock Harvey, SB.
12 Cobi Maxted, Sh.
11 Kaiden Antonowicz, SB; Nick Keogh, KF; Pat McKenna, Gis.; Alex Smith, SB.
10 Michael Hartley, Cm; Harry Luxmoore, Gis.
9 Harrison Sheahan, Cm; Tyson McKenzie, S’saye; James Schischka, S’saye; Ben Thompson, Eh.
8 Archie Eaton, GS; Brody Haddow, SB; Archie Rixon, Cm.
7 Tom Campbell, Sh; Zac Denahy, Gis.; James Frawley, SB; Fergus Greene, Sh; Bailey Henderson, Cm; Jack Thompson, Eh.
6 Jacob Austin, Sh; Pat Blake, S’saye; Zach Charles, S’saye; Caleb Connick, Sh; Coen Harker, SB; Oliver Morris, Sh; Jack Stewart, GS.
In the netball…….Kangaroos outpoint Dragons once again
REIGNING premier Kangaroo Flat outpointed Sandhurst in Saturday’s round five clash in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball competition.
The Jayden Cowling-coached Kangaroos marked their return to the Queen Elizabeth Oval where they defeated Sandhurst in last September’s grand final.
It was another top contest between two of the league’s powerhouses of recent seasons.
A high-scoring match ended in a 60-50 victory for Kangaroo Flat.
It was a thrilling finish to the Eaglehawk and Strathfieldsaye clash on Eaglehawk’s court at C & M Oval in Canterbury Park.
The Jess Mangan-coached Storm fought on for a 49-48 victory.
It was a third defeat in a row for Eaglehawk.
A difficult run for the Jannelle Hobbs-coached Hawks included a 34-goal loss at home to Kangaroo Flat in round three, and then a six-goal loss to South Bendigo on Anzac Day under the QEO lights.
Castlemaine faced a tough challenge against Gisborne.
The Vanessa Saunders-coached Castlemaine had home-court advantage at The Railway Hotel Oval in Camp Reserve.
It had been a lengthy break for the Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne which had not played since a 23-goal win at home against Strathfieldsaye on April 18.
The team in red, white and blue made a strong start against the Magpies and did not let up.
By the final whistle Gisborne led 65-19.
Golden Square had the bye.
Broadford and South Bendigo also had a rest as they played in the stand-alone season launch match on March 28 at Broadford’s Harley Hammond Reserve.
The Lauren Bowles-coached Bloods dominated play on the Kangaroos’ court to win by 62 goals.
Standings in the Bendigo FNL’s A-grade netball competition:
Kangaroo Flat 229 per cent, 20 points; South Bendigo 157, 16; Sandhurst 162, 12; Gisborne 159, 12; Golden Square 108, 8; Strathfieldsaye 107, 8; Eaglehawk 89, 4; Castlemaine 32, 0; Broadford 29, 0.
In next Saturday’s sixth round it’s an early start for Kangaroo Flat and Golden Square as they will play from 10am at Bendigo Mazda Oval in Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
South Bendigo and Sandhurst meet on Graeme Wright Memorial Day at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval from 2.30pm.
Strathfieldsaye faces Broadford in Storm territory at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane from 2.30pm.
Gisborne takes on Eaglehawk from 2.30pm at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve
Castlemaine has the bye.
Bendigo FNL netball, round five scoreboard:
A-reserve:
Sandhurst 44 lt Kangaroo Flat 51, Eaglehawk 46 d Strathfieldsaye 45, Castlemaine 35 lt Gisborne 69, Golden Square bye.
B-grade:
Sandhurst 33 lt Kangaroo Flat 43, Eaglehawk 41 lt Strathfieldsaye 42, Castlemaine 21 lt Gisborne 80, Golden Square bye.
B-reserve:
Sandhurst 38 lt Kangaroo Flat 42, Eaglehawk 36 lt Strathfieldsaye 41, Castlemaine 21 lt Gisborne 80, Golden Square bye.
17-and-under:
Sandhurst 48 d Kangaroo Flat 26, Eaglehawk 26 lt Strathfieldsaye 63, Castlemaine 21 lt Gisborne 65, Golden Square bye.
15-and-under:
Sandhurst 80 d Kangaroo Flat 14, Eaglehawk 41 d Strathfieldsaye 39, Castlemaine bye, Golden Square bye.
Bendigo FNL netball ladders after five rounds:
A-reserve:
South Bendigo 132 per cent, 16 points; Gisborne 145, 12; Kangaroo Flat 128, 12; Sandhurst 121, 8; Eaglehawk 100, 8; Golden Square 79, 4; Strathfieldsaye 70, 4; Castlemaine 64, 0.
B-grade:
Kangaroo Flat 180 per cent, 16 points; Gisborne 174, 16; South Bendigo 163, 16; Sandhurst 150, 12; Golden Square 147, 12; Strathfieldsaye 100, 8; Eaglehawk 72, 0; Castlemaine 35, 0; Broadford 32, 0.
B-reserve:
Kangaroo Flat 202 per cent, 20 points; South Bendigo 187, 16; Gisborne 157, 12; Sandhurst 149, 12; Golden Square 138, 8; Strathfieldsaye 106, 8; Eaglehawk 77, 4; Castlemaine 38, 0; Broadford 22, 0.
17-and-under:
Golden Square 311 per cent, 16 points; Strathfieldsaye 255, 16; Sandhurst 196, 12; South Bendigo 100, 12; Gisborne 126, 8; Kangaroo Flat 118, 8; Eaglehawk 70, 8; Castlemaine 37, 0; Broadford 20, 0.
15-and-under:
Sandhurst 310 per cent, 12 points; South Bendigo 160, 12; Golden Square 167, 8; Eaglehawk 71, 8; Strathfieldsaye 103, 4; Kangaroo Flat 50, 4; Castlemaine 54, 0.