KYNETON’S great run of form rolled on as the Tigers scored a 21-point victory at Eaglehawk as the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League marked Indigenous Round on Saturday.
Both teams went into the clash at Eaglehawk’s Canterbury Park.
The Hawks won the Pat Cronin Foundation game at the QEO the previous round, while Kyneton had beaten Golden Square at Tigerland when the split sixth round kicked off two weeks earlier.
Scores were locked on 11-all at quarter-time of the Hawks and Tigers showdown.
The Paul Chapman-coached Kyneton led 33-25 at the end of the first half.
Both teams added three goals apiece in a third quarter the Hawks won 24-21.
Just as they had done two weeks earlier, the Tigers dominated the final term.
Led by the play of Louis Thompson, Cameron Manuel and Mitch Comben it was Kyneton which scored 4.2 to 1.4 in the last to complete an 80-59 victory.
Manuel’s hot form continued with a match-high five goals as Rhys Magin added two majors.
Leading goalkickers for Eaglehawk were Liam Marciano and Noah Wheeler on two each.
It was a dramatic finish to the South Bendigo and Strathfieldsaye clash at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Bloods made a great start to lead 27-24 at quarter-time before Storm surged to a 51-29 lead by the main break.
Despite missing key on-ballers Liam Byrne and Cooper Leon because of injury, the Bloods kept the pressure on the highly-skilled Storm.
A high-scoring third term was won by the Bloods, 37-30, to be within 15 points going into the final term.
Led by play of Alex Smith, coach Nathan Horbury and Isaiah Miller, South Bendigo dominated most of the last quarter to score 3.5 to 1.3.
At the final siren it was Storm in front, 90 to 89.
Strathfieldsaye’s attack was led by James Schischka, three; Caleb Ernst, Kallen Geary and Baxter Slater, two each.
The in-form Brock Harvey kicked a match-high four goals for the Bloods as Will Allen and Michael Herlihy added two apiece.
Storm’s best were gun on-baller Jake Moorhead, Mitch Hallinan, Joseph Mayes, Tim Hosking, Tom Bennett and Daniel Clohesy.
The Bloods’ best included Braydan Torpey, Herlihy and Brock Harvey.
Feature match of the round was at Golden Square’s Fur Life Oval where the Bulldogs took on Castlemaine.
The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs were snarling after consecutive defeats and led 98-20 by half-time.
Gun forwards Joel Brett, 14 goals, and Jayden Burke, five, dominated play as the blue and gold kicked on to win 33.9 (207) to 4.3 (27).
Other leading goalkickers for the Bulldogs were Braydon Vaz, four; and Hamish Morcom, three.
On another tough afternoon for Castlemaine, Liam Wilkinson led the attack on two goals.
Brett and Burke were the dominant factors in a Golden Square win where Jarrod Fitzpatrick, Liam Barrett, Jack Geary and Jake Thrum won plenty of the footy.
Best for Castlemaine were Tommy Horne, Liam Wilkinson, Brendan Josey, Riley Pedretti, Will Moran and Brodie Browne-Kerr.
Gisborne captain Pat McKenna marked his return to the attack by kicking 11 goals in the Bulldogs’ victory at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.
The Dogs led 32-16 at quarter-time and had gained a 38-point buffer by the main break.
Defences were on top in the third as Gisborne scored 2.5 to a point.
The unbeaten Bulldogs clicked up a few gears in the final term as they slammed on 8.3 to a goal to complete a 144 to 45 victory.
McKenna was the star in attack, but also had great support from the likes of Luke Ellings and Matt Panuccio, three majors each.
The Roos’ goalkickers were Max Johnson, Mitch Rovers and Lachy Wilson, two each.
Gisborne’s best were on-baller Flynn Lakey, Sam Graham, Jake Normington, Ellings, Panuccio and McKenna.
Best for the Kangaroos were Patrick Murphy, Mitch Collins, Brodie Fry, Ryan O’Keefe, Nic Keogh and Liam Collins.
Maryborough marked a much-improved performance against Sandhurst as the Magpies scored 55 points on home turf at Princes Park.
The Dragons were fired-up by a loss to Eaglehawk the previous round, but Maryborough worked hard in the first term.
At quarter-time, Sandhurst led 38-21 and then slammed on 10.6 to a goal in the second term.
A Dragons’ attack led by Matt Thornton and Joel Wharton, five goals apiece, capitalised on the on-ball and midfield dominance on the way to a 166 to 55 result.
Maryborough’s attack was led by Brady Neill, four goals, and Chris Freeman, three.
Best for Sandhurst were Thornton, Noah Walsh, Alex Wharton, Joel Wharton, Isaac Carracher and Zach Pallpratt.
In-form ruck-rover Aidan Hare, Kya Lanfranchi, Liam Murphy, Brady Neill, Patrick Chard and Ty Stewart played well for the Magpies.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Gisborne 330 per cent, 28 points; Strathfieldsaye 189, 24; Golden Square 261, 20; Eaglehawk 131, 16; Kyneton 107, 16; Sandhurst 121, 12; South Bendigo 87, 12; Kangaroo Flat 61, 8; Castlemaine 31, 4; Maryborough 21, 0.
Highlight of next Saturday’s eighth round will be the all-Bulldogs showdown between Gisborne and Golden Square at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve.
It will be another big match at Kyneton Showgrounds where the Tigers tackle Sandhurst.
Strathfieldsaye takes on Kangaroo Flat at Triple M Park in Tannery Lane.
South Bendigo faces Maryborough at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Castlemaine and Eaglehawk meet in the Magpies’ nest at Camp Reserve.
Written by Nathan Dole.