BY NATHAN DOLE
Sandhurst pursues rare feat on footy field
FEW teams have been undefeated premiers in the history of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy competition.
As clubs prepare to kick off the second half of the season, Sandhurst’s unbeaten run of eight matches means it’s leading the race.
Runner-up to Golden Square in last September’s grand final by a goal, the Dragons have a burning desire to claim the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup for the first time since 2016.
A team jointly coached by Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing, was bolstered by the recruitment of gun forward Fergus Greene and hard-running midfielder/on-baller Lachlan Tardrew.
Both have been impressive across the opening half.
A tally of 47 goals has Greene leading the charge for the Ron Best Medal as leading goalkicker.
It’s been 36 years since a Sandhurst player won the Ron Best Medal.
The player to do so was Danny Ellis, 78 in 1988.
A club legend, particularly for his volume off work off-field, Ellis passed in the lead-up to Sandhurst’s recent match against Strathfieldsaye.
Big challengers to the Dragons’ quest for the ultimate glory are Gisborne and Strathfieldsaye.
Both pushed Sandhurst to the limit.
The margin in the round two clash between Sandhurst and Gisborne was 15 points.
The maroon and blue surged clear in the final quarter to score 116-91 win on Storm’s turf at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye in the eighth round.
Just how Storm would go without brilliant forward Lachlan Sharp was a question bandied about across pre-season.
It’s been James Schischka, 38 goals, who has stepped up and had plenty of support in what is Luke Freeman’s first year as Storm’s senior coach.
Eaglehawk and Golden Square are well-placed to figure in the finals action once again.
The Travis Matheson-coached Hawks are yet to be beat any of the top three, so that’s a goal in the run to September and once they are there.
Been superb run by on-ballers Billy Evans and Joel Mullen and the return of 2018 Nalder medallist Jonty Neaves who was best afield in the grand final victory is a huge plus.
Despite plenty of players leaving after last year’s premiership win, Golden Square has done well to have a four-four record.
Coach Brad Eaton has “blooded” many youngsters and they have shown they will play in the Bulldogs future.
Despite defeat the past two matches there was plenty to like about the way Castlemaine attacked the contests against Gisborne at Camp Reserve and then Sandhurst at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Likely to mark win number three in a season where the Michael Hartley-coached Magpies have been far more competitive.
A two-six record has South Bendigo in seventh place.
The Steven Stroobants and Isaiah Miller-coached Bloods still have plenty to play for, starting with Saturday’s home game against Strathfieldsaye at Harry Trott Oval.
Back-to-back wins against South Bendigo and Maryborough had Kangaroo Flat players and fans up and about after three rounds.
Since then it’s been a run of defeats for a young Roos’ line-up and first-year senior coach Michael Ellings.
Face the ladder-leading Dragons this Saturday and then meet the Magpies and Bloods.
Been an incredibly difficult season for Maryborough in which injuries have rocked the club’s depth.
Made a positive start, especially in the first half of the Good Friday match at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve.
Since then there have been some heavy defeats for the Coby Perry and Matt Johnston-coached Maryborough.
Lots of kudos to Perry who keeps up racking up 40-plus possessions and key defender Kya Lanfranchi who is faced with a daunting task every round.
Just where Maryborough plays beyond ’23 will be decided at a club forum.
The Magpies are back at Princes Park this Saturday to take on the neighboring Magpies from Castlemaine.
A club-by-club look at the run home and season so far:
Sandhurst – 8-0, 321 per cent, 32 points.
Run home: v Kangaroo Flat, h; v Gisborne; a; bye; d Maryborough 347-14; v South Bendigo, a; v Golden Square, h; v Eaglehawk, a; v Strathfieldsaye, h; v Castlemaine, a.
So far: d Kangaroo Flat 172-29, d Gisborne 88-73, d Maryborough 347-14; d South Bendigo 167-30; d Golden Square 102-48; d Eaglehawk 112-40; d Strathfieldsaye 116-91; d Castlemaine 100-49.
Leading goalkickers:
47 Fergus Greene; 18 Lachlan Wright; 14 Bryce Curnow; 12 Cobi Maxted; 11 Nick Stagg, Lachlan Tardrew, Noah Walsh; 8 Joel Wharton; 7 Lachie Hood, Matt Wilkinson.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Lachlan Tardrew, Cobi Maxted, Fergus Greene, Noah Walsh, James Coghlan.
Gisborne– 7-1, 233, 28.
Run home: bye; v Sandhurst, h; d Maryborough 273-15; v South Bendigo, h; v Golden Square, a; v Eaglehawk, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a; v Castlemaine, h; v Kangaroo Flat, a.
So far: bye, lt Sandhurst 73-88, bye, d Maryborough 273-15; d South Bendigo 180-31; d Golden Square 104-56; d Eaglehawk 97-63; d Strathfieldsaye 110-82; d Castlemaine 99-58; d Kangaroo Flat 99-51.
Leading goalkickers:
29 Pat McKenna; 25 Harry Luxmoore; 17 Brad Bernacki; 16 Zac Denahy; 12 Matt Merrett; 8 Harry Thomas; 7 Sam Graham.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Brad Bernacki, Braidon Blake, Flynn Lakey, Harry Luxmoore, Jackson Cardillo, Zach Vescovi.
Strathfieldsaye – 6-2, 169, 24.
Run home: v South Bendigo, a; v Golden Square, h; v Eaglehawk, a; bye; v Castlemaine, h; v Kangaroo Flat, a; v Gisborne, h; v Sandhurst, a; bye.
So far: d South Bendigo 96-68, d Golden Square 77-49, d Eaglehawk 71-62, bye, d Castlemaine 87-58; lt Kangaroo Flat 119-36; lt Gisborne 82-110; lt Sandhurst 91-116; d Maryborough 234-8.
Leading goalkickers:
38 James Schischka; 16 Malik Gordon; 11 Lachlan Gill; 10 Abe Sheahan, Riley Wilson; 8 Zach Charles, Matt Harvey.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Cooper Jones, James Schischka, Riley Wilson, Matt Harvey, Lachlan Gill, Malik Gordon.
Eaglehawk– 5-3, 149, 20.
Run home: v Golden Square, a; bye; v Strathfieldsaye, h; v Castlemaine, a; v Kangaroo Flat, h; v Gisborne, a; v Sandhurst, h; bye; v South Bendigo, h.
So far: d Golden Square 78-59, bye, lt Strathfieldsaye 62-71, d Castlemaine 54-33, d Kangaroo Flat 102-51; lt Gisborne 63-97; lt Sandhurst 40-112; d Maryborough 189-1; d South Bendigo 106-50.
Leading goalkickers:
20 Jonty Neaves; 13 Darcy Richards; 10 Mitchell Ronchieri; 8 Joel Mullen, Jack O’Shannessy, Ben Thompson.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Billy Evans, Joel Mullen, Ben Thompson, Bailey Ilsley, Brayden Frost, Clayton Holmes.
Golden Square – 4-4, 123, 16.
Run home: v Eaglehawk, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a; v Castlemaine, h; v Kangaroo Flat, a; v Gisborne, h; v Sandhurst, a; bye; v South Bendigo, a; bye.
So far: lt Eaglehawk 59-78, lt Strathfieldsaye 49-77, d Castlemaine 78-66, d Kangaroo Flat 106-29; lt Gisborne 56-104; lt Sandhurst 48-102; d Maryborough 180-22; d South Bendigo 98-66; bye.
Leading goalkickers:
21 Jayden Burke; 20 Jack Stewart; 8 Tom Strauch; 7 Kai Daniels; 6 Ricky Monti.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Tom Strauch, Jordan Rosengren, Jack Threlfall, Kai Daniels, Jack Stewart, Jon Coe, Ricky Monti.
Castlemaine– 2-6, 85, 8.
Run home: Maryborough, a; v South Bendigo, h; v Golden Square, a; v Eaglehawk, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a; bye; v Kangaroo Flat, a; v Gisborne, a; v Sandhurst, a.
So far: d Maryborough 131-62, lt South Bendigo 90-132, lt Golden Square 66-78, lt Eaglehawk 46-88; lt Strathfieldsaye 58-87; bye, d Kangaroo Flat 107-64; lt Gisborne 58-99; lt Sandhurst 49-100.
Leading goalkickers:
23 Michael Hartley; 15 Bailey Henderson; 12 Zac Greeves; 6 Kalan Huntly.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Bailey Henderson, Kalan Huntly, Zavier Murley, Michael Hartley, Darby Semmens, Jack Sutherland.
South Bendigo– 2-6, 76, 8.
Run home: v Strathfieldsaye, h; v Castlemaine, a; v Kangaroo Flat, h; v Gisborne, a; v Sandhurst, h; bye; v Golden Square, h; v Eaglehawk, a.
So far: lt Strathfieldsaye 68-96, d Castlemaine 132-90, lt Kangaroo Flat 94-121, lt Gisborne 31-180; lt Sandhurst 30-167; d Maryborough 201-17; bye, lt Golden Square 66-98; lt Eaglehawk 50-106.
Leading goalkickers:
32 Brock Harvey; 22 Steven Stroobants; 7 Anthony Zimmerman.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Brody Haddow, Brock Harvey, Tait Poyser, Zac Hare, Alex Smith, Cody Brooks.
Kangaroo Flat– 2-6, 58, 8.
Run home: v Sandhurst, away; v Maryborough, h; v South Bendigo, a; v Golden Square, h; v Eaglehawk, a; v Strathfieldsaye, h; v Castlemaine, a; bye; v Gisborne, h.
So far: lt Sandhurst 29-171, d Maryborough 133-78, d South Bendigo 121-94, lt Golden Square 29-106; lt Eaglehawk 51-102; lt Strathfieldsaye 36-119; lt Castlemaine 64-107; bye, lt Gisborne 49-100.
Leading goalkickers:
13 Harry Whitty; 9 Justin Bateson; 7 Angus Grant; 6 Luke Ellings;
Leading players as per club best each round:
Luke Ellings, Kyle Symons, Daniel Stagg, Ethan Roberts, Jake Hywood, Toby Balcke, Justin Bateson.
Maryborough – 0-8, 12, 0.
Run home: v Castlemaine, h; v Kangaroo Flat, a; v Gisborne, h; v Sandhurst, a; bye; v South Bendigo, h; v Golden Square, a; v Eaglehawk, h; v Strathfieldsaye, a.
So far: lt Castlemaine 62-131, lt Kangaroo Flat 78-133, lt Gisborne 15-273, lt Sandhurst 14-347; bye; lt South Bendigo 17-201; lt Golden Square 22-180; lt Eaglehawk 1-189; lt Strathfieldsaye 8-234.
Leading goalkickers:
8 Fraser Russell; 4 Kaian Constable.
Leading players as per club best each round:
Coby Perry, Kya Lanfranchi, Tom Myers, Alex Brown, Bailey Edwards, Ash Humphrey.