BY NATHAN DOLE
Dragons are Best against Bulldogs once again
SANDHURST marked a hat-trick of Ron Best Memorial Shield wins against Golden Square in Saturday’s completion to round six Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy season.
The Bulldogs and Dragons clash drew a big crowd to Fur Life Oval in Golden Square’s Wade Street.
More than four points were to be won in a match which honours goalkicking legend Ron Best, a premiership winner at Golden Square, and also on two occasions with Sandhurst.
In a remarkable 270-game career, Best booted 1624 goals.
The crowd at Saturday’s match included Past Players, Officials and Fans of Northern United Football Club in which Best marked his final game in the ’84 grand final win by the Swallows against Eaglehawk.
It was a rematch of the ’23 grand finalists as Golden Square and Sandhurst took to the field on Saturday.
The Golden Square line-up had changed dramatically to the one which beat Sandhurst by a goal to claim the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup last September.
Although the Dragons did plenty of early attacking the shots at goal were wayward.
By the first break Sandhurst led 3.6 (24) to 0.2 (2).
Golden Square lifted its intensity and play in the second.
The Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs won the quarter, 33-15, to be within four points at half-time.
Quarter three was to be dominated by a Sandhurst team coached by Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing.
The Dragons slammed on 5.4 to a point.
A 37-point lead going into the final term was nine goals by the final siren.
Sandhurst added 4.5 and held the Dogs to just two goals.
Curnow kicked a match-high four goals and the in-form Fergus Greene booted three as the Dragosn marked a 102-48 victory.
Other multiple goalkickers for Sandhurst were Caleb Connick and Oscar Perez on two.
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by captain Jayden Burke and Kai Daniels on two each.
Best afield honours went to Dragons’ captain and gun midfielder Lachlan Tardrew.
Others to star for Sandhurst were James Coghlan, Lachie Hood, Alex Wharton, Bryce Curnow and Caleb Connick.
Best for Golden Square were on-ballers Jack Threlfall and Jordan Rosengren, Kai Daniels, Dylan Hird, Hugh Freckleton and Macey Eaton.
The unbeaten Sandhurst moved to the top of the ladder going into the Reconciliation Round match against Eaglehawk next Saturday.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Sandhurst 451 per cent, 20 points; Strathfieldsaye 164, 20; Gisborne 287, 16; Eaglehawk 121, 12; Golden Square 86, 8; South Bendigo 82, 8; Kangaroo Flat 59, 8; Castlemaine 87, 4; Maryborough 17, 0.
In next Saturday’s seventh round, Gisborne is home at Gardiner Reserve to take on Strathfieldsaye from 2.20pm.
Feature match in Indigenous Round will be Kangaroo Flat against Castlemaine on the Kangaroos’ ground at Dower Park.
Sandhurst takes on Eaglehawk at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Maryborough and Golden Square clash on Maryborough’s turf at Princes Park.
South Bendigo has the bye.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
32 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
29 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
23 Pat McKenna, Gisborne.
20 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
18 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
18 James Schishcka, Strathfieldsaye.
18 Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
16 Steven Stroobants, South Bendigo.
13 Darcy Richards, Eaglehawk.
12 Malik Gordon, Strathfieldsaye.
11 Jayden Burke, Golden Square.
11 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
11 Noah Walsh, Sandhurst.
10 Bryce Curnow, Sandhurst.
10 Zac Denahy, Gisborne.
9 Justin Bateson, Kangaroo Flat.
9 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
9 Bailey Henderson, Castlemaine.
9 Jack Stewart, Golden Square.
9 Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
8 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
8 Abe Sheahan, Strathfieldsaye.
8 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
8 Joel Wharton, Sandhurst.
8 Harry Whitty, Kangaroo Flat.
7 Sam Graham, Gisborne.
7 Zach Greeves, Castlemaine.
7 Matt Merrett, Gisborne.
7 Fraser Russell, Maryborough.
6 Kai Daniels, Golden Square.
6 Lachie Hood, Sandhurst.
6 Ricky Monti, Golden Square.
6 Jordan Rosengren, Golden Square.
6 Nick Stagg, Sandhurst.
6 Riley Wilson, Strathfieldsaye.