BY NATHAN DOLE
SANDHURST is celebrating winning all three footy premierships in the one season for the first time in its 163-year history.
Founded on the goldfields in 1861, Sandhurst is one of the oldest football clubs in the country.
On Saturday the Dragons roared to premiership glory in all three grades of footy in a grand finale to the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League season.
The Dragons tackled Gisborne in all three football contests on Queen Elizabeth Oval.
Strong defensive efforts and the ability to capitalise with the breeze in the third quarter were crucial factors in Sandhurst fighting on for a 68-64 victory.
Although it played into the breeze the Rob Waters-coached Gisborne led 19-12 at quarter-time.
The Bulldogs made a change from their ‘named’ team as the experienced Jarrad Lynch was in for Patrick Trotta.
When Pat McKenna was on target the Bulldogs led by 14 points in the second term.
The Dragons answered through Matt Wilkinson.
Sandhurst also lifted its workrate at stoppages as captain Lachlan Tardrew, Noah Walsh and James Coghlan were to the fore.
A set-shot from Jake McLean on the angle meant the Dragons led 28-26 at half-time.
In the third was when the Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing, coached Dragons fired up.
A shot from Harrison Free from the 50m arc, another by Lachie Hood from distance and a major by the elusive and skilful Joel Wharton put the maroon and blue up by 21 points.
Gisborne had to respond and did so with a goal by the classy Matt Merrett.
From the centre ball-up it was Tardrew who won possession, sprinted clear and goaled from just inside the 50m arc.
A second major by McLean gave the Dragons a 27-point buffer going into the final quarter of the season.
Goals by Flynn Lakey and Matt Merrett had cut the margin to 15 points by the three-minute mark.
Sandhurst’s ability to rack up the stoppages and deny Gisborne a clear run into attack was superb.
The Bulldogs did break through the defence when a long by captain Jack Reaper was marked by Harry Luxmoore to kick his first goal.
After a spectacular leap and mark, Fergus Greene’s shot skewed to the left as the Dragons led by 10 points.
When Greene swooped on the ball from a marking contest and goaled on the run Sandhurst was up 68-52.
McKenna sprinted into space and marked to kick his third goal of the match.
A brilliant tackle by James Gray to earn a free resulted in one of the goals of day from the 50m arc.
The Dragons won the centre clearance, but Liam Spear took possession at half-back and cleared to the Bendigo Aquatic Centre wing.
From the boundary throw-in a high kick went to Gisborne’s half-forward line and another stoppage.
Dragons’ ruckman Connor Sexton was freed in the ensuing ball-up.
A kick to the outer wing led to another pack mark by Greene.
He passed to Curnow who in turn found young gun Dayten Uerata who had the final kick of a remarkable match as the Dragons celebrated a league record 29th premiership.
A brilliant season for Tardrew was capped with the Nalder Medal as best afield.
Grand final week kicked off with Tardrew being joint winner of the Michelsen Medal as league fairest and best with Gisborne’s dynamic on-ball duo of ruckman Braidon Blake and centreman Brad Bernacki.
The intercept marking and spoils by Lachlan Wright across the half-back line for the Dragons earned the Worksafe AFL Victoria Medal.
Others to star for Sandhurst were James Coghlan, Noah Walsh, Bryce Curnow and Cobi Maxted.
Gisborne’s best were captain and key defender Jack Reaper, Liam Spear, Macklan Lord, Zac Vescovi, Frank Schipano, and rising star Jarrod Ainsworth.
Just as the sting of grand final defeat 12 months ago spurred the Dragons on, Gisborne coach Rob Waters said it would be the same for his club.
A great sign for the Bulldogs is the calibre of talent in the under-25 age bracket.
An incredible day for Sandhurst included winning the reserves and under-18s premierships.
The Dragons became just the fourth club to achieve the feat.
A premiership trifecta was first marked by Golden Square in 1964 and followed by South Bendigo in 1990, Gisborne in 2002, and Strathfieldsaye in 2017.
On Saturday it was Sandhurst which dominated the reserves grand final against Gisborne.
The Jake McLean-coached Dragons raced to a 25-3 lead by quarter-time as the skillful Jasper Stewart roved a marking contest to goal and shortly later nailed a snapshot.
The Bulldogs were staring at a sizeable deficit when Jed Zimmer and James Vlaeminck goaled.
Gisborne broke the deadlock in the 13th minute of quarter two through Tom Wood.
A snap by Brodie Montague from the pocket went through and when Stewart booted his third the Dragons led by 34 points.
Gisborne scored 2.4 in the last, but the maroon and blue added three straight goals to seal a 71-35 victory and back-to-back premierships.
The R.F. Turner Medal for best afield was presented to Rory Ellett from Sandhurst.
Best for the Dragons included Tom Calvert, Wil Pinniger, Jasper Stewart and Brodie Montague.
Gisborne’s best were Jacob Murphy, Max Ramsay, Kane Minns and Leon Thiner.
A nine-goal streak by Sandhurst’s under-18s team was one of the season’s best in the biggest game of the season.
The Jarrod Bateson and Isaac Ruff-coached Dragons kicked on for a 69-point victory against Gisborne.
The Bulldogs were eyeing a premiership hat-trick, but a Sandhurst team determined to claim the under-18s cup for the first time in a decade was too strong.
The teams were locked on a goal each for a lot of the first quarter.
Inspired by the play of Logan Kilcullen, Sandhurst led 19-9 at quarter-time and then opened up a 41-point lead by half-time.
Sandhurst’s pressure did not ease up as Kilcullen and Oscar Cail went on to kick three goals and Daniel Noden added two.
By the final siren the Dragons led 86-17.
The Rod Ashman Medal for best afield was presented to Logan Kilcullen.
Dragons’ on-baller Billy Bassett earned the Worksafe AFL Victoria Medal.
The Dragons’ best included Darby Whatley, Jaxon Howard and Finlay Lockhart.
Premiership-winning captain Jack English added another medal to the George Symons Medal he claimed as fairest and best in the competition.
Gisborne’s best were Campbell Johns, Diesel Lewis, Jacob Floreani and August Stelma.
Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL footy grand finals scoreboard at Queen Elizabeth Oval:
Bendigo Bank seniors:
Sandhurst 2.0 4.4 9.7 10.8 (68)
Gisborne 3.1 4.2 5.4 10.4 (64)
GOALS – Sandhurst: Jake McLean, Lachlan Tardrew 2, Harrison Free, Fergus Greene, Lachie Hood, Dayten Uerata, Joel Wharton, Matt Wilkinson. Gisborne: Pat McKenna 3, Matt Merrett 2, Brad Bernacki, Ryan Bourke, James Gray, Flynn Lakey, Harry Luxmoore.
BEST – Sandhurst: Lachlan Tardrew, Lachlan Wright, James Coghlan, Noah Walsh, Bryce Curnow, Cobi Maxted. Gisborne: Jack Reaper, Liam Spear, Macklan Lord, Zac Vescovi, Frank Schipano, Jarrod Ainsworth.
Nalder medal: Lachlan Tardrew, Sandhurst.
Worksafe AFL Victoria medal: Lachlan Wright, Sandhurst.
Sandhurst’s team:
B: Isaac Carracher, Liam Ireland, Isaac Ruff.
Hb: James Coghlan, Bryce Curnow, Noah Walsh.
C: Caleb Connick, Cooper Smith, Lachie Hood.
Hf: Jake McLean, Lachlan Wright, Matt Wilkinson.
F: Joel Wharton, Cobi Maxted, Fergus Greene.
Foll: Connor Sexton, Lachlan Tardrew, Nick Stagg.
Inter: Harrison Free, Zach Pallpratt, Darcy Mills, Dayten Uerata.
Coaches: Ash Connick, non-playing; Bryce Curnow, playing.
Drummond Golf reserves:
Sandhurst 4.1 6.1 8.5 11.5 (71)
Gisborne 0.3 1.6 2.7 4.11 (35)
GOALS – Sandhurst: Jasper Stewart 3, Luke Crawford, James Vlaeminck 2, Hayden Gillingham, Martin Leyden, Brodie Montague, Jed Zimmer. Gisborne: Tom Wood 2, Matthew Barake, Ed Williams.
BEST – Tom Calvert, Wil Pinniger, Jasper Stewart, Brodie Montague, Campbell Rowland, Rory Ellett. Gisborne: Jacob Murphy, Max Ramsay, Kane Minns, Leon Thiner, Zach Paterson, Ed Williams.
R.F. Turner medal: Rory Ellett, Sandhurst.
Sandhurst’s team:
B: Campbell Rowland, Tom Calvert, Conor O’Farrell.
Hb: Martin Leyden, Matt Campbell, Tanner Nally.
C: Jack Keating, Jed Zimmer, Wil Pinniger.
Hf: Patrick O’Farrell, Alex Wharton, Oscar Perez.
F: Jasper Stewart, Luke Crawford, Wilson Butler.
Foll: Rory Ellett, Charlie Robinson, Brodie Montague.
Inter: James Barber, Tom Dunham, Hayden Gillingham, James Vlaeminck.
Coach: Jake McLean.
Sportspower under-18s:
Sandhurst 3.1 7.8 9.10 12.14 (86)
Gisborne 1.3 1.3 1.4 2.5 (17)
GOALS – Sandhurst: Logan Kilcullen, Oscar Cail 3, Daniel Noden 2, Joseph Artavilla, Billy Bassett, Lachlan Borchard, Jack English. Gisborne: Charlie Ozanne, Diesel Lewis.
BEST – Logan Kilculllen, Darby Whatley, Jaxon Howard, Finlay Lockhart, Gus Hay, Billy Bassett. Gisborne: Campbell Johns, Diesel Lewis, Jacob Floreani, August Stelma, Lucas Hannon, Baden Dickins.
Rod Ashman Medal: Logan Kilcullen, Sandhurst.
Worksafe AFL Victoria Medal: Billy Bassett, Sandhurst.
Sandhurst’s team:
B: Henry Edwards, Davis McNair, Zane Connick.
Hb: Harvey White, Deakin Andrews, Jaxon Howard.
C: Declan Stevenson, Jack English, Darby Whatley.
Hf: Charles Duke, Daniel Noden, Finlay Lockhart.
F: Logan Kilcullen, Oscar Cail, Lachlan Borchard.
Foll: Thomas Davie, Billy Bassett, Gus Hay.
Inter: Joseph Artavilla, Shannon Tardrew, Charles Kealy, Jacob Austin.
Coaches: Jarrod Bateson, Isaac Ruff.