SANDHURST has marked a hat-trick of under-18s footy premierships in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL after Saturday’s win against Strathfieldsaye by 41 points at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Darcy Mills-coached Dragons faced Storm which was beaten just once in the home-and-away series.
That defeat was in the 16th round when Sandhurst scored a 73-49 win against Strathfieldsaye in the Bendigo Health Round match at Triple M Park.
When they first met it was Storm which dominated the Indigenous Round match to win by 35 points.
On the run to a 20th appearance in an under-18s grand final since 2000, Sandhurst had to bounce back from a 15-point loss to South Bendigo in the qualifying final at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.
A week later the Lachlan Ratcliffe-coached Strathfieldsaye was first to the grand final as it fought on for a 58-56 win against South Bendigo in the second semi.
Sandhurst stayed in the premiership race as it beat Castlemaine in the first semi by 31 points.
Inspired by the play of Tommy Byrne, Drew Warren and Thomas Smith the Dragons then scored a 66-52 win against South Bendigo in the preliminary final.
The build-up to the grand final included Sandhurst’s Jack Moresi and Strathfieldsaye’s Sam O’Bree being locked on 17 votes to be joint winners of the George Symons Medal as the competition’s fairest and best players.
O’Bree was first to goal in the grand final when on target in less than four minutes to play.
An Angus White goal put Storm up 12-3 at 3 ½ minutes to go in the opening quarter.
A goal by Harry Byrne on the siren cut the deficit to three points.
Storm was first to goal in term two through the play of the classy Charlie Elliott.
The Dragons fought back to trail 16-18 at just over 12 minutes to play in the first half.
Strathfieldsaye replied with a goal just on five minutes later.
The Dragons finished the quarter with plenty of run as goals by Cooper Richardson, Miller Armstrong and Carter Reid gave the maroon and blue a 35-25 lead by half-time.
Back-to-back goals for Sandhurst off the boot of Armstrong and Patrick McNamara after less than three minutes into the third quarter put the heat on Storm.
O’Bree replied for Strathfieldsaye in the fourth minute, but goals by Nicholas Long and Zane MacDonald put Sandhurst well in control.
When Armstrong and MacDonald kicked goals in the space of two minutes the margin was 40 points.
Consecutive goals by Storm which included another by Elliott put Strathfieldsaye within five goals at 16 minutes to play.
After a hat-trick of behinds by Storm it was Nicholas Long and then Carter Reid who goaled to complete an 88-47 victory for Sandhurst.
The competition’s leading goalkicker, Miller Armstrong led the Dragons’ attack with three goals as Nicholas Long, Zane MacDonald and Carter Reid slotted two each.
Harry Byrne, Luke Cameron, Patrick McNamara and Cooper Richardson were also on target for the Dragons.
Storm’s leading goalkickers were Charlie Elliott and Sam O’Bree on two each as Ben Jorgensen, Ollie Long and Angus White added a major each.
The Rod Ashman Medal was presented to Carter Reid for the second year running.
Sandhurst’s best included Miller Nihill, Thomas Smith, Drew Warren, Jack Moresi and Jaxon Kelly.
Strathfieldsaye’s best were Charlie Elliott, Sam O’Bree, Angus White, Will Mayes and Riley O’Donnell.
The under-18s premiership-winning team from Sandhurst FNC in the 2026 season:
B: Rafferty Brasier, Miller Nihill, Maurice Nihill.
Hb: Drew Warren, Luke Cameron, Lachlan McKay.
C: Hudson Banfield, Carter Reid, Thomas Smith.
Hf: Tommy Byrne, Jaxon Kelly, Nicholas Long.
F: Nicholas Harvey, Miller Armstrong, Jack Moresi.
Foll: Duncan Strachan, Harry Byrne, Patrick McNamara.
Inter: Charlie Bombardieri, Cooper Richardson, Zane MacDonald, Kingston Uerata.
Coach: Darcy Mills.