Sandhurst

2024 was a monumental season for the Sandhurst Dragons.

Two netball Premierships (B-Res & 17&U) plus a trio of football Premierships made 2024 one to remember for the team that calls the QEO home.

Fast forward to 2025 and not much has changed for the Dragons.

Perennially a Netball contender and with a football list that has the same bones of the team that tore up 2024, it’s not an outlandish statement to say that 2025 could be the year of the Dragon once again.

Football Preview

Achieving a triple premiership in the BFNL football is something that has never been done.

Given it’s a first, a question that must be asked is, how does a Club come back after such success? The answer; focus on your foundations.

This is exactly what Sandhurst has done in the off-season. A tactic that has seen them with only a few additions ahead of 2025.

There will be a change in the coaching ranks for 2025 with 2024 playing Co-Coach, Bryce Curnow moving to non-playing Co-Coach and Michelsen medal winning superstar, Lachlan Tardrew joining the coaching ranks as a playing Co-Coach.

On the field, the majority of the Dragons inclusions come in the bag man stocks as they welcome Tom Campbell, a key forward from NCFL Club, Wedderburn. The 2024 season saw Campbell play 18 games and kick 48 goals for the Redbacks.

Other new additions to Sandhurst are Seb Collins who joins from Maryborough as a versatile ruckman who will spend some time in defence and Hugh Schmetzer who is new to Bendigo having played most recently for Osborne in the Hume League.

The Dragons also add to their leadership ranks with former player Will Brohm returning to the Club after some time in Queensland where he played for Mayne AFC and multiple QLD representative matches.

Key departures for Sandhurst ahead of 2025 are classy midfielder Noah Walsh who heads to St. Kevins OB in the VAFA, Isaac Carracher who has transferred to Colbinabbin and Isaac Ruff who moves north to play for Coolangatta AFC.

From the Coach

After a long and illustrious career, BFNL stalwart, Bryce Curnow has officially hung up his boots allowing for full time focus on his coaching journey.

When asked about the change, Curnow said “I’m feeling confident. I have been juggling playing and coaching for about 9 years now so to be able to focus on coaching full time is exciting.”

“I’ve played at a lot of Club’s and have definitely learnt some best practises.”

After claiming all 3 football premierships in 2024, Curnow expressed excitement for 2025 saying “Following such a successful year, we deliberately didn’t go out with a focus on recruiting”

“We focused on our needs and our size in the key positions were areas that we needed more depth in.” Curnow added, “All of Tom (Campbell), Seb (Collins) and Hugh (Schmetzer) will play big roles for us this season.”

Given the focus on building from the ground up, Curnow noted a few youngsters who should get a taste on Senior football early in 2025, “Oliver Morris and Jack English are ready made Senior footballers.”

“Their growth over the preseason really excites me for what they can achieve for this Club.”

Netball preview

Sandhurst’s netball program is forever a challenger in all grades.

Whilst the Dragons 17 & Under and B-Reserve sides claimed a Premiership in 2024, their A-Grade team fell agonisingly short, losing a Preliminary final to Kangaroo Flat.

After a busy off-season, The Dragons’ A-Squad is set for a strong 2025 as they continue to learn how to balance their stars’ playing time and commitments at a higher-level.

Ahead of 2025, some key additions to their A-Squad include Kelsey Meade who re-joins the team after having her 3^rd child and Kelsey Ralph who has cemented her spot in the main team.

Excitingly though, the main additions to the Dragons A-Squad are coming from within as Harriett Whiteacre, Neve Pinner and Claire McGee make the step up from their 17 & Under seasons.

Exclusions from the Dragons’ A-Squad are Paige Ryan and Kelsey Pallpratt who both leave for Wedderburn in the NCNA.

Another notable exclusion from Sandhurst’s main team is Charlotte Sexton who has claimed a training partner position with the Melbourne Vixens which will see her forego all Sandhurst duties while still continuing with the Bendigo Strikers.

From the Coach

A-Squad head coach, Tamara Gilchrist is feeling positive about her team’s aspirations for 2025 saying, “We have had a great preseason. We developed an 11 week program that keeps everyone on track for our season while enabling them to balance their numerous other commitments.”

“We’re blessed to have a number of players playing at a higher level and while these players add plenty to our team, it can be a challenge to manage these players through a season.”

“Our 11-week program has helped this and has the girls training hard and building great connections.”

When asked about players to highlight as potential breakout contenders, Gilchrist said “I am super excited about what Harriette (Whiteacre), Neve (Pinner) and Claire (McGee) can bring for us this year. Obviously, they bring youth to the squad but they are extremely talented also.”

In March, Sandhurst along with Kangaroo Flat were given the opportunity to play a curtain raising match ahead of a Melbourne Vixens Practice match.

To make the most of the experience, Gilchrist and her coaching staff managed to play their whole A-Squad of 16 players 10-12 minutes each.

On this event, Gilchrist said “Playing in a packed arena like that was an amazing experience for all our players.”

“It was important for us to share that amongst the whole squad given the size of the occasion.”

Whilst the Dragons are perennial contenders, 2024 was a learning curve for Gilchrist, “The introduction of the Strikers has been amazing for Bendigo netball but it has meant we have needed to reset and adjust our teams’ preparations to help players manage other playing commitments.”

“In 2025, our goal is to finish the home & away season in the top-3 and trust our process so it can take us to Grand Final day.”

A Look Ahead

After a long preseason and two practice matches against Echuca and North Ballarat, Sandhurst will unfurl their 3 Football Premiership flags against Castlemaine at the QEO in Round 1 on 12 April.

Round 2 has the Dragons taking on Strathfieldsaye at Tannery Lane on Good Friday in what is a match of the round blockbuster.

THE agony of grand final defeat is what Sandhurst co-coach Bryce Curnow will use to drive throughout pre-season and in the 2024 Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.

As Golden Square players and supporters celebrated a one-goal win, Sandhurst was left to ponder what might have been.

“We did so much right, not just in this match, but the season,” Curnow said in the coaches room under the Queen Elizabeth Oval grandstand.

“I am super proud of the way we fought out the match.

“We had our chances to win.

“It’s a hollow feeling not to have achieved what you wanted to.”

Curnow said they were so many pivotal contests throughout a match which ended in a 71-65 victory for Golden Square.

“There are moments we would all like to have another go at, but that’s not to be.”

A key defender, especially with his intercept marking across half-back, Curnow started the grand final in attack, but later went to defence.

Curnow said it had been a brilliant performance to build from a tally of 10 wins last season to finish this year’s home-and-away series on a tally of 16 wins, one draw, and one defeat.

Sole loss across 18 rounds was for a team jointly coached by Curnow, and Ash Connick, non-playing, was on Golden Square’s turf.

For Curnow and co-coach Ash Connick there are so many positives going into the ’24 campaign.

“In this grand final team we had 10 players who are 21 or under,” Curnow said.

Some of them such as Noah Walsh and Sam Conforti were outstanding.

“We also had five players who had represented Bendigo Pioneers this season,” he said of a team which had a great blend of rising stars teamed with experienced campaigners such as Lee Coghlan, Andy Collins, Nick Stagg and Matt Thornton.

In a season where injuries affected some clubs more than others, Sandhurst would have had 40-plus represented the club at senior level.

“For the seniors to be beaten is incredibly disappointing, but we are also rapt with the effort by the reserves to win the premiership,” Curnow said of the performance by the Jake McLean-coached team.

Turnover of players at Sandhurst FNC will be inevitable, as it is for all clubs.

Grand final day featured seven Sandhurst teams – two football, and all five netball.

“The culture of the club is incredible,” Curnow said of a day in which the Dragons finished with a win-loss tally of 3-4.

“The unity between football and netball is amazing.

“We also have so many incredible volunteers who give so much time and effort to the club.”

Curnow said Sandhurst’s players and fans are hurting after not adding to the senior premiership tally, but the desire to improve and achieve more success will not drop away.

A PREMIERSHIP victory in what was the last game of a brilliant on-field stint was the perfect finale for Sandhurst co-coach Bryce Curnow.

None of his Dragons’ team-mates knew Saturday’s grand final would be the end.

Playing across half-forward, Curnow was still an influential figure in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior grand final on Queen Elizabeth Oval.

As he spoke in the coaches room of the Bendigo Aquatic Centre rooms, Curnow said there was so much to be proud about and celebrate.

A year ago he contemplated what might have been and the next challenge after a six-point loss to Golden Square in the grand final.

“Hold The Rope was our theme for today and it worked,” Curnow said of taking on the in-form Gisborne.

“It was a simple message of all 22 players contributing.

“By not allowing the rope to slacken it meant there’s less pressure on your team-mate next to you and down the line.”

Curnow said the Dragons had to work hard across every quarter to beat a talented Gisborne team.

“They are packed with superstars.”

Winning premierships is something Curnow has done many times, but never taken for granted.

He joined the Dragons last season as co-coach with Ash Connick after playing stints with Kerang, Strathfieldsaye, North Ballarat in the VFL, Golden Square at under-18 level, and Calivil United.

“The decision to join Sandhurst was never based on money, it never has been.

“I looked at a club that had been thereabouts (third or fourth) for several years, but had not been able to reach a grand final.”

Across ’23 and ’24 the Dragons have reached both deciders for a one-one record.

Curnow praised Ash Connick for an incredible level of work across his time with the club.

“The system of play he brought on and the consistency the team was able to play at is amazing.”

Curnow said the premiership was not just reward for the players, but the committee, sponsors, volunteers and fans.

Among his greatest supporters are wife Amy, and their daughter, Goldie.

“For Goldie to be on the dais with me to receive the medal is a moment I will never forget.”

Curnow said he will not miss the aches and pains after match-day, or rehab from injury.

From next season he will team up to co-coach with Lachlan Tardrew.

A sign of Sandhurst’s strength was not just premiership wins in seniors, reserves and under-18s, but also in under-16 and under-14 seniors.

“The club’s future looks exciting.

“We are the beneficiaries of a strong junior program in which a lot the players moving into the under-18s or first year of seniors are fit, hungry for success, and want to learn.

“There is so much talent in front of us.

“Sustained success is the goal across all levels of footy,” Curnow said.

There have been many powerful figures across Sandhurst’s history.

One name not far from the thoughts of many was Danny Ellis.

A gun forward in the late 80s and 90s, Ellis was a powerful figure as an administrator.

His service to the club earned Legend status in the club’s Hall of Fame.

Ellis passed away after a lengthy battle with illness in early June.

“We did it for Danny,” was the ending to Ash Connick’s speech to the crowd