ROUND 4 FOOTBALL PREVIEW | Storm, Dogs to fight for first win
BY NATHAN DOLE
A NIL-FOUR start is what Strathfieldsaye and Golden Square will be fighting to avoid in Saturday’s fourth round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.
There’s more than premiership points to be won as Storm and the Bulldogs feature in the marquee match for the Pat Cronin Foundation at Triple M Park in Strathfieldsaye’s Tannery Lane.
A fierce rivalry between the clubs rolls on when the senior match starts at 2.20pm.
Although it’s winless, Strathfieldsaye’s defeats have been by margins of one, 50 and five points.
The Luke Freeman-coached Storm will have gained plenty of confidence from a 57-52 result at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve last Saturday.
Ins for Strathfieldsaye are Zac Charles, Seamus Doherty and Shannon Murphy.
Out are Jye Formosa, Charles Dole and Harry Welch.
Huge plus for Storm is gun on-baller and Michelsen medallist Jake Moorhead being available to team up with Tim Hosking, Bode Stevens and Hunter Lawrence.
At Golden Square, ruckman Daniel Keating is in for Rory McCrann-Peters.
Key players for the Brad Eaton-coached Bulldogs include Jordan Rosengren, Tom Strauch, captan Jayden Burke, Jon Coe and talented teen Riley Dillon.
The James brothers, Brodie and Carson will also be keen to perform well.
Another big match will be at Castlemaine’s Camp Reserve where the Magpies take on South Bendigo.
It’s fourth against fifth as the Magpies and Bloods have a matching win-loss tally of two one.
The Michael Hartley-coached Castlemaine withstood a strong challenge at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park to win by 21 points.
Castlemaine
Inclusions to the Magpies’ squad are Kalan Huntly, Hunter Staples and Ronald Fejo.
The skilful Matt Filo, hamstring, and Chaz Holman are out.
Players to watch in the black and white include Ryan Eyre, Liam Wilkinson, Zavier Murley and Jack Chester.
Will Marks lines up at centre half-forward against a club he played for last season.
South Bendigo is on the rebound from a 37-point loss to Eaglehawk in the Anzac Day match played in wet conditions under the Queen Elizabeth Oval lights.
The Bloods have added Andrew van Heumen, Wil McCaig and Blake Poyser to their squad.
Outs are Isaiah Miller, James Davies and Jake Rusbridge.
It’s not too often Kaiden Antonowicz is kept goalless, so expect the Bloods’ star to be fired up.
A talented South Bendigo team coached by Troy Coates, non-playing, and Jack Fallon, playing, includes Tom Brereton, ruckman Callum Crisp, Brock Harvey and Zaydyn Lockwood in attack.
The Bloods also have the hard-at-it Jesse Collins and Anthony Zimmerman at the stoppages.
Unbeaten and on top of the ladder, Eaglehawk is back on home turf at Canterbury Park against Gisborne.
There was plenty to like about Eaglehawk’s team-first approach and pressure in the win against the Bloods on Anzac Day.
A team coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, playing, is bolstered by the return of Joel Budarick, Charlie Langford, Blake McGregor and Ethan Hanley.
The Hawks will be without Coburg Lions team-mates Max Kennedy and Lachlan Walker, and Cam McGlashan, concussion.
On-ball duels will be a highlight.
Hawks’ ruckman Brayden Frost takes on Michelsen medallist Braidon Blake.
Eaglehawk guns Billy Evans, Joel Mullen and Ben Thompson will be opposed to James Gray, Jacob Murphy and another Michelsen medallist in Brad Bernacki.
Ins for Gisborne are brilliant forward Pat McKenna, Shane Clough and Jacob Floreani.
Bulldogs’ captain Jack Reaper has a big role to play in defence, as does Jed Denahy, Zach Vescovi and Ryan Bourke.
Sandhurst returns to Queen Elizabeth Oval to take on Kangaroo Flat.
Dragons’ coaches Bryce Curnow, non-playing, and Lachlan Tardrew, playing, would be rapt with the spread of contributors across a hat-trick of wins.
Sandhurst forwards Hugh Schmetzer, Tom Campbell and Cobi Maxted should be able to capitalise on the play of on-ballers and midfielders Cooper Smith, Caleb Connick, Wil Pinniger, James Coghlan and ruckman Seb Collins.
The George Symons medallist as fairest and best in last season’s under-18s competition, Jack English will contest his first senior game for Sandhurst.
A Kangaroo Flat team coached by Tyrone Downie was able to maintain a high level of pressure for much longer against Castlemaine last round.
Now the challenge is to rise to another level against the reigning premier.
Key players for the Kangaroos include captain and ruck-rover Ethan Roberts, vice-captain Kyle Symons, ruckman Angus McPherson, Zach Rouse and Daniel Stagg in defence, and Nick Keogh and Toby Roberts in attack.
Bendigo FNL senior footy ladder:
Eaglehawk 331 per cent, 12 points; Sandhurst 195, 12; Gisborne 168, 8; Castlemaine 108, 8; South Bendigo 95, 8; Strathfieldsaye 75, 0; Golden Square 45, 0; Kangaroo Flat 31, 0.
Leaders in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal:
8 Kaiden Antonowicz, South Bendigo.
8 Dylan Johnstone, Gisborne.
8 Jack O’Shannessy, Eaglehawk.
7 Brad Bernacki, Gisborne.
7 Michael Hartley, Castlemaine.
7 Jonty Neaves, Eaglehawk.
7 Hugh Schmetzer, Sandhurst.
6 Tom Campbell, Sandhurst.
6 Billy Evans, Eaglehawk.
6 Thomas Werner, Gisborne.
5 Seb Bell-Bartels, Gisborne.
5 Thy Evans, Eaglehawk.
5 Matt Filo, Castlemaine.
5 Brock Harvey, South Bendigo.
5 Harry Luxmoore, Gisborne.
4 Sam Barnes, Kangaroo Flat.
4 Riley Dillon, Golden Square.
4 Jack Fallon, South Bendigo.
4 James Gray, Gisborne.
4 Fergus Greene, Sandhurst.
4 Nick Keogh, Kangaroo Flat.
4 Cobi Maxted, Sandhurst.
4 Bode Stevens, Strathfieldsaye.
4 Ben Thompson, Eaglehawk.
4 Matt Wilkinson, Sandhurst.
