Two Blues belt woeful Dragons

by RICHARD JONES

GEELONG might have demolished the Kangaroos in Sunday's AFL qualifying final, but in central Victoria Eaglehawk won by even more in its finals hitout.

While the Cats romped home by 106 points at the MCG, the Two Blues thumped Sandhurst by 114 points in the Bendigo Football League qualifying final between two of country Victoria's oldest and proudest clubs.

It was a Saturday night final played under the Queen Elizabeth Oval lights. At no stage, though, did the Dragons emerge from the twilight.

Eaglehawk led by 31 points at quarter time, by 70 points at the long break and by a whopping 96 points at three-quarter time.

Considering Sandhurst had finished third at the completion of the home-and-away rounds with a 13 win-five loss record compared with second-placed Eaglehawk's 14 wins and four losses, the blowout result had many BFL pundits scratching their heads. Eaglehawk playing coach and 400-gamer Derrick Filo said: "We had 21 contributors who worked hard for each other. In the second half of the season we dropped away a bit in terms of pressure and manning up. But tonight we the boys really lifted the pressure and they never let up."

While 2007 Ron Best goalkicking medallist Damien Brown contributed just one goal, Brady Herdman and Matt Gretgrix stepped up. Gretgrix, formerly from Charlton in the North Central league, booted seven majors while Herdman, a fancy for this season's Michelsen Medal, added six.

Final scores: Eaglehawk 23.14 (152) def. Sandhurst 5.8 (38).

In Sunday's elimination final, South Bendigo put paid to Golden Square's season with an 18-point victory.

The Bloods held the Square Bulldogs to just four goals in the first three quarters and even though the Dogs added 6.2 in the last term it was too little, too late.

The Bloods had led by 46 points at half-time. Despite a less productive second half they still had enough in the tank to end Golden Square's season.

Josh Dawson and Dayne Frew, who has played VFL footy with Port Melbourne, booted three goals apiece for South. Skipper Chris Carter and former SANFL player Leigh Davies kicked two goals each for the Square.

Final scores: South Bendigo 13.13 (91) def. Golden Square 10.13 (73).

The results from the first round of BFL finals leaves this weekend's finals as -- Sat night under lights, second semi-final: Gisborne v Eaglehawk. Sunday afternoon, first semi-final: Sandhurst v South Bendigo.

Incidentally, Saturday night's huge win by Eaglehawk was the biggest by any BFL club in a finals match since 1991. In the first semi-final that season Castlemaine trounced Sandhurst by 112 points.

Final scores: Castlemaine 32.25 (217) def. Sandhurst 15.15 (105).

THe BFL's current chief executive officer Steven Oliver, who played half a season with Carlton in the 90s, booted seven of Castlemaine's 32 goals in that final 16 years ago.

14 September 2007

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