Big games at Flat, QEO, and Golden Square

HIGHLIGHTS of Saturday’s fifteenth round of senior footy in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League season include showdowns at Golden Square, Kangaroo Flat, and Queen Elizabeth Oval.

After a brilliant performance to beat Sandhurst by 69 points on the QEO, Golden Square is back at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street to take on Kyneton.

When these clubs met in round six it was Kyneton that beat the Bulldogs by seven points at Tigerland while the latest hit-out at home for Golden Square ended in a seven-point loss to Eaglehawk.

Golden Square is rarely beaten in consecutive home games, so the Christian Carter-coached side will be desperate to take the points and strengthen its grip on the third rung.

After a hat-trick of defeats, Kyneton bounced back to beat Kangaroo Flat by 63 points last Saturday.

Key players for the Tigers include Rhys Magin, Harrison Huntley and Dean Bartrop.

South Bendigo tackles the ladder-leading Gisborne at Queen Elizabeth Oval with the Bloods thrashed by 106 points in the reverse fixture at Gisborne in round six.

A top-three finish for the Nathan Horbury-coached Bloods can be gained, but they must beat Gisborne and bank on a Kyneton win across town in Golden Square.

There’s plenty at stake when Kangaroo Flat and Castlemaine meet on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.

The James Flaherty-coached Roos are chasing win number four as the Magpies from the south aim to mark a third victory.

In-form players for the Roos are Liam Collins, Ryan O’Keefe, Nick Lang, Ethan Roberts and Mitch Rovers.

Brodie Browne-Kerr, Brendan Josey, Tom Cain and Liam Wilkinson were Castlemaine’s best against South Bendigo last round.

Maryborough is on home turf at Princes Park to take on a Strathfieldsaye line-up on the rebound from a big loss at Gisborne.

Major threat to the Magpies is Storm’s gun forward Lachlan Sharp who has racked up some big hauls against them in previous outings.

Eaglehawk and Sandhurst do battle in the Borough at Canterbury Park.

The Travis Matheson-coached Hawks have moved above Kyneton and into fifth place and will be hungry for victory against a fierce rival to stay there.

Finals hopes for the Dragons are not completely quashed, but a loss to the Borough would put them three wins adrift at just three rounds to go in the home and away series.

In round six, Eaglehawk beat Sandhurst by 15 points in the Pat Cronin Foundation feature match.