Big matches at Square and Eaglehawk

QUEEN’S Birthday holiday weekend in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League will be marked by big matches at Golden Square and Eaglehawk as the comp hits the halfway mark of the 2022 premiership campaign.

Golden Square takes on Strathfieldsaye at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.

The Bulldogs put in a great effort at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve, but were outrun in the final term as the home team scored a 77-62 victory.

The task for the Golden Square does not become any easier against a Storm line up that won its latest hit-out by 159 points.

A key to this match will be midfield and on-ball duels as both teams have plenty of goalscoring power.

Eaglehawk won a thriller at Castlemaine by a point and now returns to Canterbury Park to take on the unbeaten Gisborne.

The Hawks will need big games from the likes of Oscar Madden, on-ballers Billy Evans and Noah Wheeler, and forwards Liam Marciano and Darcy Richards.

A powerful Gisborne line-up includes Pat McKenna, Josh Kemp, Flynn Lakey, and Jack Reaper.

Kangaroo Flat is on the rebound from a big defeat when it takes on South Bendigo at Dower Park.

It was a tough afternoon for the Roos on Storm’s turf at Triple M Park.

The play of Nick Lang, Liam Collins, Ryan O’Keefe, Brodie Fry and Mitch Rovers will be important for the Roos to keep the pressure on the Bloods all match.

The sixth-placed South Bendigo must win to stay in touch with the fifth-placed Kyneton.

Players to watch for the Bloods include Michael Herlihy, Oscar White on a wing, Isaiah Miller and Braydan Torpey.

After a hard-fought loss at Kyneton, Sandhurst is back on Queen Elizabeth Oval to play Castlemaine.

The Dragons will start favourite, but will be wary of a Magpies’ line-up which finished within a point of Eaglehawk.

Finbally, Maryborough takes on Kyneton at Princes Park.

Magpies’ coach Rick Andrews was on-field for the hit-out with South Bendigo in a match where Kya Lanfranchi, Thomas Gardam and Chris Freeeman played well, while confidence in the Paul Chapman-coached Kyneton line-up is soaring.