Cracking contests across Easter weekend

CRACKING contests are fixtured in round two of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s senior footy season across the Easter weekend.

Four matches on Good Friday include Eaglehawk against South Bendigo on the Hawks’ turf at Canterbury Park.

After a great performance against Strathfieldsaye, Hawks’ ruckman Clayton Holmes looms as a major threat to the Bloods, as do onballer Billy Evans, Noah Wheeler and key forward Darcy Richards.

The Bloods will be keen to gain an edge in the on ball duels through Liam Byrne, Cooper Leon and coach Nathan Horbury.

After a tough first-up assignment on Gisborne’s turf, Sandhurst returns to the QEO play Strathfieldsaye.

Last year the Dragons stunned Storm in the season’s opening round, but both teams have changed markedly.

Sandhurst’s key players include Lee Coghlan, Zach Pallpratt, Jake Wilkinson, Blair Holmes and Matt Thornton, while the Storm’s stars include Lachlan Sharp at full-forward, along with James Schischka, Jake Moorhead, Jake Hall and Ben Lester.

The league’s Magpies, Maryborough and Castlemaine clash at Maryborough’s Princes Park and both will be keen to hit back from defeat.

The Rick Andrews-coached Maryborough will be aiming to generate a lot more scoring chances.

Castlemaine had gun recruit Bailey Henderson and key position player Liam Wilkinson star against Kyneton, but need many more to have an impact on the contest.

Those three matches will start at 2.20pm.

It’s the showdown of the Calder rivals as Kyneton takes on Gisborne under the Kyneton Showgrounds lights from 5.30pm.

The Paul Chapman-coached Kyneton marked a 75-point victory at Castlemaine in round one as Dean Bartrop, Frazer Driscoll, Rhys Magin and Hamish Yunghanns led the way.

Rocked by COVID on the eve of the season, Gisborne is likely to welcome back several guns, including captain and key forward Pat McKenna.

A talented Gisborne line-up includes Jack Reaper in defence, Jack Scanlon, Sam Graham, Flynn Lakey and Brad Bernacki.

The round will be completed on Easter Saturday when Golden Square plays Kangaroo Flat from 5.30pm at Wade Street.

Flat’s defence faces a huge task trying to stop Bulldogs’ gun forward Joel Brett and Nic Keogh, Mitch Rovers and Hamish Lockhart were the Roos’ best in the first round victory.