Dragons not resting on laurels after ruthless win over Bloods

SANDHURST is remaining alert to danger despite a blazing start to its BFNL premiership defence.

An imposing 77-point win over South Bendigo at Harry Trott Oval last Saturday advanced the Dragons to 5-0 and kept them a game clear of nearest rival Gisborne on the league ladder, ahead of the pair’s 24 May clash at the QEO.

It will be the clubs’ first meeting since the Dragons’ four-point triumph in last year’s grand final.

While joint Dragons coach Bryce Curnow could not be happier with the team’s unbeaten start, he appreciates there are still plenty of challenges ahead for the Dragons in a season with plenty of twists and turns expected to come.

“Obviously there is an element of we can’t get carried away as there is still so much to go, and the fact that there are some teams with injuries at the moment, but you can only beat who is in front of you and I feel like we are doing a very good job of it,” he said.

“I feel like we have been in control of every game so far and it hasn’t come down to luck, or the opposition team’s missed opportunities at crucial times, it’s been us for large portions of quarters.

“It’s felt really good. To be 5-0 – with the comp as even as it is – is a great achievement so far, but it doesn’t get you anything.”

Curnow lauded the Dragons’ pressure and attack on the ball against the Bloods, allowing them to capitalise on their high number of forced turnovers.

In terms of key match-ups, Harrison Free and James Coghlan won high praise for their blanketing roles on the Bloods’ dynamic forward duo of Brock Harvey and Kaiden Antonowicz.

Neither South Bendigo player was able to add to their season goal tally, with a stifling Dragons’ defence restricting the Bloods to just four goals for the match.

Equally crucial was Jack English’s job on Bloods co-coach Jack Fallon, one of the architects behind South’s resurgence this season.

Averaging nearly 10 marks per game coming into the contest, Fallon was restricted to two on Saturday.

In an ominous sign for their rivals, 11 Dragons players hit the scoreboard, led by three-apiece from Nick Stagg, Tom Campbell and Matthew Wilkinson.

Curnow pointed to their spread of goalkickers as one of the biggest positives to emerge in the early part of the season.

“For clubs going up against us, we feel like we have a couple of really good avenues to goal,” he said.

“Two weeks previously we had something like 12 goalkickers (against Golden Square) and last week (against Kangaroo Flat) it was like 14.

“There’s some nice flexibility and our midfielders are hitting the scoreboard consistently, which is nice too.”

Their coming clash with Gisborne continues a testing month for the Dragons, featuring games against the teams currently ranked second, third and fourth on the ladder, with third-placed Eaglehawk to follow on 31 May. It’s no wonder Curnow has branded May as ‘movement month’.

“It’s a big stretch of games and it can help dictate where we finish at the end of the year if we win these next two. It can really set us apart from the competition at the halfway point,” he said.

“Gisborne will no doubt be tough. They are very well structured and play exactly how Robbie (Walters) wants them to play.

“That will tell us where we are at, as they are ultra-competitive – but no matter what there is still a long way to go this year.”

Gisborne warmed up for its first tilt at the Dragons since last year’s premiership decider with a 21-point win over Castlemaine.

It gave the Bulldogs three straight wins since their lone blemish against South Bendigo in round two.

Round 5 recap: South Bendigo 4.13 (37) lost to Sandhurst 17.12 (114); Gisborne 11.13 (79) def Castlemaine 8.10 (58).

This weekend’s games to complete round 5: Eaglehawk v Strathfieldsaye; Kangaroo Flat v Strathfieldsaye.