Graeme Wright Cup up for grabs at QEO

THE Graeme Wright Cup will be up for grabs when Sandhurst and South Bendigo meet in Saturday’s fifth round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy action.

Sandhurst will be aiming to retain the Cup which honours the popular South Bendigo clubman who racked up 144 senior matches for the Bloods.

A knee injury forced an early end to his playing days, but Wright later went on to coach the senior team.

Wright had a significant impact across 27 years with the club at senior and junior level.

For South Bendigo it’s a return to Queen Elizabeth Oval which was the club’s long-time home.

A Bloods line-up faces a huge challenge to stop the unbeaten Sandhurst.

Latest hit-out for South Bendigo ended in a 31-186 drubbing from Gisborne at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval.

As the Bloods battled to stop the Bulldogs’ run, Sandhurst set a league record score of 54.23 (347) and held Maryborough to a tally of 2.2 (14) on the Magpies’ turf at Princes Park.

The Dragons surpassed the mark of 49.28 (322) the Peter Bradbury-coached South Bendigo reached in a 301-point victory against Kennington-Strathdale at Harry Trott Oval in 1990.

A formidable Sandhurst attack includes Fergus Greene who has returned to the club after a stint at AFL level with Western Bulldogs and Hawthorn.

Greene kicked nine goals in the Dragons latest victory.

Other key targets in the forward 50m zone for Sandhurst include Lachlan Wright, Cobi Maxted and Nick Stagg.

A team jointly coached by Ash Connick, non-playing, and Bryce Curnow, playing, has the running power of Lachlan Tardrew, James Coghlan, Cooper Smith and Noah Walsh.

Bloods’ co-coaches Steven Stroobants and Isaiah Miller be imploring their team for a significant lift in defensive pressure, not just those in the back six, but every position on the field.

In other matches, it’s the battle of the Bulldogs as Gisborne is home at Gardiner Reserve to take on Golden Square.

Kangaroo Flat and Eaglehawk clash on the Roos’ ground at Dower Park.

Castlemaine is home at Camp Reserve to play Strathfieldsaye.

Maryborough has the bye.