Hawks soar to top as Dragons also fire

EAGLEHAWK has marked a dramatic rise up the senior footy ladder in the opening five rounds of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.

In a run marked by some fine climbs and dramatic slides, Eaglehawk and Sandhurst are unbeaten and lead the premiership race going into the 20 May general bye.

Just as the Hawks and Dragons have marked impressive five and zero tallies, last season’s grand finalists Gisborne and Strathfieldsaye are sitting two and three and in fifth and sixth place.

The Travis Matheson-coached Eaglehawk was stung by last year’s seventh placing.

There have been plenty of contributors in the Two Blues’ streak in ’23, but the inclusion of the Geary brothers, Jarryn and Kallen is a huge plus.

When action resumes on 27 May the Hawks will be at Kangaroo Flat’s Dower Park.

A week later and Eaglehawk is back at Canterbury Park to meet Kyneton in the Indigenous Round feature match.

Another big test for the Hawks is on the King’s Birthday holiday weekend of 10 June at Golden Square against the Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs.

Beaten in last year’s elimination final, Sandhurst has shown it’s a strong contender for this year’s premiership.

The Travis Matheson and Bryce Curnow-coached Dragons regained the experience of Andy Collins and Nick Stagg, but have had the likes of ruckman Hamish Hosking, Cooper Smith, Noah Walsh and Lachlan Wright starring.

Golden Square’s tally is at three and two going into a big game against Gisborne at Golden Square’s Fur Life Oval in Wade Street on 27 May.

Also on a three and two win/ loss record, South Bendigo is back on Harry Trott Oval in Kennington to tackle Strathfieldsaye Storm in the sixth round.

A loss is likely to put the Darryl Wilson-coached Storm down to seventh as the Paul Chapman-coached Kyneton which won at Gisborne last round is back at Tigerland to face Castlemaine.