Suns rise to grand occasion

THE Bendigo FIDA Suns had Queen Elizabeth Oval rocking on Sunday, as they hosted round three of the Football Integration Development Association central conference.

The Bendigo Suns Red proved too good for Kyneton, winning 103-36, while White enjoyed a 70-6 win over Rupertswood.

Co-coach of the Suns, Josh Martin, said it was a “massive deal” to play on Bendigo’s premier oval and it was great to see so many people braving the cold weather to support their teams.

“Obviously it’s home footy for everybody, everybody wants to play on QEO,” he said. “It’s probably the best country ground in Victoria.

“We’re really excited and we’ve been trying to get it for a couple of years. It’s good that they’ve got the opportunity to play here and it’s great to see we’ve got a big crowd here today and they’re really enjoying it.”

While plenty of competitive spirit was on display, the league’s main theme of participation shone through, with the Suns lending players to even out the field and sharing the ball to ensure everyone got a kick.

Both Bendigo teams sit first and second on the ladder with three rounds left. The top two teams play each other in the grand final, which will take place in August.