STRATHFIELDSAYE Storm has surged into its seventh Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League senior footy grand final.<\/p>\n
The Storm outplayed Gisborne in last Saturday\u2019s second semi-final at Queen Elizabeth Oval to earn a week\u2019s rest ahead of chasing its fifth premiership victory in 10 years.<\/p>\n
Although the Bulldogs had beaten Strathfieldsaye in both home-and-away matches it was Storm which followed up an impressive qualifying final victory by scoring a two-goal win.<\/p>\n
Among the team changes was Callum McCarthy\u2019s return to Storm\u2019s on-ball brigade after being sidelined the previous Saturday because of a head knock.<\/p>\n
Number one ruckman Braidon Blake was back on-field for Gisborne.<\/p>\n
The Darryl Wilson and Shannon Geary-coached Strathfieldsaye scored 4.3 in the opening term as Gisborne\u2019s accuracy of three goals straight kept the deficit at nine points.<\/p>\n
Storm led 35-30 at half-time and then charged to a 16-point lead by the final change.<\/p>\n
Led by the play of Jack Neylon, Callum McCarty, ruck-rover Jake Moorhead, and the classy Kallen Geary on a wing it was Strathfieldsaye which triumphed 83-71 against a line-up beaten just twice in the run to the finals.<\/p>\n
Storm\u2019s attack was led by James Schischka on four goals and captain Lachlan Sharp with three.<\/p>\n
Matt Merrett booted three goals for Gisborne as captain Pat McKenna and Matt Weber added two each.<\/p>\n
Storm\u2019s work at the stoppages and through the midfield was a highlight as Lachlan Gill and Daniel Clohesy won plenty of the footy.<\/p>\n
Just as important was Strathfieldsaye\u2019s intensity when Gisborne had possession.<\/p>\n
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs were often forced into errors or wide on the big ground.<\/p>\n
Key defender Jack Reaper was Gisborne\u2019s best along with Ethan Minns and onballer Brad Bernacki.<\/p>\n
Others to play well for the red, white and blue were Macklan Lord, ruckman Braidon Blake and Matt Weber.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
STRATHFIELDSAYE Storm has surged into its seventh Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football League senior footy grand final. The Storm outplayed Gisborne in last Saturday\u2019s second semi-final at Queen Elizabeth Oval to earn a week\u2019s rest ahead of chasing its fifth premiership victory in 10 years. Although the Bulldogs had beaten Strathfieldsaye in both home-and-away matches it […]<\/p>\n