Heat’s right on Dragons, Hawks

THERE’S plenty at stake for Sandhurst’s and Eaglehawk’s senior footy teams in Saturday’s final round of the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL season.

The Dragons and Hawks will meet at Queen Elizabeth Oval and a victory for Sandhurst will ensure it holds top spot and a rest in week one of the finals.

Lose and the Dragons are likely to be in a qualifying final as second-placed Golden Square, just two points behind, is at home to Kangaroo Flat this Saturday.

Should Eaglehawk win it will hold third place and be in a qualifying final where it has a double chance for the finals.

The Hawks are just two points clear of Strathfieldsaye which plays at Kyneton this round.

Lose and the Borough is likely to be facing South Bendigo in an elimination final.

When Eaglehawk and Sandhurst met in round eight it was 64-all on the Borough’s turf at Canterbury Park.

Among the many key match ups will be in the ruck where the Dragons have Hamish Hosking up against Cameron Dalgleish.

Other in-form players for the Dragons are James Coghlan, Sam Conforti and Noah Walsh.

The Hawks will need big games from the likes of Billy Evans, Clayton Holmes and Ben Thompson.

Stung by a 73-point defeat at Gisborne last round, South Bendigo is back at Harry Trott Oval in Kennington to take on Castlemaine this Saturday.

It was a remarkable turnaround by Gisborne which was on the end of a 68-point drubbing by South Bendigo in the ninth round.

This Saturday, Gisborne makes its way to Maryborough’s Princes Park.

Kyneton takes on Strathfieldsaye at Kyneton Showgrounds.

Huge task for the Tigers in trying to stop the Storm’s surge, especially Lachlan Sharp who has kicked 22 goals the past two rounds and a runaway leader in the goalkicking race for the Ron Best Medal.

Golden Square’s winning streak against Kangaroo Flat is one of the longest in Bendigo FNL history.

The Christian Carter-coached Bulldogs will be aiming for another big victory at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street, and also sweating on an Eaglehawk victory against Sandhurst at the nearby QEO.