Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
CLUB by club review of the 2017 Bendigo Football-Netball League season.
…………………………………
6th – SOUTH BENDIGO
Record – 9-9, 115%
Avg. for/against – 94/81
Attack ranking – 6th
Defence ranking – 5th
Quarters won – 40 of 72
Players used – 40
Avg. player points – 36.4
Comparison to last year –
+4 wins, +29 points
(attack: +24, defence: +5)
Club best top five:
Mitch Rogerson – 52
Aaron Connaughton – 34
Blair Whelan – 33
Isaiah Miller – 31
Zac Hare – 27
Top goalkickers:
Kaiden Antonowicz – 29
Liam Bartels – 29
Brad Wright – 26
Brock Harvey – 26
Alex Hywood – 14
A season of big improvement for the Bloods, but they ultimately couldn’t go the distance and crack it for a finals return for the first time since 2012.
Suffered a massive blow in round five when an ankle injury ended the season of their star recruit Kaiden Antonowicz, yet he still finished as the Bloods’ equal leading goalkicker with 29, despite only playing four-and-a-bit games.
Following a year sidelined luckless coach Brady Childs suffering another ACL injury, a broken leg to Joel Swatton and ruckman Kieran Strachan’s ankle injury also eventually took its toll on the Bloods, who after one stage being 9-4 lost their last five games to finish sixth.
…………………………………
7th – GISBORNE
Record – 6-12, 87%
Avg. for/against – 84/97
Attack ranking – 7th
Defence ranking – 6th
Quarters won – 27 of 72
Players used – 41
Avg. player points – 28.8
Comparison to last year –
+3 wins, +43 points
(attack: +24, defence: +19)
Club best top five:
Daniel Weaver – 40
Jarrad Lynch – 36
Trent Crosbie – 30
Eamon McKenna – 28
Jack Reaper – 27
Top goalkickers:
Thomas Wood – 37
Jake Conolan – 27
Clinton Young – 17
Jack Baker – 17
Daniel Weaver – 15
Won three more games than last year, but couldn’t crack it for that key scalp they so desperately craved, with all six of their victories coming against the three sides they finished ahead of.
Having struggled to hit the scoreboard last year, averaged an extra four goals per game this season and were three goals a game better defensively.
Debuted six youngsters in another development year for the Bulldogs that will continue next season with a new coach at the helm in Clinton Young, who takes over from Brad Spear.
Had their first winner of the BFNL Rising Star Award in Jack Scanlon.
…………………………………
8th – KANGAROO FLAT
Record – 4-14, 62%
Avg. for/against – 65/106
Attack ranking – 8th
Defence ranking – 8th
Quarters won – 22 of 72
Players used – 40
Avg. player points – 33.4
Comparison to last year –
-6 wins, -47 points
(attack: -22, defence: -25)
Club best top five:
Jonathan Lanyon – 90
Liam Collins – 49
Ross Turner – 29
Sam Maddern – 28
Mitch Collins – 25
Top goalkickers:
Charlie Bowyer – 23
Jack Bower – 20
Dylan Klemm – 15
Alex Pearson – 11
Corey Greer – 10
Mitch Collins – 10
Were tipped pre-season following an exodus of players to be in for a challenging 2017, and that’s how it played out for the Roos.
Although, there were encouraging signs early when they had two wins on the board after five rounds and fell just a kick away from ending their 16-year hoodoo against Golden Square on Good Friday.
But then came a string of heavy defeats – between rounds six and 12 they lost seven in a row by an average of 94 points, before later saving their best performance until the final round when they beat South Bendigo to finish a year in which they debuted six players who came through their juniors on a high.
Recruit Jonathan Lanyon produced a remarkably consistent midfield season. He was named in the Roos’ best players in 17 of their 18 games, with his VFL experience invaluable.
…………………………………
9th – CASTLEMAINE
Record – 2-16, 37%
Avg. for/against – 52/139
Attack ranking – 9th
Defence ranking – 9th
Quarters won – 12 of 72
Players used – 47
Avg. player points – 30.9
Comparison to last year –
-5 wins, -74 points
(attack: -34, defence: -40)
Club best top five:
Kalan Huntly – 69
Jarryd Graham – 39
Braidon Blake – 35
Simon Seddon – 33
Rhys Jenkins – 30
Top goalkickers:
Simon Seddon – 24
Jackson Hood – 15
Kalan Huntly – 13
Braidon Blake – 11
Jarryd Graham – 11
Hopefully for the Magpies’ sake it was one of those years where you have to go backwards to go forwards.
Dropped from seven wins last year to two this season and there were plenty of hidings along the way with nine by more than 100 points.
However, the Magpies were able to expose plenty of local youngsters to senior football, which was highlighted the day they beat Kangaroo Flat with seven players aged between 16 and 19.
Used 47 players for the season – the most of any club.
…………………………………
10th – MARYBOROUGH
Record – 1-17, 34%
Avg. for/against – 50/145
Attack ranking – 10th
Defence ranking – 10th
Quarters won – 12 of 72
Players used – 42
Avg. player points – 30.4
Comparison to last year –
+1 win, +28 points
(attack: +2, defence: +26)
Club best top five:
Ethan Crackel – 64
Ashley Noonan – 41
Connor O’Shea – 31
Coby Perry – 28
Matthew Coon – 27
Top goalkickers:
Cameron Rinaldi – 30
Jayden Templeton – 17
Andrew Siekai – 10
Jacob Rollason – 8
Connor O’Shea – 8
Finished on the bottom of the ladder for the third year in a row, but at least this time for the Magpies they did so with a win next to their name in round 10 when they beat Castlemaine by 58 points to end a 47-game losing streak.
As well as notching that elusive victory, the Magpies also shaved 26 points off their average score against from last year and won 12 more quarters than 2016.
Will continue with a new coach after Shane Skontra – who is now leading North City – stepped down, and, hopefully, with a re-formed under-18s team.