BFNL: Dragons turn the tables in grand final rematch against arch rivals

Golden Square is the BFNL's defending premier, but in Saturday's stand-alone grand final rematch it was Sandhurst that handed the Bulldogs a 54-point defeat at Wade Street in a sign of the changing of the guard this year.

The win improved the Dragons to 5-0 and reclaimed their position at the top of the ladder after Strathfieldsaye briefly grabbed hold of it last week, while Sandhurst also kept hold of the Ron Best Memorial Shield.

The Dragons won 14.18 (102) to 7.6 (48) in a game where they were the superior side across three of the four quarters.

"There's always a bit of spice in a game against Golden Square and whenever you come up against a side that has beaten you in a grand final, it's nice to beat them," Sandhurst co-coach Ashley Connick said.

"We've got a good record in these Ron Best games; it's great to play the game in his honour and it's always a good contest."

The two best-on-ground medals awarded as part of the Ron Best Memorial Shield day were presented to each side's gun midfielders - Sandhurst captain Lachlan Tardrew and Golden Square's Jordan Rosengren.

Golden Square was at its most competitive in the game throughout the second quarter when the Bulldogs kicked five of their seven goals for the match.

Golden Square trailed by 22 points at quarter-time, with only some inaccurate kicking from Sandhurst preventing the margin from being greater at the first break.

The Dragons had nine scoring shots in the first term for a return of 3.6, while holding Golden Square to 0.2.

The Dragons had a four-pronged attack of focal points in the first quarter with the quartet of Fergus Greene, co-coach Bryce Curnow, Lachlan Wright and Cobi Maxted all lining up inside 50.

In just his sixth senior game Xavier Carter was given the big defensive job for Golden Square on Greene in what was an invaluable learning experience, while Seb Pellegrino's introduction to senior football was via the match-up on Maxted.

While it was nine scoring shots to two in the opening term, Golden Square created its fair share of forward 50 entries, but they were constantly swept away by the Dragons' defence.

However, having won three of their previous four games by more than 130 points, Golden Square certainly provided the Dragons with the challenge they must have been eagerly craving entering Saturday during the second term.

Inside the first seven minutes of the second quarter the Bulldogs kicked three unanswered goals in a rare run-on against Sandhurst this season.

Two of the goals were kicked by developing forward/ruck Kai Daniels - the first from a contested mark, the second from a downfield free kick - with skipper Jayden Burke nailing one in between to close within five points.

The Dragons responded with consecutive goals to Curnow, who drilled a 50m set-shot, with his penetrating kicking one of the highlights of his performance, before Wright made the Bulldogs pay for a back half turnover.

But the Bulldogs hung tough and answered with two goals of their own through Rosengren and Macey Eaton, who was the recipient of a 50m penalty, after the half-time siren.

Eaton's goal brought the Bulldogs back within four points, 5.9 to 5.5, as the game resembled many a Golden Square-Sandhurst clash of yesteryear - hard-fought and high pressure.

But having worked hard to be in the contest at half-time, would the underdog Bulldogs - minus midfield jet Ricky Monti (Essendon VFL call-up on Friday) - be able to sustain their intensity after the break?

With the challenge having been well and truly laid down to them in the first half, the Dragons wore the Bulldogs down in the second.

When the game was there to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck in the third quarter it was the Dragons who pounced as their midfield asserted its authority and the ball lived in their front half.

The Dragons kicked 5.4 to 0.1 during the third term, with hard-running wingman Caleb Connick providing one of the highlight plays of the game with a give-and-go mixed in with some classy evasive work before drilling his second goal of the game on the run from the bowling club flank.

Connick, who was among the Dragons' best, earlier kicked the opening goal of the match.

After breaking the game open in the third quarter the Dragons closed it out with four goals to two in the final term as a game that had been in the balance at half-time ended up another comfortable win for Sandhurst.

Sandhurst's best players were headed by three of its midfield brigade in skipper Tardrew - who continues to firm as the early Michelsen Medal favourite - hard-nut James Coghlan and Lachie Hood, who was crucial during the gamebreaking third quarter.

"I was really happy with those boys and I thought Zach Pallpratt and Nick Stagg were really good also," Connick said.

"We asked Jim (Coghlan), Staggy, Curl (Pallpratt) and Hoody to pick up a bit of the slack that Noah Walsh (quad tightness) leaves.

"Curl and Staggy in particular had a few more midfield minutes today and I thought they were really good."

As well as Walsh out, the Dragons' midfield was also down a rotation with Cooper Smith (ill) a withdrawal.

The Dragons' Curnow was the leading goalkicker on the ground with four, while Greene could have had a bag, but finished with 3.5.

For the Bulldogs - who are now 2-4 - the polished Jack Threlfall across half-back was named their best, accumulating plenty of the ball throughout.

Midfield bull Rosengren, fellow on-baller Dylan Hird and Daniels (two goals) also featured among the better players for the Bulldogs.

"We had our plans in place today, but planning is one thing, executing is another," Golden Square coach Brad Eaton said.

"In the first quarter we weren't great around the footy and they probably let us off the hook with some missed opportunities up forward.

"We adjusted really well in the second quarter and controlled the stoppages a bit better, which gave us a few looks inside 50.

"Unfortunately, we just turned the footy over a bit in the second half and you can't do that against good sides who make you pay, particularly with their potent forward half.

"There was some positive signs for us today and we did show that we could match them in that first half, but you've got to be able to do it over four quarters."

Meanwhile, a new Golden Square-Sandhurst rivalry was also ignited on Saturday with the senior game followed by the first women's match between the two clubs.