Bendigo Advertiser | A SEVEN-GOAL third quarter burst was the catalyst for Sandhurst’s 47-point win over Eaglehawk in Sunday’s BFNL first semi-final.
The Dragons only kicked three goals in the first half, but burst into action in the third quarter adding 7.4 to 2.4 to set up its 15.17 (107) to 8.12 (60) win and a preliminary final berth against arch-rival Golden Square.
The Hawks, who were outscored 12 goals to three after half-time, have six months to ponder another fade-out against a top three team.
Strangely, it was the report for striking and subsequent sending off for 15 minutes of star midfielder Adam Parry that sparked the Dragons.
At one stage the wayward Dragons had 1.10 on the board and, when Parry was shown a yellow card for his alleged strike on Brodie Collins late in the second term, they trailed the Hawks by seven points.
With Parry out of action for 15 minutes and Lee Coghlan off the ground because of a corked hip the Dragons looked under the pump.
ON REPORT: Sandhurst midfielder Adam Parry.
When it mattered most Sandhurst’s midfield, particularly Tim Martin, Nick Stagg and Koe Ngawati, took control. While playing a man down the Dragons turned the game on its head, outscoring the Hawks 31-7.
The move of Lachlan Ross to full-forward gave the Dragons a better structure inside forward 50 and small forwards Galen Munari and Seb Green gave the Hawks plenty of headaches.
Eaglehawk couldn’t match Sandhurst’s intensity when the Dragons lifted their pressure and the Hawks fell away badly in the second half. The third quarter report and yellow card of midfielder Cam Milward didn’t help the Hawks’ cause.
The second-half fade out summed up Eaglehawk’s season. The Hawks didn’t beat a top three team all year.
“We were competitive in all the games against the top three teams except for the first one against Strathfieldsaye,’’ Eaglehawk coach Luke Monaghan said.
“We couldn’t maintain it for four quarter and that happened again today.
“We had the game on our terms in the first half, but once Sandhurst got their confidence going we couldn’t drag the game back.”
Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick said skill errors had hurt the Dragons in the first half.
“I thought our intensity was good, but we just weren’t accountable with the ball,’’ Fitzpatrick said.
“Once we became instinctive on the spread and rewarded our runners we started to move the ball better. We finally got some reward on the scoreboard and that lifted everyone.”
Fitzpatrick admitted the Parry incident had been a turning point.
“It’s amazing what goes on inside the players’ heads,’’ Fitzpatrick said. “From that point on we worked harder for each other.”
Livewire forward Joel Wharton was late withdrawal for the Dragons because of hamstring soreness. He’ll join Lee Coghlan (hip), Harry O’Meara (toe) and Ben Anderson (knee) in a busy Sandhurst medical room.
The Dragons also have to weigh up what to do with Parry’s report. The Bridgewater premiership player is their best clearance player, but if they challenge the report and go to the tribunal they risk a two-match ban.
The most likely outcome is the Dragons will avoid the tribunal and accept an automatic one-week penalty for Parry.
