Sandhurst claims BFNL minor premiership after big win over Hawks

The 13.8 (86) to 4.8 (32) victory gave the Dragons a 16-1-1 record for the season - their best performance in an 18-round BFNL competition and their most wins in a home and away season since their premiership year in 1983 when they had a 17-4-1 record in a 22-round season.

As minor premiers the Dragons advance straight to the second semi-final in a fortnight and they're just one win away from a grand final berth.

Every BFNL minor premier since Maryborough in 1997 has at least qualified for the grand final.

"(The minor premiership) is a result of what we do every week - pick the best side we can and play the best we can,'' Sandhurst co-coach Ashley Connick said.

"The week off will be important. The top five teams are generally a bit sore at this time of year, so having that week off will be nice."

While Sandhurst had plenty to cheer about after the win, the Hawks were licking their wounds.

The loss cost the Borough the double-chance for the finals and they slipped to fourth on the ladder and an elimination final clash with South Bendigo next Sunday.

"Credit to Sandhurst, they played like it was a final,'' Eaglehawk coach Travis Matheson said.

"It was a good learning curve for us. That's what it's going to look like if we want to be there at the pointy end.

"It will be a good test to see how we respond this week."

When Premier Data releases the statistics for Saturday's game there's likely to be little between the two teams in most of the key indicators.

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However, there was a clear gulf in class and execution.

When the game was up for grabs in the first half, Sandhurst kicked 8.4 to 1.5.

Sandhurst's edge in class was built around the three C's - Conforti, Curnow and Coghlan.

Sam Conforti, at times, looked like he was playing a different game to everyone else.

The left-footer kicked two classy goals in the second quarter, could have finished the day with four or five, and had a hand in several others thanks to his brilliant evasive skills and precise field kicking.

Co-coach Bryce Curnow did what he's done for the entire 2023 season - controlled the game off half-back, marshalled the troops when required and floated forward to kick the opening goal of the game.

You get the sense that James Coghlan might be very high in the pecking order for the co-coaches favourite player.

He spent much of Saturday in the middle of the ground where his grunt work set the tone for the Dragons.

Coghlan worked well off ruckman Hamish Hosking, while Zach Pallpratt's pressure and tackling was elite.

The Sandhurst victory was a fitting way for the club to honour Matt "Bear" Thornton in his 250th game.

As his great mates Nick Stagg and Lee Coghlan carried him off the ground, Thornton was given a guard of honour by the Sandhurst and Eaglehawk players.

"It is impossible to find a nicer person than Bear,'' Connick said of Thornton.

"He's so humble and selfless. We tried to push him into the middle of the circle for the club song after the game, but he wouldn't do it. It's never about him. We're proud to have him."

To rub salt into the Hawks' wounds, their best defender Charlie Langford left the ground in the third quarter with a suspected broken collarbone and his season appears to be done and dusted.

Midfielder/forward Sam Harper suffered a corked calf, while key midfielder Noah Wheeler (knee) and small forward Liam Marciano (ankle) both limped off the field in the final quarter.

That trio will face fitness tests this week before being cleared to face the Bloods in the elimination final.

Clayton Holmes looked sore for the Hawks as well, but he did provide one of the few highlights of the game for his side when he took a hanger in the dying seconds and kicked a goal after the final siren.

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