Bendigo: Premier Gisborne faces host of challengers for its title

Golden Square and Sandhurst are among clubs looking to push deep into finals, as the Bendigo league kicks off. Meet the flag contenders.

The Bendigo league season starts on Saturday with a hotly contested premiership battle ahead, according to two coaches planning to be in the thick of the action.

Former star player Christian Carter enters his third season in charge of Golden Square motivated by a heartbreaking loss in the preliminary final last year to eventual premier Gisborne.

And Bryce Curnow returns to the league, where he was best on ground in the 2019 grand final for Strathfieldsaye, as co-coach of rival club Sandhurst, which was bundled out in the first week of finals last year.

Golden Square will be coached by Christian Carter for a third season.

Both agree there are up to seven teams vying for just five finals spots on offer.

“There has never been six or seven sides that could push each other,” Carter said.

“The top four or five who have been competitive for a while keep getting stronger.

“But some of the others are catching up now.”

Curnow, a key forward, will co-coach Sandhurst with Ash Connick after leading Kerang to the Central Murray league flag last year.

Bryce Curnow was best on ground in Strathfieldsaye’s 2019 Bendigo premiership. Picture: SAA Imaging

Curnow said the lopsided nature of the Bendigo league when he last played was part of the reason he left.

“Back in 2019 there were probably only two teams that could win it and maybe a third one who could push you to get within five or six goals,” he said.

“It is anyone’s premiership to win nowadays.

“One of the reasons I left was because we were beating sides by 200 points.

“But Golden Square probably should have been better than a prelim last year.

“Strath and Gisborne, who were in the grand final last year, will be going again.

“South made their first final for a long time and won a final against Sandhurst.”

Sandhurst has been highly active in the off season with Nick Stagg also back from Kerang and former Carlton and Richmond utility Andrew Collins returning from Bridgewater.

In a bid to go further than a preliminary final, Golden Square has recruited midfield dynamo Tom Toma back to the club from Cohuna Kangas.

Paul Chapman is coaching Kyneton again this season. Picture: Yuri Kouzmin

Eaglehawk, which missed finals last year, has been bolstered by the return of the Geary brothers, Jarryn and Kallen, and the addition of Montmorency ruckman Connor Dalgleish.

Kyneton missed finals by percentage and former Geelong star Paul Chapman remains coach.

Kangaroo Flat shapes as the “best of the rest” with the addition of Zac and Jordan Rouse, who previously played in the Ovens and Murray league for Wodonga Raiders.

Originally published as Bendigo: Premier Gisborne faces host of challengers for its title