NORTH Bendigo has won its way to the Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL senior grand final for the first time since 2019.
The Rob Bennett and Ryan Hartley-coached Bulldogs scored a 56-point win against Colbinabbin in last Saturday’s preliminary final in Elmore.
The Bulldogs will now take on Mount Pleasant in the first meeting between the clubs in a senior grand final.
On the rebound from a one-goal loss to Mounts in the second semi, North Bendigo made a great start to the clash with the Linton Jacobs-coached Colbinabbin.
Triple premiership player Jordan Ford kicked the first of what would be 23 goals for the Bulldogs.
Cody Riddick’s effort to win a contest on the wing and then sprint into the forward 50m arc to mark a Jake Dean pass and goal made it 13-2.
The Grasshoppers replied as Isaac Carracher kicked truly.
After a chain of handpasses, Storm Giri goaled for the Bulldogs.
Grasshoppers’ captain Will Lowe dodged opponents at the 50m arc and kicked a long goal.
When Nick Knight goaled Colbinabbin was up 21-19.
The Bulldogs bit back with goals by Dean, Riddick, Ryan Gillingham, Riley Paetow and Ryan Hartley to lead 50-21.
When Jai Carn was freed in a marking contest he kicked truly after the siren.
The Bulldogs surged to a 47-point lead in the second.
Key forward Dylan Klemm took a strong mark and goaled as Liam Dillon, Klemm and Ford added to the goalkicking spree.
After starting and spending a lot of time in the ruck, Brandyn Grenfell slotted his first goal for the Grasshoppers.
A Sam Ryan goal was quickly followed by another for the Hoppers as they were back within five goals.
When Alex Carr was on target the heat was right back on the Bulldogs.
North Bendigo won the centre break from which Dean marked and goaled for an 82-56 lead at half-time.
The Bulldogs lifted their intensity and run and was rewarded with two goals by Harrison Jarvie and another by Riddick.
Colbinabbin replied through Sam Ryan, but Hartley and Dean goals gave the Bulldogs a 51-point lead.
The Bulldogs dare to keep attacking and link up with passes by foot or hand led to another two goals by Klemm.
By three quarter-time the Bulldogs were up 127-69.
Both teams finished with three goals in the last as the Bulldogs marked a 148-92 victory.
Best for North Bendigo were Ryan Gillingham, Cody Riddick, ruckman Jordan Hargreaves, Ryan Hartley, Harrison Jarvie and Nic Waterson.
Will Lowe, Daniel Hill, Nathan Basile, Jude Ryan, Angus Martin and Jimmy McMurtrie were best for the Grasshoppers.
In the reserves, North Bendigo was under the pump from the Harlowe Huntly Hawks in the final quarter.
On the rebound from its first defeat of the season in the second semi-final, North Bendigo led 16-6 at quarter-time and 24-15 by half-time.
The Daniel Reid and Tim Devereux-coached Bulldogs then slammed on six goals in term three as the Hawks added three goals.
North Bendigo held a 31-point buffer going into the final term.
A hat-trick of goals by Huntly included a right-foot snap by Lachlan Brook to make it 65-51.
When Lachie Ross roved a marking contest near goal and calmly slotted a major the Brad Chalmers and Zac Runnalls-coached Hawks were back within eight points.
Minutes later one of North Bendigo’s most experienced players in Manny Thalasinos was stretchered off aftetr being hurt when tackled.
A Lachie Ross snap was a point.
Heat was on all players.
A Seth Galvin point on the run after a great tap-on by Callum Tardrew at centre half-forward gave the Dogs a seven-point cushion.
Another rushed behind by the red, white and blue was the final score of the game as the Dogs clung on for a 67-59 victory.
The Bulldogs’ attack was led by Brayden Oates and Jack Pysing with two goals each.
Seth Galvin, Zaiyden Richards, Manny Thalasinos, captain Jack Towers and Callum Tardrew were also on target.
For Huntly it was Lachlan Brook, Jack Burns and Lachie Ross who kicked two goals each.
Archer Billings, Drew Costigan and Josh Stone booted a goal each.
Best-on-ground honours went to North Bendigo ruckman Jeremy Lambden as Harlan Draper at half-back, Denzel Cooper, Lucas Keating, Callum Tardrew and Brayden Oates all played well.
Huntly’s best were Jack Daley, Daniel Artavilla, Judd Gilchrist, Jack Burns, Lachlan Brook and Sam Keneally.
It’s a rematch of North Bendigo and Mount Pleasant in the grand final.
The Tyler McNamara and Luke Marchesi-coached Blues scored a 77-40 win against North Bendigo in the second semi-final.
The Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons stayed on track for back-to-back under-18 premierships.
The Demons unleashed a brilliant third quarter on the way to an 80-49 preliminary final win against Lockington Bamawm United.
White Hills led 19-15 at half-time and then slammed on six goals in the third as the Cats added one major.
By the last change the Demons were up by 37 points.
LBU fought on to win the last, 28-22, but it was the red and black which celebrated a 31-point victory.
The Demons’ attack was led by Patrick Conlan, Dustin Crawford and Ben Masters on two goals each.
White Hills also had Lucas Boyle, Brodie Doyle, Jackson Lowery, Harry and Max Miller on target.
The LBU Cats had Axel Dixon and Brayden Hull slot two goals as Lochlan Basham, James Brentnall and Nicholas Mitchell added one.
Best for White Hills were Dustin Crawford, Max Miller, Tamba Basha, Ari Morrissey, Patrick Conlan and William Malone.
LBU’s best were Harrison Keele, Nicholas Mitchell, James Brentnall, Brayden Hull, Lochlan Basham and Cooper Lees.
The Nick Wallace and Harry Sheilds-coached White Hills will now take on an unbeaten North Bendigo team which is coached by Dan Farrelly and Jack Pysing in the grand final.
The Jack Reiter-coached LBU Cats made a superb run from an elimination final to finish the season in third place.
Schedule for Saturday’s grand finals at Huntly’s Strauch Reserve:
Under-18s at 9.30am: North Bendigo v White Hills.
Reserves at 11.20am: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.
Seniors at 2.20pm: Mount Pleasant v North Bendigo.