An all-Dogs showdown in reserves decider
IT’S another battle of the Bulldogs as Gisborne takes on Golden Square to decide the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League’s reserves footy premiers on Saturday.
Play will start at 11.50am at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
This season’s meetings between the grand finalists in the Harmas Homes-backed competition stand at two-one in Gisborne’s favour.
Most recent showdown was the second semi-final in which the Mark Lamplugh-coached Gisborne overran Golden Square in the final quarter to win 67-53.
The Jamie Hogan-coached Golden Square led 51-42 at three quarter-time, but could not stop Gisborne’s charge as it added 4.1 to just two points in the final term.
Hayden Doricic kicked four goals for Gisborne as Clinton Young, three; and Harry Thomas, two, played key roles in attack.
Only multiple goalkicker for Golden Square was veteran Brad Eaton on two.
Best for Gisborne were Thomas Fraser, Heath Simpson, Clinton Young and Lachlan Shore.
Jack Threlfall, Tanner Rayner, Will Thrum and Drew Barrett played well for Golden Square.
In round 17 it was Golden Square which dominated on a wet and muddy Fur Life Oval in Wade Street to win 63-31.
Lachlan Humphrey, Jack Sampson and Will Thrum kicked two goals each.
Best for the blue and gold included Nic Ross and Harry Burke.
Gisborne’s best were Jacob Murphy, Leon Thiner and Dan Weaver.
First meeting between the teams was in round eight at Gardiner Reserve where Dan Davie kicked six goals in a 63-22 win for Gisborne.
The run to the grand final for Gisborne began with a 52-49 win against Strathfieldsaye in the qualifying final.
A week later and the team in red, white and blue earned a week’s rest and qualification for the grand final after it best Golden Square in the second semi.
Stung by just its second loss of the season, Golden Square hit back for a 74-27 win against Sandhurst in the preliminary final.
Dylan Hird led the attack on four goals as Dean Norris added three.
Best in Square’s latest victory were Tanner Rayner, Jack Threlfall, Will Thrum, Dean Norris, Brodie James and Zac Holmes.
Key players for Gisborne include Jacob Murphy and Boyd Nalder who polled 18 votes to be joint winner of the Alan McDonald Medal as the competition’s fairest and best.
Gisborne also has Elijah Bretherton and Josh McDonald in the key defensive posts; Luke Weber in the centre; rover Daniel Weaver.
A strong attack includes Hayden Doricic, 43 goals; Jarryd Vernon, 29; Daniel Davie, 17; and Heath Simpson, 14.
Former senior coach, Clinton Young was named on the interchange bench.
Young was a premiership-winning wingman with Hawthorn in 2008.
Gisborne also has the run of Adam Brancatsiano and Matthew Jinkins from half-back.
Players to watch for Golden Square include Drew Barrett in the centre, ruckman Tanner Rayner, co-captains Sheldon Burke and Dean Norris, and talented youngsters Brodie James, Alex Jenkyn and Jack Threlfall.
Named at full-forward, Brad Eaton will play a key role for the blue and gold.
A great year for the Eaton family included Brad’s son, Macey being awarded the George Symons Medal for fairest and best in the under-18s competition.
The blue and gold also have Harry Burke and Seb Pellegrino to lead the defence, and the versatile Will Lee.
Major goalkickers for Golden Square have been Drew Barrett, 25; Alex Jenkyn, 19; Jack Sampson and Paul Symons, 15; Dylan Hird, 14; and Will Thrum, 14.
It’s Golden Square’s first appearance in the reserves grand final since 2016 when beaten by Sandhurst.
A great run for Square include the reserves premiership win against Eaglehawk in 2013; runner-up to Sandhurst the next year; and win against Eaglehawk in 2015 by two points.
Gisborne has not played in a reserves grand final since 2011 when it beat Sandhurst by 69 points.
Teams for Saturday’s grand final:
GISBORNE
B: Rohan Nichol, Elija Bretheron, Harry Manders.
Hb: Matthew Jinkins, Josh McDonald, Adam Brancatisano.
C: Frank Schipano, Luke Weber, Matt McDonald.
Hf: Heath Simpson, Hayden Doricic, Michael Steinbach.
F: Harry Thomas, Jarryd Vernon, Dan Davie.
Foll: Jacob Murphy, Boyd Nalder, Daniel Weaver.
Inter: Leon Thiner, Lachlan Shore, Tom Fraser, Clinton Young.
Coach: Mark Lamplugh.
GOLDEN SQUARE
B: Sheldon Burke, Seb Pellegrino, Zac Holmes.
Hb: Jack Threlfall, Harry Burke, Nicholas Ross.
C: Callum Draper, Drew Barrett, Brodie James.
Hf: Alex Jenkyn, Dylan Hird, Jack Sampson.
F: Will Thrum, Brad Eaton, Will Lee.
Foll: Tanner Rayner, Dean Norris, Lachlan Humphrey.
Inter: Paul Symons, Kane Shelton, Nick Simpson, Ben Parkes.
Emerg: Chris Cox.
Coach: Jamie Hogan.
Asst coaches: David Symons, Jake Thrum.
Written by Nathan Dole.
