Bulldogs reserves reach grand final by beating Dragons
THE dominant team of the home and away series, Golden Square has qualified for the reserves football grand final in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo Football Netball League.
Stung by a second semi-final loss to Gisborne the previous Saturday, Golden Square stuck back to beat Sandhurst in Saturday’s preliminary final at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The Jamie Hogan-coached Bulldogs led 25-14 at quarter-time and then scored 1.4 to 0.2 in the second term of the clash with the Dragons.
It was Sandhurst which won the third term, 9-7, but Golden Square finished the contest with plenty of goals, five, and run to claim a 74-27 victory.
Dylan Hird kicked a match-high four goals as co-captain Dean Norris added three.
Other goalkickers for the blue and gold were Brad Eaton, Lachlan Humphrey, Jack Sampson and Will Thrum.
The Dragons’ goalkickers were Jack Keating, Conor O’Farrell and Zac Sims.
Best for the Bulldogs were Tanner Rayner, Jack Threlfall, Will Thrum, Dean Norris, Brodie James and Zachary Holmes.
Sandhurst’s best were Matt Wilkinson, Jordan Quirk, Darcy Mills, Caleb Connick, Billy Robertson and James Venturini.
It had been a great run by the Dragons who won the elimination final against Eaglehawk and then beat Strathfieldsaye in the first semi.
The Golden Square line-up which has Sheldon Burke as co-captain will now chase its 19th and most important win of the season when it tackles Gisborne in the grand final.
It will be Gisborne’s first appearance in the reserves grand final since 2011.
A run of premiership deciders for Golden Square between 2013 and ’16 netted two wins and two defeats.
The reserves grand final between Gisborne and Golden Square starts at 11.50am on Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street, Bendigo.
Written by Nathan Dole.
