BY NATHAN DOLE
IT’S an all-Bulldogs showdown on Saturday as Golden Square and Gisborne clash in the SportsPower-backed under-18s footy competition on Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL grand final day.
The rising stars from the respective kennels will be in action from 9.15am at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
A Golden Square team jointly coached by Rowan Warfe and Paul Hamilton is aiming for the club’s first under-18s premiership since 2010.
The Rob Kerr-coached Gisborne is chasing back-to-back premierships after last September’s two-point thriller against Sandhurst.
A three-goal win by Golden Square against Gisborne in the second semi two Saturdays ago meant the blue and gold was first to the grand final.
Gisborne hit back to score a 61-24 victory against Sandhurst in last Saturday’s preliminary final.
This season’s meetings between Golden Square and Gisborne stand at two-one in favour of the blue and gold.
A hard-fought second semi went Golden Square’s way as it led 21-16 at three quarter-time and surged clear for a 34-16 victory.
Jack McMahon kicked two goals as William Stewart, Tommi Turner and Zac Wescott were on target.
Best for Golden Square were Bailey Cain, Darcy Lawler, Jack McMahon, Xavier Carter, Zac Wescott and Billy Meade.
Gisborne’s goalkickers were Jarrod Ainsworth and James Gray.
Best for the red, white and blue were Kane Minns, Frankie Ellis, Lachlan Evans, Jack Long, James Gentles and Lachie Bianco.
In round 15, Gisborne scored 3.0 to 1.4 in the last term of the clash with Square for a 44-37 victory at Gardiner Reserve.
Goalkicking accuracy was a highlight of Golden Square’s win against Gisborne in the sixth round at Fur Life Oval in Wade Street.
Golden Square scored 8.0 to 3.1 in the first half and went on for a 75-44 victory.
Well-known names in the Golden Square line-up for this grand final include McConville, Jenkyn, Warfe and Wilkinson.
The blue and gold will be represented by Flynn McConville, Ned Jenkyn, Noah Warfe and James Wilkinson.
A Golden Square team led by Nick Sherriff and Zackery Tickell also has the running power and skill of Billy Meade, Harrison Kelly and Tommi Turner.
Runner-up for the George Symons Medal as league fairest and best, Zac Wescott is one of Golden Square’s most valuable players.
Last September it was Jarrod Ainsworth who earned the Rod Ashman Medal as best afield in Gisborne’s grand final victory.
Ainsworth will again play a crucial role from the centre.
Other players to watch for Gisborne are captain Kane Minns, Frankie Ellis, Indy Williamson, Matthew Barake, Jacob Grinter, Flynn Weber, Max Whitefield, Lachlan Evans and Darcy Young.
In the preliminary final it was Zach Paterson who capped off plenty of Gisborne’s moves by kicking three goals and Jack Long was best afield.
Lachie Bianco, Jack Clough, James Gray and Hamish Thomas were named in Gisborne’s attack.
Golden Square:
B: Oliver Eaton, Nick Sherriff, Nicholas Roberts.
Hb: Billy Meade, Xavier Carter, Patrick Docherty.
C: Ned Jenkyn, Jack McMahon, Noah Warfe.
Hf: Bailey Cain, James Wilkinson, Darcy Edmiston.
F: Zac Wescott, Flynn McConville, Darcy Lawler.
Foll: Rory McCrann-Peters, Zackery Tickell, Tommi Turner.
Inter: Lachlan Ross, William Stewart, Harrison Kelly, William Hamilton.
Coaches: Rowan Warfe, Paul Hamilton.
Gisborne:
B: Flynn Weber, Jack Long, Alonzo Rovere.
Hb: Kane Minns, Lachlan Evans, Harrison Bryant.
C: Jacob Grinter, Jarrod Ainsworth, Max Whitefield.
Hf: Matthew Barake, Jack Clough, Lachie Bianco.
F: Edward Williams, Hamish Thomas, James Gray.
Foll: Indy Williamson, Darcy Young, Frankie Ellis.
Inter (from): Zach Paterson, Luca Volpi, Campbell Johns, Lane Grech, James Gentles, Nicholas Lamplugh.
Coach: Rob Kerr.