NORTH Bendigo marked two out of three victories in the footy action at Bendigo Bank Heathcote DFNL grand final day on Saturday in Huntly.
The Bulldogs were chasing the “Triple Crown” of premierships in all three grades for just the second time in their 80-year history.
A brilliant day for the red, white and blue kicked off with the under-18s being undefeated champions as they won the showdown with the Winslow Constructors White Hills Demons by 17 points.
It was an engrossing battle between North Bendigo and Mount Pleasant for the reserves flag.
The Bulldogs only defeat in the run to the grand final was in the second semi-final where Mount Pleasant won by six goals.
For the decider the Mount Pleasant team was bolstered by the inclusion of Brodie Montague and Reardon McIvor.
Key inclusions for the Bulldogs were Austin Robinson who won the league’s goalkicking race on 56, and Brodie Thomson who would dominate in the forward 50m arc.
Those out of the preliminary final-winning team were Callum Tardrew, hamstring, and Manny Thalasinos, leg, and Tommy Tavaga.
The Bulldogs goaled within the first minute of the grand final when Pat Bogers capitalised on the advantage after Jack Pysing’s strong tackle near goal.
Mounts struck back when Jesse O’Connell won a marking duel.
It took nine minutes for the next goal to be scored when Jacob Smith roved a contest and snapped from a tight angle.
A pass by Brayden Oates was marked by Brodie Thomson for the Dogs to draw within three points in the 17th minute.
By quarter-time the Tyler McNamara and Luke Marchesi-coached Blues led 16-12.
North Bendigo hit the front by the 30-second mark of term two when Zaidyn Richards goaled on the run.
Again it was an advantage free after Jack Pysing was held in a marking duel.
Mounts regained the lead when Baxter Ash goaled after a 50m penalty.
A pass by Bulldogs’ captain Jack Towers was marked by Thomson to kick his second and put the Dogs up, 27-24 in the 16th minute.
North Bendigo won the ensuing break and goaled through Jack Mills after he was rewarded for a great tackle.
By half-time the Dogs led 33-25.
Defences were on top until the 9 ½ minute of term three when Oates goaled.
When Mills was on target the Dogs had scored two goals in less than a minute were up 45-26.
Relentless pressure near goal led to another advantage free from which Tyson Tresize snapped North Bendigo’s ninth goal.
When Thomson marked and booted his third the Dogs led 57-27 in the 20th minute.
An O’Connell goal lifted the Blues’ hopes.
The Tim Devereaux and Brodie Reid-coached Bulldogs held a 23-point buffer rolling into the final quarter.
When Montague was hurt in a marking contest at half-forward and limped off it looked like his game was done.
Mount Pleasant’s dare reaped rewards as Jacob Smith’s set shot from near the 50m arc went through and Jaxson Nihill was on target after being caught high.
The Blues won possession from a ball-up and a quick kick was marked by Jaxson Nihill to cut the margin to just five points by the seventh minute.
A Dogs’ counter-attack from defence involved the experienced Nathan Newlan and Zaiyden Richards and led to Thomson’s fourth goal.
In the 15th minute it was McNamara who goaled after a strong tackle to make it 64-59.
Incredibly Montague returned to the field and went to the goalsquare.
Play was between the 50m arcs for many minutes.
Three times in a row the Dogs went to half-forward where Thomson beat all to mark in a pack.
Oates goaled on the run for the Dogs to be up by 11 points in the 29th minute.
A minute later and O’Connell ran back with the flight of the ball and clunked a terrific mark.
The set-shot went through, but was to be the last score of the contest as North Bendigo fought on for a 70-65 victory.
The AFL Victoria Country medal for best-on-ground was awarded to Brodie Thomson.
Best for the Bulldogs included the hard-running Harlan Draper, Lucas Keating and Ryan Domaille, ruckman Jeremy Lambden, and Nathan Newlan.
Mount Pleasant’s best were Ben Miller, Brodie Montague, Reardon McIvor, Zac Featherby, James Gledhill and Nick Butler.
North Bendigo’s premiership-winning team:
Pat Bogers, Brandon Butler, Denzel Cooper, Ryan Domaille, Harlan Draper, Brandon Etherington, Seth Galvin, Lucas Keating, Jacob King, Jeremy Lambden, Senna Marsili, Jack Mills, Josh Newlan, Nathan Newlan, Brayden Oates, Jack Pysing, Zaiyden Richards, Austin Robinson, Nic Swan, Brodie Thomson, Jack Towers, Tyson Tresize.
Coaches: Tim Devereaux, Daniel Reid.
Grand final day kicked off with the under-18s clash between North Bendigo.
The Dan Farrelly and Jack Pysing-coached Bulldogs were aiming to cap an unbeaten run to glory.
White Hills was chasing back-to-back premierships.
It took until the 15th minute mark of the match for the first goal to be scored when North Bendigo’s Jimmy Webb took the first of many strong marks in a contest and kicked truly.
A goal by Sam Hancock just seconds before the siren after he marked a Noah Filo pass put the Dogs up 14-2 at quarter-time.
The Demons upped their intensity and also linked well from half-back and through midfield into attack.
North Bendigo’s defence was under plenty of pressure.
The play of the Nick Wallace and Harry Sheilds-coached White Hills was rewarded for its play when Jack McGrath goaled in the 10th minute.
After the Demons ran the ball the length of the ground from a defensive kick-in it was Ben Masters who goaled on the run just a minute before the half-time siren.
At the break the Bulldogs led 16-14.
Among the many highlights was the ruck duel where North Bendigo had Harry Pysing and Zac Hinck compete with the athletic Tamba Basha.
The Demons took the lead in the seventh minute of the third when Brodie Doyle snapped a fine goal from the pocket.
North Bendigo was under pressure and it was Webb who took another contested mark and goaled to regain the lead just two minutes later.
Back-to-back spoils by Archie Stevens at half-back for the Dogs were outstanding.
A runaway winner of the David Roulston Medal as league fairest and best, Bulldogs’ on-baller and co-captain Will Bennett passed to Webb for his third goal.
A pass by Joe Bratby from the pocket was marked by Bulldogs’ co-captain Jett Grundy to make it 37-21 in the 19th minute.
The Demons struck back as Patrick Conlan took the bouncing ball near centre half-forward and his long shot from near the 50m arc bounced through an unguarded goal.
The siren sounded seconds later as North Bendigo led 38-27 going into the final term.
White Hills did plenty of attacking, but had added just a point by the ninth minute.
After a series of passes it was a red-hot Webb who marked and kicked his fourth goal for the red, white and blue to be up 45-28.
A minute later and Harper Hodgens swooped on the loose ball and goaled.
Hodgens was an under-18s premiership winner with the Bulldogs in 2023, along with Noah Filo, Jett Grundy, Harry Pysing and Jimmy Webb.
Final goal of the match was by Patrick Conlan on the run to cap a fine game for the red and black.
At the final siren North Bendigo celebrated a hard-fought 51-34 victory.
The AFL Victoria Country for best-on-ground was presented to Jimmy Webb.
Best for the Bulldogs included Joey Mizzi, Noah Filo, Josiah Bell, Sebastian Rossi and Jeremy Corr.
The Demons’ best were Tamba Basha, Ari Morrissey, Will Malone, Patrick Conlan, Finn Millar and Max Miller.
North Bendigo’s premiership-winning team:
Ben Andrews, Josiah Bell, Will Bennett, Joe Bratby, Jeremy Corr, Oscar Farrelly, Noah Filo, Ethan Giddings, Jett Grundy, Sam Hancock, Liam Hanley, Zac Hinck, Harper Hodgens, Ned Howe, Oliver Lythgo, Angus Martin, Joey Mizzi, Harry Pysing, Sebastian Rossi, Archie Stevens, Jimmy Webb, Liam Westerway.
Coaches: Dan Farrelly, Jack Pysing.