HALFWAY through the last quarter of Saturday’s Heathcote District Football-Netball League grand final North Bendigo was on the ropes.

The Bulldogs had watched a 29-point lead during the third quarter evaporate to just three points by a surging Leitchville-Gunbower, which had all the momentum.

The grind of having played three lead-up finals appeared to be taking its toll on the Bulldogs against the fresher Bombers, who after being bottled up were finally able to unleash some of their trademark pace and quick ball movement.

However, the Bulldogs wouldn’t be denied the opportunity of back-to-back flags and dug deep over the last 15 minutes, kicking the final two goals of the match to win 14.18 (102) to 13.4 (82) in front of another big grand final crowd at Huntly.

The Bombers started the fourth quarter 20 points in arrears, but with some renewed belief after they had kicked the last two goals of the third term through Ayden Walton and Matt Perri to breathe life back into a contest that had been on the verge of slipping away when the Bulldogs had cleared out by 29 points.

The first eight minutes of the final term were a stalemate, with the only score a rushed behind to North Bendigo, but in a four-minute burst the Bombers made their charge and put the game on a knife-edge.

Firstly Perri marked a pass from Daniel Couwenberg and converted his set-shot from 30m to kick his third goal.

A minute later Sam Kennedy took a strong mark and nailed his third goal, and when Perri soccered through his fourth goal at the 12-minute mark, the Bombers were back within three points.

At that stage with momentum behind them, the Bombers looked the likely winners.

However, Perri’s goal was the Bombers’ last score of the match.

Down the other end Jordan Collins kicked a much-needed steadying goal for the Bulldogs from the flank that pushed their advantage to nine points.

Three missed opportunities for the Bulldogs followed, before star forward Sam Barnes took the sting out of the game by kicking the sealer.

With the ball deep in the Bulldogs’ forward line, Barnes swooped and on his left foot screwed through the goal at the 23-minute mark that pushed North Bendigo’s advantage out to 18 points and ensured the premiership cup would be heading back to Atkins Street for the second year in a row.

Barnes’ sealing goal was his seventh of the match as he proved the difference and won the AFL Victoria Country Medal.

Barnes had five of his goals by half-time, four of which came during a superb second term when he imposed himself on the contest.

Barnes’ four-goal second quarter followed the Bulldogs suffering a major blow late in the first term when fellow star forward Brady Herdman was forced from the field with a game-ending groin tear.

But despite only having one of the Bulldogs’ dynamic duo to be concerned about, the Bombers couldn’t contain Barnes, who was opposed by Daniel Meroli.

Barnes’ five first-half goals came in a North Bendigo scoreline of 6.9 as the Bulldogs led by five points at the main break.

However, that lead grew to 29 points during the third quarter as the Bulldogs made what ultimately proved to be a match-winning move, ignited by the youngest player in their side, 18-year-old Storm Giri.

The lively Giri kicked three third-quarter goals, one of which was a checkside beauty from the cricket nets forward pocket.

When Giri kicked his third, the Bulldogs were 12.9.

At that stage they had kicked 10 goals from their previous 11 scoring shots, having earlier been a wasteful 2.8 during the second quarter.

However, their radar would be off target again for the rest of the match as they kicked 2.9 from their last 11 shots, but when the game was there to be grabbed by the scruff of the neck, the Bulldogs nailed their chances.

Earlier, the Bombers kicked the first two goals of the game through Walton and Perri and after 11 minutes led 2.3 to 0.1.

The Bombers – who had gone into the grand final with 15 wins in a row and without a flag since 1995 – were later 2.4 midway through the quarter, before their final 11 scoring shots were all goals as they finished 13.4.

Barnes was an obvious choice as the best player for the Bulldogs, with Saturday his sixth flag in a row – he won four on the trot at Wedderburn before joining North Bendigo last year.

Also in the best for the Bulldogs was Blayne Ryan-Storey, who was a constant source of run and drive through the midfield.

Alex Shipard again did another fine run-with job, this time on classy Bombers’ wingman Tim Lincoln.

Cousins Tyson Findlay and Jarrod Findlay helped the Bulldogs win the all-important midfield battle, ruckman Brett Strange finished off a strong season, while half-back Daniel Morris was also among the best.

The Bombers named forward Kennedy (three goals), who had an entertaining tussle with Darcy Richards, their best player.

Others in the best for the Bombers – who lost one of their young guns Jackson McEwen (AC joint) in the first quarter – were co-captain Hoby Bussey in defence, forwards Walton (two goals) and Perri (four goals), Will Brereton and ruckman/forward Lee Pollock.

North Bendigo premiership team – Jordan Ford (c), Ryan Alford, Sam Barnes, Jordan Collins, Aarryn Craig, Sam Demeo, Jarrod Findlay, Tyson Findlay, Storm Giri, Ryan Gow, Will Gunter, Brady Herdman, Aiden Metcalf, Tom Metherell, Daniel Morris, Sean Morris, Daniel Reid, Darcy Richards, Blayne Ryan-Storey, Alex Shipard, Brett Strange, Callum Tardrew. Coach: Rob Bennett.