NORTH Bendigo captain Jarrod Findlay was a shock inclusion on Thursday night for Saturday’s Heathcote District league grand final against Leitchville-Gunbower.
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Findlay’s season was feared to be over when he suffered a shoulder injury in the Bulldogs’ round 18 win over Colbinabbin.
However, Findlay – the winner of this year’s HDFNL public vote award – was named in a forward pocket in the grand final team and coach Matt Dillon declared that while not at 100 per cent, he will play.
“It was looking very doubtful for him on Tuesday night, but he has done enough at training tonight where we’ve made the call that he’s going to play,” Dillon said.
HDFNL GRAND FINALIST – LEITCHVILLE-GUNBOWER
HDFNL GRAND FINALIST – NORTH BENDIGO
“He’s confident he’s going to be right to get through… he’s come from nowhere and to be honest, I’m probably as shocked as anyone that he’s good to go.
“We know he’s not going to be able to do a job like he normally does, but his leadership is enormous and he’s not just playing for the sake of it, he has been picked to contribute. He has the runs on the board and we’re going to back him in.”
The Bulldogs named a squad of 23 for the grand final at Huntly.
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As well as Findlay, defender Callum Tardrew also returns after missing last week’s preliminary final against Colbinabbin with concussion, while Ryan Threlfall is an omission.
A hamstring injury has ruled Joel Donehue out for the Bomnbers, while coach Michael Pilcher has been named, despite suffering an ankle injury early in the second semi-final win over North Bendigo.
Matthew Hay, who has played just two games for the year, has been selected at full-back as an inclusion, while young gun Logan Prout and Matthew Hay are two emergencies.
HEATHCOTE DISTRICT
GRAND FINAL
LEITCHVILLE GUNBOWER v. NORTH BENDIGO
Leitchville Gunbower
B: H. Bussey, M. Hay, M. McEwen
HB: B. Ladson, R. Prendergast, B. Hore
C: M. Bruns, J. Gleeson, T. Lincoln
HF: M. Pollock, D. Coates, S. Turvey
F: L. Pollock, J. Vandongen, M. Perri
R: R. De Groot, M. Ladson, L. Guinan
Int: L. Sieben, B. Walsh, M. Pilcher, D. Couwenberg
Emg: L. Prout, S. Hay
In: M. Hay, S. Hay, L. Prout
Out: J. Donehue
North Bendigo
B: T. Metherell, R. Alford, C. Tardrew
HB: D. Morris, B. Thomson, A. Craig
C: T. Devereaux, J. Mills, J. Ford
HF: T. Findlay, D. Richards, Z. Alford
F: B. Knight, S. Christopher, J. Findlay
R: T. Kelm, S. Morris, M. Thalasinos
Int: R. Gow, W. Brohm, S. Giri, B. Ryan-Storey, B. Robertson
In: C. Tardrew, J. Findlay
Out: R. Threlfall
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