COLBINABBIN has again proven ladder positions and home and away results irrelevant as it became the first team through to the HDFNL grand final on Saturday.

The Grasshoppers secured their first grand final berth since 2009 with a 26-point second semi-final win over North Bendigo at Heathcote.

The Grasshoppers prevailed 16.8 (104) to 11.12 (78), with the 26-point margin flattering a North Bendigo side that had been comprehensively outplayed in the first half when the game was at is hottest.

Outside of a 10-minute burst from North Bendigo late in the third term that gave the Bulldogs a sniff at three quarter-time, the game was played on Colbinabbin's terms.

The Grasshoppers have now beaten both North Bendigo and Lockington-Bamawm United this finals series - two teams they not only finished below on the ladder, but also couldn't beat during the home and away rounds.

In winning on Saturday, the Grasshoppers have become the first third-placed team since Heathcote in 2008 to be the first qualified for the grand final.

Having kicked the last seven goals of the qualifying final against LBU a week earlier, the Grasshoppers picked up from where they left off and played with far more intent than that of the Bulldogs.

The Grasshoppers were relentless in their pressure, hunted in packs and beat the Bulldogs on both the inside and outside on their way to a 28-point half-time advantage.

With Jordan Ford having the key job on Grasshoppers' forward Daniel Connors, it was Stephen Tuohey who got under the guard of North Bendigo.

Tuohey had as many goals to half-time as the Bulldogs - four, slotting two each in the first and second terms.

North Bendigo went into the game averaging a first-half score of 54 for the year, but went to the main break with just 4.5 (29) on the board trailing the Grasshoppers 9.3 (57).

That 28-point advantage twice grew to 39 points during the third quarter, but if last weekend's two finals proved anything - Colbinabbin turning a 33-point deficit into a 29-point win over LBU; Mount Pleasant going from 20 points down to 30 points up in just 15 minutes against White Hills - it's that the momentum shifts can come quick and out of nowhere.

And it happened again as with their backs firmly against the wall, North Bendigo launched a fightback spearheaded by some strong contested marks from Brady Herdman.

The Bulldogs had the last five scoring shots of the quarter over the final 11 minutes, adding 3.2 - Herdman kicked two of the goals - to be within 19 points at the final change and with the momentum.

The margin could have been 14 points, but Ford - who was switched forward after half-time - missed a set-shot on the siren.

The ball spent the bulk of the first seven minutes of the final term in the North Bendigo forward line, but the Grasshoppers' defence held firm and kept the Bulldogs scoreless.

And then when young gun Hugh Hamilton and the Grasshoppers' best, Matt Riordan, both converted long-range goals, Colbinabbin had killed off the North Bendigo challenge.

The margin got out to as many as 44 points before the Bulldogs kicked three late goals - two to Herdman, who finished with 4.4 - to trim it back to 26.

As well as the dominance of the Grasshoppers through the middle of the ground, one of the glaring differences was Colbinabbin making far more of its opportunities.

At one stage during the third quarter Colbinabbin had 16 scoring shots to the Bulldogs' 13, yet had doubled North Bendigo's score as it led 76-38.

With Darcy Richards out injured, the Bulldogs looked heavily reliant in attack on Herdman, who was matched up by Matt McEvoy, while Colbinabbin had the quartet of Hugh Hamilton (four), Tuohey (four), Connors (three) and Riordan (two) combine for 13 goals.

Have you signed up to the Bendigo Advertiser's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in central Victoria.