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A YEAR after the second quarter was the downfall of North Bendigo in the Heathcote District league grand final, on Saturday it was the term that proved the most decisive in the Bulldogs winning the 2019 flag.
In front of a crowd that paid a gate of $55,000 at Huntly, the Bulldogs were comfortable 36-point winners over Colbinabbin, prevailing 10.10 (70) to 4.10 (34).
Given the 36-point margin, it was the Bulldogs outscoring the Grasshoppers by 32 points in the pivotal second quarter that proved the gamebreaker.
The win gave North Bendigo a 3-3 split in the six-consecutive grand finals the Bulldogs have played, with Aarryn Craig, Brady Herdman, Darcy Richards, Jordan Ford, Ryan Alford, Tom Metherell and Tyson Findlay all now three-time premiership players for the club.
North Bendigo's triumph also puts an end to a HDFNL anomaly, with the Bulldogs becoming the first team since 2013 to win the flag after finishing on top of the ladder.
The Bulldogs kicked five of their 10 goals for the match in the defining second quarter.
After leading by a point at quarter-time, 2.3 to 2.2, the Bulldogs put their foot down with a dominant second term kicking to the highway end.
A burst of three goals between the three and eight-minute marks from skipper Jarrod Findlay, Storm Giri and Lachlan Ford set the wheels in motion for the Bulldogs.
And when key forward Brady Herdman - now a nine-time premiership player in his decorated career - added two more goals, one from a free kick and one from a mark, the Bulldogs had their foot on the throat of the Grasshoppers.
The Bulldogs controlled the middle - at one stage during the second term the centre clearances were 7-1 in favour of North Bendigo - while their defence was superb.
Backmen Aarryn Craig, Ryan Alford, Lachlan Ford and co constantly repelled the Grasshoppers' attacking forays during the second term, while Shane Harris did a superb job in blanketing Daniel Connors.
A year earlier against Leitchville-Gunbower when they lost the grand final by nine points, the Bulldogs were made to pay for a nightmare second quarter when they gave up seven-consecutive goals.
This time though the Bulldogs' 5.3 to 0.1 was a second quarter of dreams as they went into the half-time break with a commanding 48-15 lead and having allowed the Grasshoppers (2.3) just five scoring shots.
Jarrod Findlay had been instrumental early in the quarter in igniting the Bulldogs - not only did he kick the first goal, but also sent the ball inside 50 that resulted in the Giri goal - but there was a concern when he limped off with an ankle injury.
However, Findlay was only briefly sidelined before returning to the field.
While the margin was 33 points at half-time, it was a hurdle the Grasshoppers had previously overcome - that was how far down Colbinabbin had been during its qualifying final win over Lockington-Bamawm United three weeks earlier.
To be any chance though of rallying from that deficit again the Grasshoppers needed to strike early in the third quarter.
But they didn't.
The Grasshoppers had the bulk of play for the first 10 minutes of the third quarter, but all they could muster for their efforts was just three behinds until 15-year-old Hugh Hamilton shrugged a tackle and snapped Colbinabbin's third goal of the game.
However, rather than Hamilton's being the goal that ignited a Colbinabbin revival, the Bulldogs were quick to respond.
Firstly when Jordan Ford intercepted a handball and kicked his second goal - he also slotted the first of the match in the opening minute - and then when Zach Alford capitalised on an off-the-ball free kick paid against Connors.
Alford's goal pushed North Bendigo's lead out to 61-24 and although there was the LBU experience from three weeks earlier to draw on for Colbinabbin, this time there looked to be no coming back.
To that stage - the 17-minute mark of the third quarter - the Grasshoppers were 37 points in arrears and had kicked just three goals.
The Grasshoppers managed to get back within 30 points at three quarter-time after Hugh Hamilton slotted his second goal of the quarter, but it would be Colbinabbin's last of the game.
Just as they did in the second quarter, the Grasshoppers failed to kick a goal at the cricket nets end in the final term.
Down the other end, the only goal of the last quarter was kicked early when North's Darcy Richards clunked a strong contested mark and converted.
Richards took to the field only four weeks after breaking his fibula - an injury he was initially told would keep him out for 12 weeks.
On what was a day that provided ideal scoring conditions, such was the pressure applied by the Bulldogs and testament to the work of their backline, Colbinabbin's score of 34 was the lowest in a grand final since White Hills could muster just 21 against the Grasshoppers in 2004.
In what was an even team performance, any one of half-a-dozen or so North Bendigo players could have been awarded the AFL Victoria Country Medal.
For the second year in a row though it went to Bulldogs' swingman Ford (two goals), who started the game forward, rather than on Connors like the second semi-final a fortnight earlier.
Harris did a brilliant job on Connors, who was held to just one goal, while ruckman Jeremy Lambden, Jarrod Findlay, the hard-working Zach Alford and Aarryn Craig, particularly prominent in the first half, were also named among the best.
For the Grasshoppers - who were unable to replicate their endeavour and spread of a fortnight earlier against the Bulldogs - on-baller Lachlan Ezard battled valiantly and was a workhorse.
Fellow midfielder Todd Bryant also featured among the Grasshoppers' best players, as did three of their defenders in Chris Guinane, Matt McEvoy and Damien Carmody, along with ruckman Hadleigh Sirett.
MATCH DETAILS
COLBINABBIN v. NORTH BENDIGO
North Bendigo 2.3, 7.6, 9.7, 10.10 (70)
Colbinabbin 2.2, 2.3, 4.7, 4.10 (34)
GOALS - North Bendigo: Jordan Ford 2, Jarrod Findlay 2, Brady Herdman 2, Darcy Richards 1, Storm Giri 1, Zachary Alford 1, Lachlan Ford 1. Colbinabbin: Hugh Hamilton 2, Daniel Connors 1, Ben Southam 1.
BEST - North Bendigo: Jordan Ford, Shane Harris, Jeremy Lambden, Jarrod Findlay, Zachary Alford, Aarryn Craig. Colbinabbin: Todd Bryant, Lachlan Ezard, Christopher Guinane, Matthew McEvoy, Hadleigh Sirett, Damien Carmody.
GRAND FINAL IN A NUTSHELL
1ST QUARTER
The Bulldogs kicked the first two goals of the game through AFL Victoria Country medallist Jordan Ford, which sparked a brief dust-up that spilled over the boundary, and skipper Jarrod Findlay; the Grasshoppers hit back with the next two to Daniel Connors and Ben Southam.
Quarter-time - North Bendigo leads 2.3 (15) to 2.2 (14).
2ND QUARTER
This is the where the game was won by the Bulldogs. They booted 5.3 to 0.1 to blow the match wide open. The Bulldogs dominated the clearances and their drive out of the back half had the Grasshoppers on the back foot and staring at a 33-point half-time deficit with the writing on the wall.
Half-time - North Bendigo leads 7.6 (48) to 2.3 (15).
3RD QUARTER
Two goals apiece. Colbinabbin's were both kicked by 15-year-old Hugh Hamilton, who was shifted to full-forward and looked the Grasshoppers' most dangerous in attack. The Grasshoppers had the majority of play for the term, but didn't take their opportunities with a wasted return of 2.4.
Three quarter-time - North Bendigo leads 9.7 (61) to 4.7 (31).
4TH QUARTER
A grand final that had promised plenty in the lead-up petered out with the only goal of the final term kicked three minutes in when North Bendigo's Darcy Richards took a strong contested mark in the goalsquare and pushed the Bulldogs' advantage out to a game-high 39 points.
Final siren - North Bendigo wins 10.10 (70) to 4.10 (34).
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