Eagehawk defeats Gisborne in BFNL preliminary final thriller

The Hawks looked home when they led the Bulldogs by four goals in the final term.

However, Gisborne, who was playing under the emotional strain of the tragic passing of reserves player Nathan Williams last Sunday, dug deep and kicked four unanswered goals to hit the front in time-on.

Eaglehawk looked out on its feet until small forward Riley Saunders produced a great tackle to earn a free kick on the 50m line near the boundary.

With his side trailing by one point, Saunders just needed a behind to level the scores, but he did better than that.

His drop punt sailed over the goal umpires head for full points.

Gisborne had one more roll of the dice. Casey Summerfield earned a free kick 45m out with one minute to play.

He handballed off to Tim Walsh - one of the best kicks in the Gisborne side - whose shot on the run looked like it was going to be a goal off the boot, but it faded late for a behind.

From the resulting kick-in the Hawks moved the ball forward and the final siren sounded.

The relieved Hawks won 12.7 (79) to 11.9 (75), while the emotionally drained Bulldogs pondered what might have been.

After such a tough week for everyone involved at the club, Gisborne coach Clinton Young gathered his players in the middle of the QEO before they marched off the ground arm-in-arm.

The Gisborne supporters gave the Bulldogs a resounding ovation as they left the ground.

"In the rooms I emphasied to everyone how proud I was of the playing group and the club through such a tough week,'' Young said.

"The result didn't go our way today, but we walk away enormously proud."

Several of Nathan Williams' close friends played in the Gisborne senior side, while his father, Steve, continued his runner duties in the preliminary final.

Walking off the ground arm-in-arm was a tribute to Williams and showed the club's solidarity in the face of adversity.

"It was an idea I thought of before the game that we'd do win, lose or draw,'' Young said.

"The minute silence before the game was a great thing the league did for us.

"Steve (Williams) spoke to the club on Thursday night, he still did the running for us today and showed a lot of courage.

"We didn't get the result, but we walk away as a club with our heads held high."

The reigning premier Hawks now prepare for a third-straight grand final clash with Strathfieldsaye.

Coach Travis Matheson admitted he gave Saunders little chance of kicking a goal with his set shot in the dying minutes.

"No, I didn't think he'd kick it, but full credit to him he bakced himself in,'' Matheson said of Saunders.

"He well and truly had the leg, it sailed through."

Matheson said the Bulldogs showed a lot of guts to mount a final quarter comeback.

"Gisborne gave it one last crack and we did a couple of things that we'll look at on the tape and, if the same situation arises next week, we'll do things differently,'' Matheson said.

"Gisborne really lifted and for a period there I thought the game might have slipped away from us."

Gedd Hommelhoff, Jesse Collins, Saunders and Joel Mullen were best for the Borough.

Pat McKenna was outstanding for the Dogs. He kicked four first-term goals on his way to a game-high haul of six.

Summerfield, ruckman Josh Grabham, Pat Trotta and Tim Walsh all performed strongly for a Gisborne side that was without key midfielders Ethan Minns (knee) and Matt Goodyear (nose).

A head knock to skipper Brodie Collins was Eaglehawk's only injury concern, but Matheson said the premiership midfielder would be fit for the grand final.

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