Preliminary final day in the BFNL has produced some thrilling finishes between some of the power clubs of the league.
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Here's our top five BFNL preliminary finals from the past 15 years.
2014 - Sandhurst 13.14 (92) d Gisborne 13.9 (87)
A Mitch Dole goal with 30 seconds remaining in the game has propelled Sandhurst into its first BFNL grand final in 10 years.
Gisborne led the Dragons by one point in the final minute before Dole earned a free kick for a brilliant tackle.
His set shot from 30m out on a 50 degree angle in the South Bendigo social rooms pocket sailed straight through the middle to give the Dragons a five-point lead.
Gisborne won the resulting centre clearance but the Sandhurst defence locked the ball up and the final siren sounded.
The Bulldogs players fell to the ground as the Dragons celebrated a 13.14 (92) to 13.9 (87) win.
"I was standing right behind Mitch's kick and I was willing it to go through,'' Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick said.
"It was a fantastic game of finals football and lucky enough we were in front at the siren."
Injuries to Tim Martin (ankle) and Nick Stagg (shoulder) had threatened to derail the Dragons.
Martin injured his ankle in the dying minutes of the game, while Stagg's shoulder
injury in the third term somewhat strangely sparked a Sandhurst revival.
Gisborne looked to hold all the aces when Stagg was helped off the ground midway through the third quarter.
The Bulldogs had all the momentum, a nine-point lead and Stagg's absence from the midfield for the rest of the game looked set to hinder the Dragons' ability to run the game out.
It wasn't the case.
Sparked by full-forward Ryan Haythorpe, Sandhurst kicked 4.4 to 1.0 in the final 13 minutes of the third quarter to grab a 13-point lead at the final change.
Gisborne wasn't going to bow out without a fight and the Bulldogs turned the game on its head in the first 15 minutes of the final quarter.
Hamish Govan bounced through a goal from 50m out, skipper Casey Summerfield goaled on the run and when Isaac Trickey calmly kicked truly from the scoreboard pocket, the Bulldogs were back in front.
Their lead stretched to nine points with seven minutes remaining after Pat McKenna, who had been outstanding all night, showed poise to goal on the run from 40m out.
The teams traded goals through Haythorpe and Ethan Minns and the Bulldogs still led by seven points with less than three minutes on the clock.
A crucial turnover by Gisborne in the middle of the ground changed the momentum of the game.
The Dragons swept the ball forward and teenager Tom Broadbent ran in and kicked the biggest goal of his career from 35m out.
The Dragons had two minutes left to kick a goal or at least force a draw.
After Martin was helped off the ground with his ankle injury, the Dragons forced the ball inside 50.
The Gisborne defence held up strongly and looked set to clear the ball until Dole's chase and tackle earned a free kick.
The Dragons' goal kicking skills had been unreliable at best all season, with Dole one of the major culprits.
This time, with his club's season on the line, Dole delivered.
Sandhurst ..................2.3 5.5 10.9 13.14 (92)
Gisborne ......................3.2 5.8 8.8 13.9 (87)
GOALS - Sandhurst: R. Haythorpe 5, M. Dole 3, M. Thornton, T. Broadbent, R. Maldenis, B. Anderson, J. McLean. Gisborne: E. Minns 3, T. May, P. McKenna 2, A. Headberry, C. Summerfield, I. Trickey, H. Govan, J. Lynch, B. Sonogan.
BEST - Sandhurst: R. Haythorpe, B. Evans, C. Price, T. Cole, T. Martin, M. Dole. Gisborne: T. May, E. Minns, P. McKenna, T. Waters, T. Walsh, R. Paterson.
2011 - Eaglehawk 17.7 (109) d Gisborne 14.19 (103)
Less inside 50s, less scoring shots, but six points in front on the scoreboard.
Eaglehawk's 2011 preliminary final victory over a wasteful Gisborne was all about straight kicking.
The Bulldogs had 15 more inside 50's than Eaglehawk, but didn't make the most of their midfield dominance.
At the other end of the ground Troy Coates and Matt Gretgrix were the heroes for the Borough.
Coates played as a small forward all night, kicked 6.3 and had a hand in a couple of other goals. Gretgrix only had eight kicks, but bagged 7.0 to add another chapter to his outstanding finals record.
Four of Gretgrix's goals came in an enthralling final quarter.
The Borough led by four points at the final change before Gretgrix kicked the first two goals of the final term to open a 16-point lead.
Gisborne was down to just two fit players on the bench after injuries to defenders Ben Sonogan and Jarrod Arnold and appeared to be running out of gas.
But Dogs coach Luke Saunders provided the spark his side needed.
He soccered through a goal from the goalsquare and then kicked truly from 50m out to put the Bulldogs within four points.
At the 10-minute mark the Hawks turned the ball over across half-back and a brilliant pass from Casey Summerfield found Ollie Messaoudi 20m out. He goalled and the Bulldogs hit the front.
Gisborne had the momentum until Coates and Gretgrix intervened.
Coates brilliantly roved a contest on the wing, took two bounces and hit Gretgrix with a superb pass. The Hawks' full-forward kicked his sixth to put the Hawks back in front after 13 minutes.
The next two minutes summed up the contest. Gisborne surged forward and in the space of 90 seconds had three shots at goal. Tom May missed a set shot from 40m out before James Petran and David Pante both had gettable snap shots go wide.
Eaglehawk swept the ball forward to the swimming pool rooms pocket, Gretgrix tapped the ball back over his head for Coates to run onto and the livewire forward somehow dribbled through his sixth goal from the boundary line.
Coates' kick had no right to go through and it must have deflated the Dogs after they'd wasted three chances.
Two minutes later it looked like the game was over when Shane Davis intercepted a Gisborne kick-in and Gretgrix kicked his seventh to make the margin 14 points.
To Gisborne's credit it surged again. Scott Walsh goalled from a set shot to cut the deficit to eight points. Shaun Comerford and Darren Farrugia both had shots on the run they'd expect to kick go wide and the margin was six points with two minutes left on the clock.
Eaglehawk worked the ball forward where Gisborne defender Rod Sharp kicked the ball out on the full. From the free kick Linton Jacobs kicked a point.
Gisborne worked the ball forward and rushed a point to make the margin six points with just seven seconds remaining. All Eaglehawk needed was a safe kick-out and Glenn Daly did the job, finding Davis.
The siren sounded leaving Eaglehawk to celebrate, while many of the Bulldogs slumped to the ground in despair, knowing they'd let a golden opportunity go begging.
Eaglehawk .............4.2 6.3 12.4 17.7 (109)
Gisborne .................4.3 7.7 10.12 14.19 (103)
GOALS - Eaglehawk: M. Gretgrix 7, T. Coates 6, R. McIvor 2, L. Jacobs, A. Dennis. Gisborne: L. Saunders 3, T. May, S. Walsh, D. Farrugia 2, T. Stanton-Smith, O. Messaoudi.
BEST - Eaglehawk: T. Coates, M. Gretgrix, G. Daly, L. Button, J. Lockwood, C. Gregg. Gisborne: T. May, T. Waters, S. Walsh, T. Stanton-Smith, A. Belcher, C. Summerfield.
2019 - Eaglehawk 12.7 (79) d Gisborne 11.9 (75)
While Eaglehawk won the game and advanced to the grand final for a third-straight year, the 2019 preliminary final will be remembered for the courage shown by Gisborne on and off the field.
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 in a car accident the previous week, 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 emphasised 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, 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.
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.
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, 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).
Eaglehawk ................3.0 7.3 10.5 12.7 (79)
Gisborne ...................5.3 6.3 7.5 11.9 (75)
GOALS - Eaglehawk: Shaun Knott 3, Gedd Hommelhoff 3, Sean Williams 2, Riley Saunders 2, Richard Tibbett, Jesse Collins. Gisborne: Patrick McKenna 6, Jarryd Vernon, Bradley Bernacki, Thomas Wood.
BEST - Eaglehawk: Gedd Hommelhoff, Jesse Collins, Riley Saunders, Joel Mullen, Cameron McGlashan, Brodie Filo. Gisborne: Casey Summerfield, Joshua Grabham, Patrick Trotta, Timothy Walsh, Patrick McKenna, Clinton Young.
2013 - Strathfieldsaye 14.14 (98) d Eaglehawk 11.13 (79)
Strathfieldsaye qualified for its first Bendigo Football League's senior grand final after it answered a spirited challenge from Eaglehawk.
In a match marked by superb goals, strong marks, superb chases and tackles, Storm kicked clear in the final term under the QEO lights.
Storm forwards Lachlan Sharp and Sam Mildren shone when it mattered.
Strathfieldsaye slammed on 4.5 and kept the Two Blues to just three points in the final quarter.
Storm charged to a 27-6 lead after the Hawks were first to score through Brodie Filo.
Strathfieldsaye's quick transition through the centre put the Borough's defence under enormous pressure.
The Hawks bucked the trend with goals by Filo and Brodie Collins to be within eight points at the first break.
Storm kicked off the second with goals by Mildren and Sharp, but the Hawks kept attacking.
The margin stayed at eight by the long break.
Eaglehawk centre half-forward Kain Robins and full-forward Matt Gretgrix added two goals apiece in the third term as the Borough hit the front.
A highlight was Mildren's goal when he wrenched the ball from an opponent in the pocket and goaled to cut the margin to a point.
After a dramatic fade-out in the second semi-final the week before, Storm's fans were understandably nervous.
Storm's first entry inside the forward 50m ended in a mark and goal by Ryan Weeding to level scores again.
Eaglehawk attacks ended in points, while Shaun Everington's goal on the run put Storm back in front.
Sharp marked an Everington pass and kicked truly.
Storm's relentless run and precise passing cut through the Hawks defence.
Sharp's fifth capped a great match.
The play of Tom Dowd and Matt Ladson through midfield or across half-back set up many of Storm's attacks.
Eaglehawk's best were Robins, Darcy Richards, Josh Ketterer and Tyler Miles.
Strathfieldsaye ..........4.5 8.8 10.10 14.14 (98)
Eaglehawk ................3.3 7.5 11.10 11.13 (79)
GOALS - Strathfieldsaye: L. Sharp 5, S. Mldren 4, S. Everington 2, T. Dowd, V. Flood, R. Weeding. Eaglehawk: K. Robins 4, B. Filo, M. Gretgrix 2, B. Collins, T. Findlay, M. Willox.
BEST - Strathfieldsaye: T. Dowd, M. Ladson, S. Mildren, V. Flood, R. Weeding, L. Sharp. Eaglehawk: K. Robins, D. Richards, J. Ketterer, T. Miles, G. Daly, B. Collins.
2017 - Strathfieldsaye 10.17 (77) d Golden Square 9.7 (61)
The hot favourite Storm didn't get it all their own way in the preliminary final.
The Bulldogs looked the better side for the first quarter-and-a-half and at one stage led by as many as 17 points.
The longer the game went the better the Storm looked and their greater depth played a big part in the victory.
Without Travis Baird inside forward 50, Square's forward line lacked potency and structure and the Storm's back six took advantage.
The Bulldogs had six goals on the board by the 10-minute mark of the second term, but only managed three more for the rest of the match.
Storm key defender Jayden Donaldson was outstanding.
He controlled the game after half-time, with his intercept marks and reading of the play constantly thwarting Square's forward thrusts.
While Square's forward line disintegrated, the Storm looked much more dangerous.
Ron Best Medal winner Lachlan Sharp kicked five goals and gave off a couple of others. Harry Conway was a constant marking threat and teenager Lachlan Wallace bobbed up with some big plays inside 50, including a big pack mark and goal and some strong tackling pressure.
One of the key differences between the two teams was the Storm had more contributors across the board.
"It was hard for us to pick our best players,'' Wilson said. "When you have 10 better players on the day you're going alright."
Hamish Morcom was Square's most dangerous player. He kicked three goals and was the only Bulldog who looked like taking a mark inside forward 50.
Skipper Jack Geary tried hard all day, while his midfield partner in crime Adam Baird spent most of the day forward after going into the game with a rib injury.
Strathfieldsaye .............2.3 6.9 9.10 10.17 (77)
Golden Square ............4.2 7.3 8.5 9.7 (61)
GOALS - Strathfieldsaye: L. Sharp 5, H. Conway 2, L. Wallace, B. Stringer, B. Rohde. Golden Square: H. Donegan 3, H. Morcom 3, T. Toma, D. Johnstone, J. Geary.
BEST - Strathfieldsaye: J. Donaldson, K. Geary, J. Formosa, L. Wallace, F. Payne, L. Sharp. Golden Square: H. Morcom, J. Geary, J. Coe, M. Compston, H. Donegan, T. Toma.
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