2023 BFNL GRAND FINAL: What the coaches and captains have to say

GOLDEN Square and Sandhurst will both go into Saturday's Bendigo Football Netball League premiership battle with the same 22 players who have taken to the field in their previous two finals.

Both the Bulldogs and Dragons named unchanged line-ups on Thursday night, with neither team having made any changes throughout the finals series.

Golden Square's 22 is the same that played in the qualifying final (v Strathfieldsaye) and second semi-final (v Sandhurst), while it's the same 22 for the Dragons as their second semi-final (v Golden Square) and preliminary final (v Strathfieldsaye) teams.

It sets the stage at the QEO for what should be a thrilling finale to the 2023 season between what have been the two clear standout sides of the year that between them have won 35 of their 40 combined games.

For both clubs it's their first grand final since 2016 when Sandhurst defeated Golden Square by 32 points.

Already the most successful club in BFNL history with 28 senior premierships, Saturday presents the opportunity to win flag No.29 for Sandhurst, while Golden Square is gunning for No.18 and its first since winning the last of its five in a row in 2013.

"We've got a good young squad and the boys are really keen to get out there on the day and make the most of the occasion," Golden Square coach Christian Carter said this week.

"We've matured as a group this year. Our average age last year was around 22-23 and our younger guys got a couple of finals into them last year and have played two big finals already this year.

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"I think that level of maturity through the year in terms of their growth and development and with that extra bit of experience has been really good for us.

"Personally, it's a massive rivalry between Golden Square and Sandhurst. My father played for Square and back then the rivalry was enormous and that continued through to when I started playing.

"We played in the 2001 grand final against Sandhurst (Golden Square won), but it's not just finals and grand finals, it's every time we play against Sandhurst it's always a massive clash.

"It's two great clubs in the league that are very highly respected. It's going to be a huge battle on Saturday and one we're really looking forward to.

"The midfield battle is obviously going to be huge as it is in any final. Sandhurst has got a good balance through its midfield in terms of its mix of speed and hardness, a dangerous forward line and a strong defence, but we feel we match up well with them.

"We've had several good contests with them throughout the year and a lot of Saturday is going to come down to taking your opportunities."

The Bulldogs have already advanced a step further than last year when they heartbreakingly lost the preliminary final to Gisborne by two points before the Gardiner Reserve Bulldogs went on and won the flag the following week.

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It has been largely a similar Golden Square squad that has forged the path into the 2023 grand final, but there has been one big addition with the return of tough midfielder Tom Toma.

Toma, who was part of the 2016 losing grand final side for the Bulldogs, finished equal third in the Michelsen Medal last Sunday night with 18 votes.

"Tom is a great player; he's tough, hard-at-it, runs all day, has great skills and the relationships he has built with the younger boys... they all look up to him and what he has given to the club since he has been back (from Cohuna) has been huge," Golden Square captain Jack Geary said.

"Adding in a quality player like that is one of the reasons we have improved."

At age 32 Geary says he has relished the chance to play alongside the next crop of emerging young guns for the Bulldogs, whose grand final side will include 11 players aged 22 or under - Harry Burke (22), Tom Strauch (22), Braydon Vaz (21), Jack Hickman (21), Ricky Monti (20), Jack Stewart (20), Hugh Freckleton (19), Zack Shelton (22), Brodie James (21), Jack Threlfall (21) and Zavier Murley (21).

"I've loved playing with those guys and they tend to keep you a little bit younger yourself," Geary said.

"Young Ricky Monti comes over for dinner once a week... our lives are polar opposite, but it's good to spend time with him and all the other young guys who, hopefully, end up playing 10 or 15 years at Golden Square as well."

Geary on Saturday has the chance to become a six-time premiership player for the Bulldogs having previously played in all five of the Bulldogs' flags in a row between 2009 and 2013.

"It's probably not until now that you really appreciate just how hard they are to win. I play a lesser role these days (off half-back) than back when we were winning them, but I really enjoy watching the guys like Ricky Monti, Jack Hickman and Tom Toma running through the midfield and taking the game by the scruff of the neck," Geary said.

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While half the Golden Square side was still in primary school the last time the Bulldogs won a senior premiership, Geary is not the only player in the grand final team on Saturday that has savoured flag success with the club.

Forward Hamish Morcom (2012 and 2013), ruckman Matt Compston (2012 and 2013) - who has a massive job ahead of him in curtailing the influence of Sandhurst's Hamish Hosking - and defender Jon Coe (2013) have also played in Bulldogs' flags who will be in the heat of battle again on grand final day on Saturday.

For Morcom, who has spent more than a decade at Wade Street, it will be his last game for the club having earlier this year signed as Huntly's new coach for 2024.

The Bulldogs haven't lost a game since going down to South Bendigo by one point in round four.

At that stage the Bulldogs were 2-2 before peeling off 16-straight wins heading into the grand final.

"The Sandhurst game earlier in the year here at the QEO (lost by 35 points in round three) where they gave us a bit of a touch-up was a bit of a wake-up call," Geary said.

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"Then we lost to South by a point the following week. I probably can't pinpoint the exact turnaround, but we realised the workrate and intensity we had to bring to match it with the top sides.

"As for the 16 wins in a row, it probably hasn't felt like that in a sense. We got pushed by Eaglehawk twice and won by less than a goal both times, the second time we played Sandhurst they were four goals up on us early, so it's not as though we've breezed through all these games.

"At times we've been really challenged and had to react and hit back, so without losing games during these 16 wins in a row we have had a number of wake-up calls at times during the year."

Golden Square holds a 2-1 head-to-head advantage over Sandhurst this year, which includes a 14-point victory in the second semi-final a fortnight ago.

The Dragons bounced back from the second semi-final defeat in last week's preliminary final, coming from 18 points down at three quarter-time to defeat Strathfieldsaye 11.15 (81) to 11.7 (73).

"It has been a few years since we've been in a grand final, and it's not just the group, but the whole club that has a real sense of excitement about this week and we're really looking forward to it," Sandhurst captain Lee Coghlan said.

"Coming up against Golden Square, the fact that it is in September just adds to the rivalry.

"In my time we've had some epic battles between the two clubs and I'm sure the weekend is going to be no different with a pretty big prize at the end of it and that adds to it. No doubt it's going to be a huge contest."

Sandhurst co-coach Bryce Curnow is confident the lessons learned from both the second semi-final loss and preliminary final victory will hold the Dragons in good stead in Saturday's decider.

"In both finals it has shown that it is extremely difficult to be up for the entire four quarters and there's going to be moments where good sides get a run-on and we've let ourselves down in both finals in the third quarter (outscored a combined 4-58)," Curnow said.

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"So it's about being able to stem the bleeding for when sides do get those run-ons and being able to adjust quicker to get the game back on our terms.

"We've had a lot of time to think and reflect on the loss to Square a couple of weeks ago and have been looking at potential areas for improvement... we're feeling very positive.

"We respect Golden Square as a team that all across the ground has very even contributors; we're probably a bit envious of the way their role players just do their part that all adds up to the team success."

Last week's come-from-behind preliminary final win over the Storm highlighted one of the Dragons' great strengths this year - their ability to run out games.

While they did have the aid of the breeze at their backs to the city end, the Dragons outscored the Storm 6.3 to 2.1 in the final term and have now won 18 of their 20 last quarters.

"We showed a lot of character and belief in the last quarter last week. We were +20 in contested possessions, so if you put that into a quarter with some talent forward you're going to kick some goals," Dragons co-coach Ashley Connick said.

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"With the reserves also getting through last week and our netball teams winning as well, it certainly gives us some momentum to carry into this week."

Much like Golden Square with Toma, Sandhurst's midfield has been given a major injection of X-factor this year with Sam Conforti, who after starting the year with Essendon's VFL side committed full-time to the Dragons mid-season.

Conforti provides the Dragons with not only blistering pace out of stoppage and is a goalkicking threat from anywhere inside 60m, but his tackling and defensive pressure is also a strong aspect of his game.

"Sam has been huge for us coming back into our midfield and forward set-up," Coghlan said.

"It has been really good for him to be able to play with a couple of his close mates as well; there is a really good connection there and that has been reflected in not just the way he has played his footy, but the team as well.

"He has come through the Sandhurst junior program; we're a really tight group and he has been super."

Conforti with 16 votes finished fifth in the Michelsen Medal - one of two Dragons to finish top-five.

Fellow Dragons' midfielder James Coghlan tied with Toma for equal third with 18 votes.

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"James has been unbelievable since he came back to the club... sometimes coaches muck things up and put players on back flanks when they should be in the midfield," Connick said.

"He's just a competitor and his time since he has been back with us I'm not sure I've seen him get beaten in a one-on-one... he's a star."

Sandhurst's grand final team on Saturday includes six players who were part of the club's 2016 grand final win over Golden Square - Alex Wharton, James Coghlan, Lee Coghlan, Matt Thornton, Jake McLean and Nick Stagg.

Saturday's senior grand final starts at 2.20pm.

GOLDEN SQUARE v SANDHURST

2.20pm Saturday at QEO.

GOLDEN SQUARE

B: Zack Shelton, Harry Burke, Jake Thrum

HB: Jack Hickman, Jayden Burke, Jon Coe

C: Tom Toma, Jack Threlfall, Ricky Monti

HF: Hamish Morcom, Tom Strauch, Liam Barrett

F: Joel Brett, Jack Stewart, Braydon Vaz

R: Matt Compston, Jack Geary, Ryan Hartley

Int: Hugh Freckleton, Liam Duguid, Brodie James, Zavier Murley

Emg: Macey Eaton

SANDHURST

B: Tanner Nally, Liam Ireland, Darcy Mills

HB: Bryce Curnow, Alex Wharton, Noah Walsh

C: Jake McLean, Cooper Smith, Zach Pallpratt

HF: Lee Coghlan, Lachlan Wright, Archer Day-Wicks

F: Cobi Maxted, Matt Thornton, Sam Conforti

R: Hamish Hosking, Nick Stagg, James Coghlan

Int: Isaac Ruff, Matt Wilkinson, Caleb Connick, Andrew Collins

Round 3 at QEO:

Sandhurst 3.7 6.8 10.13 13.16 (94)

Golden Square 3.2 5.6 7.8 8.11 (59)

GOALS: Sandhurst: M. Thornton 4, H. Hosking, L. Tardrew 2, A. Collins, L. Wright, J. Coghlan, C. Maxted, C. Connick 1. Golden Square: J. Brett 3, R. Hartley 2, Z. Murley, H. Morcom, J. Stewart 1.

BEST: Sandhurst: L. Tardrew, H. Hosking, C. Smith, D. Mills, J. Coghlan, Z. Pallpratt. Golden Square: Z. Murley, J. Hickman, J. Coe, L. Barrett, L. Duguid, B. James.

MICHELSEN MEDAL VOTES: 3 - L. Tardrew (Sand); 2 - H. Hosking (Sand); 1 - Z. Pallpratt (Sand).

.......................

Round 12 at Wade Street:

Golden Square 2.1 7.3 11.7 14.12 (96)

Sandhurst 6.1 8.1 11.6 11.6 (72)

GOALS: Golden Square: J. Brett 6, H. Morcom, J. Stewart, L. Barrett 2, T. Toma, J. Hickman 1. Sandhurst: S. Conforti 4, L. Wright, J. McLean 2, J. Wharton, L. Coghlan, C. Maxted 1.

BEST: Golden Square: M. Compston, J. Coe, T. Toma, J. Geary, J. Brett, R. Monti. Sandhurst: S. Conforti, B. Curnow, L. Tardrew, J. Coghlan, H. Hosking, L. Hood.

MICHELSEN MEDAL VOTES: 3 - J. Brett (GS); 2 - S. Conforti (Sand); 1 - J. Coe (GS).

.......................

Second semi-final at QEO:

Golden Square 2.2 5.4 8.10 13.10 (88)

Sandhurst 3.0 6.4 6.6 11.8 (74)

GOALS: Golden Square: J. Brett, B. Vaz, T. Strauch 2, H. Morcom, J. Stewart, T. Toma, R. Monti, L. Barrett, J. Threlfall, Z. Murley 1. Sandhurst: C. Maxted 4, S. Conforti, A. Collins 2, A. Wharton, M. Wilkinson, B. Curnow 1.

BEST: Golden Square: J.Coe, J.Burke, R.Monti, R.Hartley, T.Toma, J.Hickman. Sandhurst: H.Hosking, Z.Pallpratt, I.Ruff, N.Walsh, S.Conforti, A.Wharton.

Adam Bourke - Golden Square (11). Nalder Medal: Ricky Monti (GS).

Luke West - Golden Square (12). Nalder Medal: Jack Geary (GS).

Nathan Spicer - Sandhurst (2). Nalder Medal: James Coghlan (Sand).

Richard Jones - Golden Square (23). Nalder Medal: Jon Coe (GS).

RECORDS:

Golden Square - 18-2

Sandhurst - 17-2-1

AVERAGE FOR:

Golden Square - 121

Sandhurst - 97

AVERAGE AGAINST:

Golden Square - 53

Sandhurst - 47

QUARTERS WON:

Golden Square - 60 of 80

Sandhurst - 62 of 80

FIRST QUARTERS:

Golden Square

Won: 15 Diff: +381

Sandhurst

Won: 15 Diff: +296

SECOND QUARTERS:

Golden Square

Won: 14 Diff: +335

Sandhurst

Won: 16 Diff: +239

THIRD QUARTERS:

Golden Square

Won: 16 Diff: +290

Sandhurst

Won: 13 Diff: +176

FOURTH QUARTERS:

Golden Square

Won: 15 Diff: +357

Sandhurst

Won: 18 Diff: +296

PREMIER DATA PER

GAME AVERAGES

DISPOSALS:

Golden Square - 380

Sandhurst - 365

KICKS:

Golden Square - 239

Sandhurst - 214

HANDBALLS:

Golden Square - 141

Sandhurst - 151

CONTESTED

POSSESSIONS:

Golden Square - 144

Sandhurst - 155

INSIDE 50s:

Golden Square - 59

Sandhurst - 57

CLEARANCES:

Golden Square - 42

Sandhurst - 47

MARKS:

Golden Square - 110

Sandhurst - 88

TACKLES:

Golden Square - 58

Sandhurst - 55

HIT-OUTS:

Golden Square - 44

Sandhurst - 51

TURNOVERS:

Golden Square - 66

Sandhurst - 70

FREES FOR:

Golden Square - 18

Sandhurst - 20

FREES AGAINST:

Golden Square - 22

Sandhurst - 26

EAGLEHAWK v SANDHURST

11.50am Saturday at QEO

SEASON MEETINGS:

Round 9 - Eaglehawk 9.3 (57) def Sandhurst 7.8 (50).

Round 18 - Sandhurst 6.8 (44) def Eaglehawk 3.6 (24).

Second semi-final - Eaglehawk 11.8 (74) def Sandhurst 2.10 (22).

GOLDEN SQUARE v GISBORNE

9.15am Saturday at QEO

SEASON MEETINGS:

Round 6 - Golden Square 12.3 (75) def Gisborne 7.2 (44).

Round 15 - Gisborne 6.8 (44) def Golden Square 4.13 (37).

Second semi-final - Golden Square 5.4 (34) def Gisborne 2.4 (16).

Under 18's

Field: Will Robinson, Jason Seipolt, Nathan Dunn

Boundary: Charlie Neilson, Izak Cole, Mannix Grieve, Blake Dobbin

Goal: Nick Roffey, Patrick Sigg

Reserves

Field: Steve Christiansen, Jack Anderson, Joe Dennis

Boundary: Patrick Murphy, Max Adams, Raphael Perez, Coby Hilson

Goal: Daryl Cronk, Richard Murphy

Seniors

Field: Scott Baxter, John Norton, Matthew Vitiritti

Boundary: Thomas Seipolt, George Tzanidis, Matt Sexton, James Brown

Goal: Paul Martin, Darryl Hamilton

Emergency: David Carter

Both Baxter and Norton will be officiating in their fifth senior BFNL grand final, while it will be Vitiritti's first as a central umpire.

Vitiritti has previously been a boundary umpire in more than 300 AFL games.

The senior umpiring panel also includes 14-year-old Thomas Seipolt as one of the boundary umpires.

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