Leader News |
IT is a game of inches. And for Gisborne, just a couple of inches more would have landed the sweetest Bendigo Football League flag of all.
In the end, the local Bulldogs played bridesmaid, as star forward Rodney Sharp's after-the-siren shot from beyond the 50m arc fell agonisingly short.
Golden Square, in front but under threat all day, ended up winning its fourth-straight Bendigo FL flag, 16.10 (106) to 14.19 (103).
Sharp's shot for goal, which would have been his second long-range major in two minutes, was on course, but was punched to safety on the last line of defence.
It just wasn't the minor premier's day, Gisborne losing gun rover Scott Walsh at the opening bounce with a broken leg.
Tim Stanton-Smith suffered a similar injury, while Jarrad Lynch wrestled with a shoulder complaint.
Still, Gisborne is a mighty resilient bunch, and never surrendered.
The local Dogs trailed the mighty Square by 27 points at the first change, but pegged the margin back to seven points at the long break.
Square sprinted further ahead in the third, ramming on five goals, before Gisborne stormed home with five final-quarter majors to leave the Queen Elizabeth Oval crowd on edge.
The Bulldogs got within a kick with a minute remaining, Sharp the goal getter, before the locals lost the all-important clearance but managed to rebound, setting up Sharp with a difficult chance to salute.
"It was a tough day," coach Luke Saunders said.
"It was one of those days where you feel you could have won, but we battled all day with the injuries we had."
Nonetheless heartbroken, Saunders was remarkably upbeat.
"I couldn't be prouder of the group. To coach a team that never gives in, who does everything I ask of them and respect each other, I just feel disappointed for them," he said.
Indeed, he has every reason to be excited.
