Match Previews | The Sandhurst Dragons will turn up the heat in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL’s senior footy second semi-final against Gisborne on Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval.

A showdown between the league’s top two teams across the home-and-away series starts at 2.20pm on the View Street ground.

At stake is being first into the September 21 grand final to play for the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup.

It’s game 250 for Sandhurst’s Nick Stagg who played in the 2016 grand final.

Whether he’s playing on-ball or in the forward 50m arc, Stagg’s ferocity at the contest and tackling have earned high praise from all coaches and team-mates across his career.

It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Dragons and Bulldogs who had identical 14-2 records in the run to the finals.

They first met in round two where the Ash Connick and Bryce Curnow-coached Sandhurst won 88-73 on the QEO.

It was a one-goal thriller at Gisborne’s Gardiner Reserve in the 11th round as the Bulldogs held on for a 73-67 victory.

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