Match Previews | JUST as it was 12 months ago, Eaglehawk and Gisborne meet in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy preliminary final this Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval.

Plenty at stake for both clubs as the Hawks fight to stay on track for back-to-back consecutive premierahipa and for Gisborne which if beaten ends its time in the league as it crosses to Ballarat in 2027.

Eaglehawk has not won back-to-back premierships since 2007 and ’08 when league legend Derrick Filo was coach.

The fifth of Gisborne’s grand final wins was in ’22 when the Rob Waters-coached team beat Strathfieldsaye Storm in torrential rain.

It’s one-all in this season’s meetings between the Hawks and Bulldogs.

The Rob Waters-coached Gisborne marked a 102-95 win on its turf at Melbourne North Truck Centre Oval in Gardiner Reserve in round six.

An Eaglehawk team coached by Travis Matheson, non-playing, and Clayton Holmes, dominated most of the round 15 match at C and M Oval in Canterbury Park to record a 121-76 victory.

Gisborne has made one change to the team which beat Strathfieldsaye Storm in last Sunday’s preliminary final.

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