PRELIMINARY FINAL NETBALL PREVIEW | Dragons, Gisborne fight to reach main event
SANDHURST and Gisborne will vie to reach A-grade netball’s main event when they contest the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL preliminary final on Saturday.
Two of the league’s greatest rivals will take to the court at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo’s View Street from 3.20pm.
Gisborne’s run to back-to-back premierships began with a 40-39 win against Sandhurst in 2023.
The victory denied Sandhurst a fifth consecutive premiership.
The Dragons’ run of four in a row began with a six-goal victory against Gisborne to cap the 2018 season.
In the ’25 campaign there have already been four meetings between these fierce rivals.
The Tamara Gilchrist-coached Sandhurst has a four-nil record against a Gisborne team chasing a premiership hat-trick.
There’s plenty to play out in Gisborne’s request to transfer to the Ballarat FNL, but Saturday’s match may be the last the red, white and blue play on the QEO.
Most recent hit-out between the Dragons and Bulldogs was the qualifying final which ended in a 45-36 victory for Sandhurst.
The Dragons scored a 50-32 win against Gisborne at the QEO in round six, and claimed a 44-39 win on the Bulldogs’ court at Gardiner Reserve in round 13.
It was another top match in the 16th round at the QEO where the Dragons fought to win 48-44.
Sandhurst will be on the rebound from a 49-52 loss to Kangaroo Flat in the second semi-final.
The Bulldogs stayed in the premiership race as they won last Sunday’s first semi against South Bendigo by 26 goals.
Key players in the Sandhurst team include captain Sophie Shoebridge, mid-courter Shae Clifford, Bec Smith, Meg Williams, and the experienced Kelsey Meade and Heather Oliver.
The Tarryn Rymer-coached Gisborne has Tori Skrijel and co-captain Claudia Mawson in attack, co-captain Kirby Elliott in mid-court, and Zoe Davies and Charlee Kemp in defence.
Sandhurst’s team:
Shae Clifford, Kesley Meade, Heather Oliver, Sophie Shoebridge, Kelsey Ralph, Rebecca Smith, Ruby Turner, Darcy Williams, Meg Williams.
Gisborne’s team:
Zoe Davies, Amity Drayton, Kirby Elliott, Charlee Kemp, Emerson Lakey, Claudia Mawson, Torie Skrijel, Sheridan Townrow, Demi Young.
In A-reserve it will be the Dragons against the Bloods as Sandhurst takes on South Bendigo.
It’s one-all in this season’s meetings.
Sandhurst won 46-32 on the Bloods’ court at Kennington’s Harry Trott Oval in round five.
When they met in round 12 at the QEO it was South Bendigo which took the points in a 52-46 result.
South Bendigo started its finals campaign with a 50-37 win in the elimination final against South Bendigo.
The Bloods marked a 47-44 victory against Gisborne in the first semi-final.
Sandhurst won the qualifying final with Gisborne by seven goals, but could not halt Kangaroo Flat bounding to a 48-38 victory in the second semi-final.
It will be Gisborne against Strathfieldsaye in B-grade.
The Gisborne team includes Reese Sutton who earnt the Carol Bingham Medal as the competition’s fairest and best.
A key player for Strathfieldsaye is Lucy Spalding who was runner-up in the Carol Bingham Medal race.
The Bulldogs dominated the first two showdowns with Storm this season.
Gisborne scored a 56-32 win at home in round three and then won 63-44 in Storm territory at Triple M Park in the 10th round.
The round 15 clash at Gisborne ended in a 51-49 win for the Bulldogs.
Gisborne is on the rebound from a 36-39 loss to Kangaroo Flat in the second semi-final.
Storm takes plenty of confidence into this match following a 52-33 win against Sandhurst in the elimination final.
Strathfieldsaye’s run kept rolling as it won the first semi against South Bendigo by 13 goals.
It will be the Kangaroos and Dragons in B-reserve as Kangaroo Flat faces Sandhurst.
A gun defender for Sandhurst, Briona Giddings started the week by being declared the B-reserve fairest and best.
It was a sixth league medal victory for Giddings who polled 31 votes.
A high of this season was playing her 300th match for the maroon and blue.
The Roos have a two-one lead in this season’s B-reserve clashes with the Dragons.
First meeting was in the fourth round where Sandhurst won 45-36 at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
In the 11th round the Kangaroos won 42-33 on their court in Dower Park.
These teams met again in the qualifying final where the Roos defeated the Dragons, 41-34.
The Kangaroos could not halt Gisborne being first to the grand final as the Bulldogs marked a 48-27 victory in the second semi.
Sandhurst stayed in the premiership race after a 20-goal win against South Bendigo in the first semi-final.
Preliminary final day begins with the 17-and-under match between Golden Square and Strathfieldsaye.
The rising stars from the Bulldogs and Storm have played out some great matches this season.
In round four, Golden Square won 45-31 on Storm’s court at Triple M Park.
Strathfieldsaye won a hard-fought round 11 clash, 53-50 on Golden Square’s court in Wade Street.
Storm surged to a 58-48 win against Golden Square in round 16 at Triple M Park.
Eight days later they met in the qualifying final where Golden Square won 41-38.
The Bulldogs will be on the rebound from a 34-39 loss to Sandhurst in the second semi-final.
Storm scored a 50-30 win against Gisborne in the first semi to earn another chance to play the blue and gold.
Schedule for the Bendigo FNL netball preliminary finals on Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval in View Street, Bendigo:
17-and-under at 10am: Golden Square v Strathfieldsaye.
B-reserve at 11.20am: Kangaroo Flat v Sandhurst.
B-grade at 12.40pm: Gisborne v Strathfieldsaye.
A-reserve at 2pm: Sandhurst v South Bendigo.
A-grade at 3.20pm: Sandhurst v Gisborne.
Finale to the awards this season is this Sunday night at the Bendigo Club in Strathdale from 6pm.
The Michelsen Medal vote count for senior football and Betty Thompson Medal vote count for A-grade medal will be run.
Presentations to all other league award winners will be done throughout the night.
