GISBORNE launched another brilliant last quarter surge to beat Sandhurst by 29 points in the Bendigo Bank Bendigo FNL senior footy grand final on Saturday at Queen Elizabeth Oval.
The last hurrah for Gisborne in the league was capped by winning the Bendigo Advertiser premiership cup for a sixth time.
Just as it had done in three previous knock-out finals, Gisborne charged clear of its opponent in the final quarter.
The Rob Waters-coached Bulldogs faced a one-point deficit at the start of what would be the club’s last quarter in the Bendigo FNL as they will cross to play in Ballarat’s competition from next season.
A hat-trick of goals by gun forward Pat McKenna put the Dogs up by 16 points at the halfway mark of the term.
As the Dragons missed shots on goal the Bulldogs did not as James Gray and Matt Merrett slotted majors on the way to a memorable 84-55 victory.
Victorious coach Rob Waters joined Mick McGuane and Marcus Barham as dual premiership coaches at Gisborne FNC.
“This is unbelievable,” Waters said,
A theme across the finals was 22, not 12, in reference to every player having an impact toward achieving the ultimate goal of a grand final victory.
“We built a lot of momentum and confidence across the finals series,” Waters said.
“The toughess of every player in what’s a young squad is amazing.”
The Bulldogs made a “gutsy call” at selection as ruckman/forward Braidon Blake lined up deep in attack for just his fifth game of the season and first since since round seven.
Blake had played in Gisborne’s premiership win against Strathfieldsaye in 2022 and tied with Bulldogs’ team-mate Brad Bernacki and Sandhurst’s Lachlan Tardrew for the Michelsen Medal as league fairest and best two years ago.
A broken jaw late in the preliminary final win against Eaglehawk meant Bernacki would not play in the ’26 grand final.
It was a fourth consecutive grand final appearance for Sandhurst.
The Dragons had Bryce Curnow and Fergus Greene team up as coaches in a non-playing and playing capacity.
Sandhurst started brilliantly with goals by key forwards Hugh Schmetzer and Cobi Maxted.
At 12 minutes to play in the first quarter the Dragons led 17-2.
A minute later and Matt Merrett slotted Gisborne’s first goal.
Sandhurst captain Cooper Smith was on target as his team was up 23-9 at the first break.
The Bulldogs started with plenty of run in the second and were rewarded with goals by Harrison Bryant and Pat McKenna.
It took until three minutes to go in the quarter for Sandhurst to reply through Cobi Maxted.
By half-time Sandhurst led 30-25.
The Dragons had the breeze in the third and were first to goal through Matt Wilkinson.
When McKenna slotted his second and Ryan Bourke his first the Bulldogs were back within a point after less than seven minutes of play.
Sandhurst co-coach Fergus Greene was on target, but Gisborne hit back with a major by Dominic Sullivan.
It was goal-for-goal as the classy Dayten Uerata slotted Sandhurst’s sixth of the match.
A Shane Clough major put the Bulldogs back within a point.
Defences were on top across the next 10 minutes as Sandhurst clung to a 52-51 lead going into the final quarter.
It was just after the six minute mark of the final quarter when Gisborne hit the front after McKenna’s third goal.
Two more by the Bulldogs’ gun forward built a 16-point buffer.
It was déjà vu for Sandhurst’s players and fans as the opposition ran riot, just as Eaglehawk had done 12 months ago.
As the Dragons’ rued missed shots on goal the Bulldogs did not as James Gray and Matt Merrett capped excellent team play.
Merrett’s major at four minutes to play was to be Gisborne’s final goal in a superb 26-year stint in the Bendigo FNL.
When the siren sounded the red, white and blue army celebrated an 84-55 victory.
It was a historic moment as Gisborne became the first team since the Brian Walsh-coached Golden Square had won a premiership after starting from an elimination final in the 2001 season.
Victorious coach Rob Waters said it was about “seizing moments” which were a major focus for all players, not just in the grand final, but every final.
Key defender Zach Vescovi joins an elite group as a premiership-winning captain.
“To be one of four players to have captained Gisborne to a senior premiership in this league is really special,” Vescovi said.
He also spoke about lessons learnt from the defeat inflicted twice by Sandhurst in the home and away series, and by Strathfieldsaye’s 47-point turnaround to win in the 12th round.
There were many challenges and setbacks along the way, including gun on-baller/mid Brad Bernacki not being able to play in the grand final after breaking his jaw in the preliminary final.
“Brad is the heart and soul of our team. He’s the type of player you cannot replace, but all the boys who were in midfield and on-ball lifted their game.”
Now a dual premiership player, Braidon Blake received his medal from Jarrad Lynch who played a crucial role as forwards coach.
The premiership cup was presented by John Wood.
Grand final scoreboard:
Gisborne 1.4, 3.7, 7.9, 12.12 (84)
Sandhurst 3.6, 4.6, 7.10, 7.13 (55)
GOALS – Gisborne: Pat McKenna 5, Matt Merrett 2, Harrison Bryant, Ryan Bourke, Shane Clough, James Gray, Dominic Sullivan. Sandhurst: Cobi Maxted 2, Fergus Greene, Hugh Schmetzer, Cooper Smith, Dayten Uerata, Matt Wilkinson.
BEST – Gisborne: Pat McKenna, Flynn Lakey, Dylan Johnstone, Zach Vescovi, Dominic Sullivan, Jed Denahy. Sandhurst: Matt Wilkinson, Cooper Smith, Dayten Uerata, Nick Stagg, Jaxon Howard, James Coghlan.
Nalder medal: Pat McKenna.
AFL Victoria medal: Flynn Lakey.
Gisborne’s premiership-winning team of 2026:
B: Lachlan Evans, Zach Vescovi, Frank Schipano.
Hb: Jed Denahy, Harry Thomas, Will Elliott.
C: Harrison Bryant, Adam Brancatisano, Lucas Hannon.
Hf: Dominic Sullivan, Shane Clough, Zac Denahy.
F: James Gray, Pat McKenna, Matt Merrett.
Foll: Lucas Carnell, Dylan Johnstone, Flynn Lakey.
Inter: Ryan Bourke, Thomas Werner, Liam Rodgers, Braidon Blake.
Coach: Rob Waters.
As they bask in the latest success the Gisborne coaches and players will soon begin the build-up to compete in the Ballarat competition.
Off-field the Bulldogs had plenty of experience in a coaching group of Rob Waters, senior coach; Jack Reaper, Jarrad Lynch, Dallas Normington and Shaun Cassidy.
At Sandhurst it’s a change on the coaching front as Bryce Curnow steps away.
Fergus Greene will stay coaching at the maroon and blue.
They and many in Sandhurst’s team have enjoyed the highs of victory and the agony of defeat.
In summing up the performance, Curnow said Gisborne’s ability to lift in the “big moments” was the difference.
“We missed on some big moments, especially in the third quarter to score some more goals and apply a lot more pressure,” Curnow said.
“There’s always moments in games, whether it be shots at goal or defensive plays.”
The Dragons would rue a score of 3.4 as Gisborne slotted 4.2 in the crucial third term.
“There is a lot of resilience in this group. I never thought the game was out of reach going into the final quarter as we had finished a lot of our matches strongly,” Curnow said.
It was not to be as the Bulldogs took control.
“Full credit to Gisborne for its intensity at the contest.
“Once they started breaking clear and had time to hit-up Pat McKenna on the lead we knew it would it be incredibly difficult to stop them.
“Jaxon Howard had played a great game against Pat, but the great players only need a few minutes to turn a game and he did that.”
At Sandhurst there is a strong core of players between 19 and 24 years.
For Curnow there’s been many premiership wins, but also the disappointment of defeat and reacting to that in a learning and positive mindset.
“The club is in a strong position,” Curnow said of again having all three footy teams in grand finals once again.
They may not have won every match, but Sandhurst’s tally of being in 11 of 12 footy grand finals across the past three seasons is a record to be proud about.
“From a club point of view it’s incredibly disappointing not to have won, but the positive is we have been contending for a long time and aim to do so again next season,” Curnow said.
