By Tara Murray
Gisborne paid for a below par performance, losing to Sandhurst in extra time in the Bendigo Netball League A-grade grand final.
For much of the game, Sandhurst looked the likely premier and led by nine goals at three-quarter time.
The Bulldogs came from nowhere in the final term to take the lead and while they had chances to steal the match, Sandhurst responded.
An Ella Bertacchini shot for the Bulldogs after the siren forced extra time.
From there it was all the Dragons who went on to win 53-47.
Bulldogs coach Kim Bailey said it was a disappointing performance.
“We should have never got ourselves into that position to start with,” she said.
“We started poorly and played three ordinary quarters and then decided to go in the last quarter.
“We would get a turnover and throw it away and not be able to convert it.”
Bailey brought Rachel Mackenzie on for Clare Vearing during the third quarter – it was a move that paid off.
“Clare was sick and we tried to get her through but we had to end up taking her off, but that’s no excuse,” Bailey said.
“At one stage we were 10 goals down before we swung the change.
“I gave them a little bit of a spray at three-quarter time and told them to refocus … I knew they could play a lot better than that.”
The Bulldogs had their chances in the last quarter, even hitting the front, but turnovers proved costly. They got the first goal in extra time but then had no answers.
Bailey said they had no standouts in the performance with everyone playing OK.
She said in the end they peaked too early and didn’t play their best netball when they needed to. However, having made inroads this season they would look to trying to go one step further next season.
“We go on to fight another day,” she said.
“It was really pleasing to make the grand final, that was our aim. The aim is always to win it, but making the grand final is pleasing.”
The Bulldogs under-17 girls also lost their grand final to Sandhurst.
The Bulldogs pushed the undefeated Dragons for three quarters, before the Dragons shot away to win, 40-33.
“They were really good and they were into it until the last quarter,” Bailey said.
“It was a good learning experience for them.”
