Bombers grounded, streak ends

BONNIE Doon’s unbeaten season came to a sudden and surprise halt over the weekend as they suffered their first loss of the year to Greta FNC in the qualifying final at North Wangaratta Sports Reserve. The Bombers, who were last year’s premiers, saw their 34-game winning streak snapped by a determined Greta side that overpowered them in the second half, sealing a 37-point victory. The final scoreline read Greta 15.8 (98) to Bonnie Doon’s 9.7 (61), with the Blues booking their spot in their first senior grand final since 1999. But the season isn't over for the Bombers just yet, with a second chance next weekend in the knockout semi against Bright, who enjoyed a solid win over Goorambat at the weekend. Bonnie Doon started strong, getting on the scoreboard early and creating more scoring opportunities in the first quarter. However, Greta kept pace, and by the first break, the margin was within a kick, with the Bombers leading by four points. The game broke open after quarter-time as Greta’s midfield and forward lines began to assert themselves. The Blues piled on four goals in the second quarter while their backline held firm, allowing just a single goal from the Bombers, giving Greta a 15-point lead at the major break. Greta’s momentum carried into the second half, with forwards Cody Crawford and Frazer Judd finding plenty of space inside the forward 50. The Blues extended their lead to 22 points by three-quarter time, and despite Bonnie Doon’s efforts, they couldn’t bridge the gap. Greta’s precision and pressure in the final term saw them kick away, securing a comfortable win and forcing the Bombers to reevaluate if they're wanting to win back-to-back premierships. Bonnie Doon senior coach Campbell Smedley said despite the loss and a few injuries in the second quarter there were plenty of positives to take out of the game. “We’ll review the game and look forward to coming up against Bright on the weekend,” said Smedley. “Sometimes the footy bounces your way and sometimes it doesn’t. “It was good to have a hit out and a bit of a reality check, because sometime you can become complacent.” Smedley’s standouts were Al Bennett, Luke Murray, Joel Sanford and Jack Goonan who played well off the half back line. “I said to the boys, it doesn’t matter what happens during the year, this is the time when it counts, so we’ve just got to make sure we get the job done next weekend.” Greta coach Chris Dube praised his team’s resilience and tactical execution against a formidable opponent. “We turned up and withstood some early pressure from Bonnie Doon, and we knew we would have to go the distance,” Dube said. “In the end, it felt like, once the game did open up, it was a bit more free-flowing and there was a bit more link from ends of the ground.” Lachie Kennett was best on ground for Greta, his speed and precision kicking setting up several scoring opportunities. Judd (five goals) and Crawford (four goals) were standouts up forward, while Greta’s defenders, who had been key in holding Bonnie Doon’s livewire forwards, received high praise from Dube. “We’ve got some really good, honest defenders, and they don’t get the plaudits that our midfielders and forwards do,” he said. In other results, the Bonnie Doon Reserves also suffered a loss the weekend before last, going down to Moyhu, which marked the end of what had been a solid season for the side. The Bombers' seniors will take on Bright this coming Saturday and will look to book a spot and chance at redemption against Greta in the grand final.

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