Gisborne wins final premiership as it leaves Bendigo league
Gisborne won their sixth premiership in the Bendigo league with a 29-point victory before moving to Ballarat in 2027.
The Bulldogs closed their 26 years in the Bendigo Football Netball League with a 12.12 (84) to 7.13 (55) victory over Sandhurst on Saturday. The win came from fourth place on the ladder, remarkable because only one other team in the league's four-decade top-five era had won the flag from outside the top three.
Golden Square did it in 2001; now Gisborne has joined that exclusive club. A crowd of thousands filled the QEO, with gate takings estimated at at least $75,000.
The Bulldogs also claimed two netball flags that weekend, giving them 32 total BFNL premierships across football and netball since 2000. As they prepare for their debut in the Ballarat league next year, Gisborne leaves with the same farewell they had in 1999 before joining Bendigo: a senior flag.
- 12.12 (84) to 7.13 (55)
- Final score
- 26 years
- Years in league
- Fourth place on ladder
- Finishing position
- At least 75,000 dollars
- Gate takings
Why it mattersA club's final chapter in a league it defined becomes unforgettable when it ends on top; this win cements Gisborne as a giant of the BFNL era.
AustraliaGisborne's move to Ballarat weakens the Bendigo league but strengthens the Ballarat competition significantly, reshaping regional football boundaries in central Victoria.
✓ Claims checked against the source. checked 5 d ago
