Winner of the past two division one titles, the Bulls are now through to the decider and seven members of the weekend’s winning team have the chance to make it three grand final wins in a row.
They will meet either Mathoura or Moama Steamers, for the fourth time this season, in the grand final at Echuca Bowls Club on Saturday, March 9.
The Steamers and Mathoura, which dominated Deniliquin in the elimination semi-final, will play in the preliminary final at Moama this weekend.
The Bulls, who have been the dominant force in the Campaspe area division of the Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields Bowls Association, won a thrilling qualifying semi-final with the Steamers by three shots.
A final scoreline of 62-59 (14-2) saw victories by Matthew Liverton and Brad Tinning enough to assure them of victory.
Tinning, in particular, was in great touch as he led Peter Tinning, John Reidell and Bill Hatzie to an eight-shot win against Michael Linehan.
Liverton combined with Geoff Tinning, Sally Beach and Wayne Cowley for a two-shot win.
Those two victories were enough to cancel out the seven-shot loss of Barry Tinning’s rink.
Tongala’s win broke the one all deadlock of the home and away season.
In round four the Bulls lost by 16 shots to Moama Steamers, but only a month ago turned the tables to win a January 27 bout by 14 shots.
Mathoura was led to victory by Jason McCloy, the former Rich River skipper who won his rink by eight shots, and Mick Humphreys — a nine-shot winner.
· Stanhope’s division three team will have to win its way through a preliminary final bout with Echuca if it wants another crack at the division’s dominant force, Moama Steamers, in the grand final.
Moama Steamers were unbeaten in the 14 home and away rounds and, despite being challenged by Stanhope at Rochester Bowling Club, is through to the grand final.
Two of the rinks played between the teams resulted in ties, Cyril Evans finishing 15-all with Darren Yates and his Stanhope teammate Jennifer Crilly tying her match with Sue Holmes 25-apiece.
The six-shot win of Moama skipper Kevin Connolly against Andrew Morris’ rink was enough to give his team victory.
Fortuitously, Stanhope will play the preliminary final on its home rink this weekend against Echuca after it won through the elimination semi-final in dominant fashion against Rich River.
While Stanhope lost by six shots to Moama Steamers (60-66) the scoreline in the other match was 75-34 in Echuca’s favour.
Stanhope and Echuca last played in round 10, only five weeks ago, when Stanhope won two of the three rinks and secured an 18-shot win.
In the opening round of the season Stanhope beat Echuca by the exact same margin.
· In the division four elimination semi-final the Stanhope team was bundled out of the premiership race when it lost to Deniliquin RSL by nine shots.
Kenneth Hoppner, bowling with David Grant, Hans Schmidt and Norman Cheong, managed to secure a draw (20-all), but that was the only point for the Stanhope team.
It lost the match 54-63 (1-15) and will now be on the sidelines to support the division three team in the finals.
· Stanhope’s division two midweek team contested the preliminary final against Deniliquin RSL yesterday after winning its way through the elimination semi-final last week.
The Stanhope team beat Echuca by nine shots on the back of a six-shot win by Geoffrey Mulcahy and the four-shot win of Jono Thorne, winning 63-54 (14-2).
Jennifer Crilly only lost her rink by one shot, enabling the team to face-off with Deniliquin RSL yesterday.
The Deniliquin team was beaten by six shots by Moama Steamers, which now awaits the winner of the Stanhope-Deniliquin RSL match in the grand final.
