Finals arrive earlier than expected for rejuvenated Bombers

The Bombers claimed the HDFNL wooden spoon last year, winning just one game and copping some big hidings along the way with nine losses by more than 10 goals.

That 1-15 record last year came on the back of the Bombers going 0-13 in the COVID-shortened season of 2021, meaning they had gone into 2023 winning just one of their previous 28 games.

What the Bombers did have though this year was a highly-respected and experienced new coach in Shannon Keam, who upon his appointment in October last year told the Addy of his optimism heading into 2023 "to have a sharp rise being such a young group".

That optimism, though, must have been tested early when the Bombers started the season 0-4, which included a 103-point belting from Heathcote and 96-point hiding from Mount Pleasant.

The Bombers had also lost at home to Elmore by 25 points in one of only two games the Bloods won for the year.

But in round five it began to click for the Bombers, and in what at the time was considered a monumental upset, Leitchville-Gunbower snapped a 19-game losing streak by knocking off reigning premier Lockington-Bamawm United.

The 12.10 (82) to 8.9 (57) win at Leitchville was only the fourth time in the HDFNL since 1990 the previous year's wooden-spooner had beaten the reigning premier.

Just over three months on it was that win over the Cats that proved to be the first step in what has been a remarkable in-season turnaround in which the Bombers went from 0-4 to on Sunday playing Mount Pleasant in the elimination final at North Bendigo.

From 0-4 the Bombers have won nine of their past 12 games to finish fifth in what is a rare scenario where this season's finals feature last year's wooden-spooners, but not the reigning premiers after LBU finished sixth.

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In another oddity leading into the finals, it's the lowest-ranked of the five finalists that has the best winning streak, with the Bombers having won six games in a row.

"We were a long way off it last year with a young side and even the first four games this year we showed some glimpses, but still looked a fair way off," Bombers' president Gundry said this week.

"But we were lucky enough to add a couple of players that we were desperately needing and that has helped to turn it around."

Those two players were midfielders Caleb Hislop and Zac Hislop from Aberfeldie.

"We have a lot of smaller guys and probably just lacked a couple of stronger-bodied midfielders; it has been incredible with what they have been able to do for us and just what we were looking for," Gundry said.

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While they have both had big impacts in turning the season around for the Bombers, neither will be on the park on Sunday with Caleb overseas and Zac has an Achilles injury.

However, the pair have both re-committed for next year to a team that is well and truly re-emerging again having done the hards of bottoming out following four-consecutive grand final appearances and two premierships between 2015 and 2018.

"I think it's fair to say we probably didn't have any plans of playing a final at the start of the year," Gundry said.

"Perhaps next year we were looking at getting ourselves back to playing in the finals, so to be back there this weekend is really exciting."

Leitchville-Gunbower and Mount Pleasant have played two contrasting games this year.

After copping the 96-point hiding off the Blues in round four the Bombers in a huge turnaround that typifies their season won their return round 13 clash by two points in a thriller.

The HDFNL finals get under way on Saturday at Heathcote when North Bendigo takes on White Hills in the qualifying final.

The Bulldogs have won both encounters against the Demons so far this year, with the winner to earn a crack at top side Heathcote in next week's second semi-final.

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