Top-of-the-table thriller as Bulldogs hold on in final term for the ages

After trailing by 27 points at the last break, Sandhurst stormed back into the contest and hit the front, but the Bulldogs steadied to eventually triumph 11.7 (73) to 9.13 (67) in a thrilling 34-minute, nine-goal stanza.

It was one of the great terms of footy in recent BFNL memory, and if you ever need an argument for the importance of having superstar talent in this league, then these 34 minutes are the opening statement in your case.

Gisborne's Brad Bernacki was excellent, but his Dragons counterpart, Lachlan Tardrew, played one of the best quarters you'll see anywhere in country footy.

"Lachlan (Tardrew) is having an incredible season, and we're lucky to have a player as amazing as him on our team," Dragons co-coach Ashley Connick told the Bendigo Advertiser post-game.

"He was good all day, but the last quarter, he didn't come off and played 31 minutes in the midfield, in a tough slog of a game and had a huge influence."

The fifth of the Dragon's six final-term goals came at the 24-minute mark to put them in front.

Fergus Greene marked 45 metres out deep in the changeroom's pocket, wheeled around and slotted what opposition coach Rob Waters described as the "goal of the year."

Not to be outdone, the Bulldog's own forward gun, Pat McKenna, responded in kind two minutes later.

A scrappy kick inside 50 that was trickling towards the boundary line was picked up by McKenna, who found his way onto his right foot and snapped a beauty from the pocket to take the lead back.

McKenna was superb, nailing five, and Bulldogs coach Rob Waters lauded his star forward for always standing up when it counts.

"Great players earn their keep in big games, and it's what you expect from your leaders," Waters said.

"Pat has been awesome in all our matches against the top sides this year, and Saturday, he was incredible."

That goal turned the tide as beforehand, the Dragons were well on top at the coalface and were moving the footy as cleanly as they'd had all afternoon.

Having been well and truly beaten throughout the second and third terms, the Dragons flipped the switch early in the last.

Cobi Maxted saluted from a goalsquare free kick five minutes in to begin the comeback, but it wasn't until when Greene and Tanner Nally went bang-bang in 30 seconds five minutes later that life was breathed into the contest.

The impressive Charlie Robinson brought it back to a point before Greene's spectacular fourth of the afternoon.

"We played the way we wanted in the last quarter, which showed real character," Connick said.

"We had only kicked three goals at three-quarter-time, so to slot six in the final term and nearly pinch it was pleasing."

Following McKenna's response, scores were tied through a Dragons point, but the Bulldogs had gained the ascendency.

They found the lead again when a scrappy Flynn Lakey kick inside 50 was roved of the pack by youngster Dylan Johnstone at the 28-minute mark.

McKenna put them 12 points up shortly after before Nally brought the margin back to six, 32 minutes in.

The last piece of action came when Alex Wharton was arguably unfairly yellow-carded with 30 seconds remaining after a late bump on Johnstone.

The Bulldogs controlled possession from that point onwards.

"We knew they were going to come back, so the way the boys responded against a side with a full head of steam, who was winning it at the source, was a great learning experience for us," Waters said.

"If we had won by five goals, we'd probably have walked away a bit cocky, but we had some great in-depth conversations after the game about what we can take away from that last quarter."

The Dragons were missing key talent, including Noah Walsh and Bryce Curnow, but considering who Gisborne left out of the side, it was as good a win as you can have in the regular season.

Gun ruckman Braidon Blake is still in concussion protocols, while Sam Graham and Liam Spear - who are both overseas - are among a quartet of others missing from the Bulldog's best 22.

Waters was delighted that some less high-profile names were instrumental in the victory.

"The pleasing part for us is we came up against a team in red hot form, and we had Jake Normington and Jarrad Lynch, who we could have played at 90 per cent, but we trusted some inexperienced guys to get the job done," Waters said.

"Boyd Nalder made his debut, Jarrod Ainsworth played his first senior game since round two, and Harry Thomas, who's been a forward his whole career, was moved up onto the wing against the three best wingmen in the competition.

"We kept the kids in because they have to learn what it's like to play against the best teams in a finals-like atmosphere, and they'll grow legs from this game."

The result ended the Dragons' hopes of an undefeated season and opened the door for a minor premiership race in the second half of 2024.

But when we look back on this match in hindsight in four months' time, it could very well prove to be the old loss the Dragons needed to have.

There were still plenty of positives Connick's men could take away despite the defeat.

They ran their closest challengers in conditions tailor-made for them and on a ground they have such a great record at, to six points.

Nonetheless, it has highlighted some areas they need to improve upon, according to Connick.

"We've got a bit to tidy up around the footy, which we started to do in the last quarter, but we walk away believing we're still a very good side," he said.

"The first quarter, as we expected, was super tight and contested, but in the second and third terms, Gisborne was cleaner and set themselves up around the contest a lot better."

"We didn't put any scoreboard pressure on them with our accuracy, which played a small factor, but no doubt they were the better side through the middle of the game."

Along with the aforementioned stars, Bulldogs defenders Jack Reaper and Zachary Vescovi were highly influential, while James Coghlan and Lachlan Hood rounded out the Dragon's best players.

"James (Coghlan) has been building for a while now, and Saturday was close to him being back to his best around pressure and hunt towards the footy," Connick said.

"It's important he found that touch while we wait for Noah Walsh to return.

"He and Lachlan Hood have picked up the slack in there."