Sport
16 September, 2025
Bulldogs complete A grade three-peat
Three is the magic number for Avoca, completing a historic three-peat with a 17-goal triumph over Talbot.
Three is the magic number for Avoca, completing a historic three-peat with a 17-goal triumph over Talbot.
With the Hawks hot on their heels trailing by three at half time, the Bulldogs stepped up in the premiership quarter, outscoring their opponents 21-13 in the third term to generate a decisive advantage they didn’t relinquish.
After an exceptional shooting performance with 21 goals from just 24 attempts and elite entry passes to shooting partner Maddy Egan, Gina Beavis was named best on court, joining teammates Caitlin Drummond and Stacey Blair who have recently received the honour.
With four of the last five premierships, this Avoca team has further cemented itself as one of the greatest dynasties in MCDFNL history.
Their recent run brings back memories of similar dynasties when they were playing in the Lexton Plains Football Netball League, matching its impressive run between 1967 and 1971 and drawing comparisons to its dominance in the late 1980s, when it won five consecutive flags from 1986 to 1990.
As for Talbot, they will have to wait at least another season to break their long-standing A grade premiership drought spanning over three decades, as another memorable finals run falls short at the hands of Avoca.
With nothing to lose as the heavy underdogs, the Hawks brought the fight to the Bulldogs early, resulting in a frantic opening with several turnovers immediately.
As both teams settled into the occasion, a Jess White intercept catapulted Talbot on a 5-0 run that allowed them to take an early four-goal advantage.
The Bulldogs responded late with a 5-1 swing, including a goal from Beavis right on the quarter time siren to draw the teams even at 14 apiece at the first break.
Courtesy of some terrific feeds from the experienced Lucy Howell, Egan and Beavis got off to a strong start with Egan scoring 11 goals and Beavis netting three.
Despite some intercepts from Drummond, the Hawks’ offence quickly found an early rhythm, with clever ball movement between midcourters Shianne Milera and Loren Aquilina and shooters Eleisha Phelps and Elenoa Costello ensured Phelps and Costello had clear-cut chances at the net.
Costello maintained her remarkable finals form, scoring 11 of her 12 attempts in the first quarter, while Phelps went a perfect three for three.
The second term followed in a similar vein to the first, with momentum seemingly shifting every minute.
Even with some great interventions from White and Drummond, the two teams couldn’t be separated midway through the period, tied 22-22.
The Bulldogs made the most of the smallest of openings, capitalizing on an uncharacteristic turnover from Milera to build a three-goal lead and maintain it at half time.
Despite five abnormal misses, Egan was a machine rebounding the ball, earning double chances on all of her missed attempts on her way to scoring 13 for the quarter.
Speaking of a machine, Beavis looked in almost automatic shooting form in the second term, making all five of her attempts.
Costello was positioning herself well for successful lob passes over her defender, Keisha Tonzing, finishing with a quarter-high 14 goals. Phelps mostly deferred to Costello while adding one.
With that in mind, Avoca made a change to begin the second half, switching Drummond onto Costello and Tonzing onto Phelps.
Working themselves into a winning position after the first half, Talbot looked like a strong chance to end the Bulldogs’ historic 51-game unbeaten streak, grabbing an early break and cutting the deficit to one early in the third quarter.
However, three consecutive stops from the dynamic defensive duo of Tonzing and Drummond allowed the Bulldogs to go on a 5-0 run, building their lead back up to six.
Sensing a chance to generate a sizeable gap, Avoca’s offence kicked into another gear, scoring on all but three of their attacks throughout the period.
With the Bulldogs’ attack building immense pressure, the Hawks began to crack, with their smallest miscues severely punished.
With Egan and Beavis combining to score 21 goals in the third quarter from just 23 shots, the Bulldogs entered three-quarter time with an 11-goal lead.
Costello tried to keep Talbot in touching distance, scoring 12 while Phelps netted one.
With everything to play for, the Hawks went for it with their last roll of the dice, starting with Milera replacing Costello at goal attack alongside Phelps.
After coming on at wing defence midway through the third quarter, Tina Wardlaw took Milera’s position at wing attack, allowing Abbey Klemm to come on at wing defence.
Despite the changes, the Hawks couldn’t make any extra inroads as Avoca’s attack continued to score, encouraging them to put Costello alongside Jane Costello in defence midway through the term.
However, nothing could stop the Bulldogs from scoring. That, coupled with some key interventions from Drummond and Tonzing, sealed the three-peat for Avoca, winning 72-55.
With 13 goals in the final quarter, Egan ended with a game-high 51 goals, heavily assisted by the passing of Beavis, who put the cherry on top of her best on court performance with six goals.
Phelps made all 10 of her attempts on goal in the final quarter, finishing the game with 15 goals. Elenoa Costello ended as the Hawks’ leading scorer with 37 goals, while Milera added three in the last 15 minutes.
The Coaches’ Say
It’s a different year, same result for Avoca A grade coaches Maddy and Kerry Egan, guiding the Bulldogs to back-to-back-to-back premierships.
Saturday’s grand final victory is the culmination of a stunning 52-game unbeaten streak and now puts the Bulldogs on the verge of joining three other teams to complete an A grade four-peat (Talbot 1988-91, Royal Park 1995-98 and Navarre 2013-16).
The euphoric feeling of winning a flag doesn’t get old for player-coach Maddy Egan, who said she’s incredibly proud of what her team has accomplished.
“It’s very surreal, we knew we had to play hard, nothing has come easy this season or the last three seasons, all the other teams have played really well, so it means a lot,” she said.
Talbot wasn’t an easy opponent for the Bulldogs on Saturday, as the underdogs maintained pace with the heavy favourites right throughout the first half.
“We came and watched them last week against Carisbrook and they were really fast, so we just had to focus on playing our game,” Egan said.
“They had nothing to lose and we knew that, we just had to make every turnover, but we got turnovers from them and then gave it back to them. We just had to concentrate on our centres and work on it from there.”
With a three-goal advantage heading into half time, Avoca’s attack, spearheaded by Egan, was unstoppable, allowing the Bulldogs to take a comfortable double-digit advantage into the fourth quarter.
Egan said her team’s experience and camaraderie in pressure situations were the catalyst for their third-quarter breakthrough.
“We have had the core group for the past four or five years and I think it makes a difference when we are down or if it’s a close game, we can stick together and have each other’s back,” she said.
“The third quarter is the premiership quarter and we always play our best in the third quarter, so we had to focus on that and keep going.”
Even with the noticeable lead, Egan said it was paramount for her team not to let up, especially after the Hawks made a host of changes to begin the final term.
“They did the same kind of thing when we played them during the season and we knew that they had that adaptability in their team. We knew if they made those changes, what we had to do,” she said.
“It was a big sigh of relief when that siren went. We just had to get through it because anyone can come back from any deficit, so we couldn’t take our foot off the pedal, we had to keep going until the final siren.”
Best On Court
Avoca stalwart shooter Gina Beavis ended another remarkable season for the Bulldogs with a best on court medal in Saturday’s grand final.
Last weekend’s performance on the biggest stage caps off an eventful 2025 for Beavis on the netball court.
The reliable shooter played her 200th game for the club in the final home and away game of the season before earning a spot in the MCDFNL’s Team of the Year at goal attack after scoring 414 goals in 2025.
Beavis saved one of her best shooting performances for last, playing a crucial role in the Bulldogs posting their highest score of the finals series with 21 goals from just 24 shots, including seven crucial goals in the deciding third quarter.
Her impact on the court isn’t stricken to her shooting ability, able to routinely find openings in the defence with clever off-ball movement and stellar feeds taking a lot of pressure off her teammates.
One teammate who’s especially appreciative of Beavis’ presence is shooting partner and player-coach Maddy Egan, who said her job is much easier when Beavis is around.
“She was amazing, she’s come up from the juniors and she’s come into A grade and just excelled,” she said.
“She makes my job easy, I don’t have to shoot as much because she can carry her own scoring load and she takes so much pressure off of me, even in the midcourt defensively she was amazing.”
Even after a stellar per-formance, Beavis said she was surprised by the accolade, quickly pointing out the importance of her teammates.
“I was very shocked, I didn’t know what to think — it’s awesome and I am honoured but it’s really a team sport and it’s about the girls bringing it all together,” she said.
After a challenging first half, Beavis said the Bulldogs rose together to ensure their quest for a premiership hat-trick was complete.
“We get there in the end with our fitness but we just keep our heads and keep going, we have gone down a few times this season and just kept going,” she said.
“As soon as anyone makes an error or turnover we get around each other and someone makes sure to get your turnover back and then you are back on track.”