THE A Grade Beerwah Bulldogs team will be heading into the grand final for a second year in a row after defeating the Kawana Dolphins 28-18.
Kawana started the game strongly, striking first with a converted try in the 12th minute before Bulldogs centre, Jack Aitken, responded with a try under the posts in the 18th minute.
The Dolphins took the lead again in the 24th minute with a try before Beerwah wrested back control with three first half tries to Mathew Kidd, Jack Aitken again, and Samuel Fullerton.
Kawana came back with a vengeance in the second half, scoring a try just five minutes into the second half, closing the gap of the Bulldogs’ lead to 22-18.
However, Beerwah responded quickly to the Dolphins’ resurgence, with winger, Tom McClure, scoring a four pointer in the left corner in the 49th minute.
It would be the last points scored for either side with the Doggies defence holding firm against the desperate Dolphins.
The Dolphins narrowly missed out on three tries in the last 10 minutes.
Beerwah Bulldogs A Grade coach, Brett Hill, said he was ecstatic that his team was into the 2023 grand final.
“We played well, we’ve been building towards the grand final but you still get excited because it’s what you’ve been aiming for all season you know, all our hard work has paid off,” he said.
“If we end up playing Maroochydore in the grand final again I think we will just have that added motivation, I don’t think they’ll want that to happen twice.
“But it doesn’t matter who we’re playing in the grand final , the boys are up for it and ready to go.”
All senior grand finals will be played at the Sunshine Coast Stadium on September 9.
The Beerwah Bulldogs Open Women’s side has reached the end of the road in their finals run, losing 32-10 against the Caloundra Sharks.
The squad was down 14-0 at halftime however came back strong in the second half, with prop Natasha Thorley scoring in the first few minutes.
However, after two missed tries, Caloundra struck back, scoring four unanswered tries to take the lead out to an unassailable 32-6.
Despite this, the Bulldogs ended the game on a high, scoring one final try for the year from a penalty on the full time siren.
Beerwah interchange, Tiarrie-Lee Fanuatanu, made a 50-metre run down the wing to score the four-pointer.
As for the Beerwah Bulldogs Reserve Men, following a qualifying semi final loss against the Stanley River Wolves on August 19, they bounced back last weekend against the Kawana Dolphins, beating them 26-23.
Beerwah hooker, Brenton Stonier, scored a hattrick in the minor semi final, along with tries from teammates Lachlan McClure and Mitchell Bax.
The Bulldogs reserve men side will now face off against the Stanley River Wolves again on September 2.
The senior Beerwah Bulldogs teams are not the only ones enjoying finals glory, with the U13 girls, U13 boys, and U16 boys all making it to the grand final, which will all be played on September 2 at the Ronnie Cargill Oval in Coolum.
Beerwah Bulldogs president Ref Hammil said he was beyond happy with the overall results of the club this season.
“I’m proud, very very proud, on behalf of the committee and the members, I couldn’t be any prouder of the teams and the ones who have made it to the finals, its been a great season,” he said.
Following the end of the A Grade Beerwah Bulldogs clash against the Kawana Dolphins last weekend, the club inducted Robert Barry and Glenn Tomokino as club life members for their continued dedication to the club.
“Robert Barry was entrusted to build the fields back in 1979 as the club was started, has been a long term sponsor of the club, and we can’t thank him enough for the contribution he’s provided to the club,” Beerwah Bulldogs vice-president Ray Ballantyne said.
The A Grade squad will be up against either the Dolphins or Maroochydore Swans in the grand final.
The Doggies will hope to go one further than 2022 when they lost the grand final 26-16 to the Swans.
Main image: A Grade Bulldogs players celebrate with the team song.
