The inaugural Gippsland Bowls Region (GBR) Superleague finals will start this Saturday with the playing of the qualifying and elimination finals at the Bairnsdale Bowling Club.
Bairnsdale finished on top of the competition after the home and away fixture and will enjoy a week’s rest and the opportunity to closely monitor the challengers in their own backyard.
Paynesville and West Sale will do battle for the right to play Bairnsdale in next week’s second semi final at Metung’, where the winner will progress straight through to the grand final.
Very little separates the two outfits with only six shots the difference when they met, all the way back in round three, with Paynesville victorious at home.
West Sale has built strong momentum in recent weeks while Paynesville was a surprise loser to Stratford last week, which isn’t a great preparation.
The elimination final will see Lindenow tackle defending champion Lakes Entrance 1, which has shown its best is good enough, but unfortunately it has turned in some performances this season that have lacked the consistency of the golden period of the past few seasons.
Lindenow continues to tick along quietly and although it has finished ahead of Lakes on the table, will go in underdogs, which will suit its laid back approach just fine.
It will be a tight match with no second chances, but for the winner the momentum might be enough to carry them all the way to the grand final.
Stratford was the big story last week, leap frogging from 11th to seventh, with a hard-fought five-shot victory at home over contender Paynesville, 57-52.
Kirstie White, Leonie Flynn, Wayne Marsden and Philip Crowder led the way winning 24-14, well supported by Michael Dee, Jason White, Matt and Ray Potter who delivered 21-17.
Paynesville’s fab four, Adam Easton, Peter Hardy, Darren Martin and George Lambos tuned up for the finals with an impressive 21-12 win.
Bairnsdale defeated Metung, who finished the season in eighth place, getting home by 11 shots, 63-52, despite only winning one rink.
Brian Casey, Trevor Melotte, Danny Prazza and Stephen Sroczynski pivotal for Bairnsdale winning 32-14.
Mal Macpherson, John Heggie, Ray Crossley, Ron McDonald (19-14), Frank Ryan, Robert Latimer, David Roberts and Jim Beale (19-17) were all impressive winners over members of competition measuring stick.
West Sale rounded off its preparation with an easy 37-shot victory over a disappointing Lakes Entrance 2, which finished the season in 11th place.
Rowan Wallace, Bernie Dillon, Rusty Lambourn, Wayne Morris (33-14), Paul Swarski, Chris Hunt, Nathan Stewart, Dennis O’Keefe (30-14), Shane Higgins, Stephen McKay, Nick Wilson and David Hogan (19-17) all look primed and ready for a pressure cooker type final.
Lindenow was a 25-shot winner at home over Sale 2, who finished the season in ninth place.
The competition’s leading combination, Peter Baylis, Nigel Plunkett, Michael Better and Jack Sharman were again at the forefront, winning 30-13.
It was their 10th win from 12 matches this season to finish on top of the ladder.
They received great support from Donald Banks, Phillip Manning, Michael Giddings and Anthony Edwards who saluted 22-13, while Pam Griffiths, Ewen Paterson, Alan Reid and Neal Taylor got a rink back for the visitors, winning 14-13 in a thriller.
Lakes Entrance 1 will be delighted to head into the finals in top form, humbling Howitt Park 98-37.
John Buntine, Daniel Roberts, Ben Williams and Brendan Addison led the way, victorious 38-12.
Brad Lancaster, Daffy Rawlings, Mike McKay and Jim Northe recovered from last week’s mauling by Orbost, bouncing back 34-10 victors.
Capping off a clean sweep, Julie Simpson, Mark Campbell, Scott Davidson and Mick Burge were just as impressive winning 26-15.
Orbost was a gallant winner over Sale 1 on the road by five shots, 65-60.
The Green Machine was hoping to force its way into the final five late, but unfortunately Lakes Entrance 1 held its nerve and held onto fifth spot.
Winners for Orbost were Geoff Lynn, Stephen Holgate, Robyn Kellow, Ron Hatcher (22-21), Peter Coulton, Bruce Kneebone, Geoff and Susan Robinson (26-20).
Ray Kennedy, Peter Eppelstun, Dennis Young and Andrew Bell were rink winners for Sale, 19-17.
Heyfield won the battle for 12th spot on the table, defeating Maffra by 15 shots at home, 71-56.
Winners for the Roos were Hayden Sellings, Peter Ronan, Bill Gilligan, Bryan Reid (27-17), Simon Brown, Pauline Cartwright, Barry Anderson and Shane Kelly (29-14).
John Marshall, Geoff Landy, Brett Hodgins and Ron Orchard got a rink back for Maffra winning 25-15.
MIDWEEK PENNANT
Things are hotting up in midweek pennant with Sale, Stratford and Paynesville locked in an intriguing battle for the third finals spot with only two rounds remaining.
Sale currently occupies the spot after knocking off ladder leader Bairnsdale by an astonishing 44 shots, 86-44.
All three rinks saw dominant wins, Michael Dowd, Peter Nikitin, Wally Hudson, Young (33-11), Julie Simic, Margaret Scenery, Peter Gould, Rod Morris (25-15), Leigh Byrant, Pam Carter, Peter Stephenson and Jan Morton (28-16) all in great touch.
Lakes Entrance continues to sit second on the ladder after a 40-shot demolition of Howitt Park, 86-46.
Maurice Carroll, Eric Spence, Northe and Bill Rowley were extraordinary 45-12 winners.
They were well supported by McKay, Hayden Lancaster, Jenny and Kevin Dowie (23-19), Michael Bratt, Wallace Mason, Watson and Kevin Brown (18-15), who were all in good form.
Paynesville kept its finals hopes alive with a nine-shot win at Stratford, 59-50, despite only picking up the one rink.
Shirley Etherton, Ken Perkins, Rhonda Sadovsky and John Clark were victorious 26-11 for the Pelicans.
Stratford’s winners were Anne Renehan, Des Phillips, Ian Johns, Flynn (21-17), Kirstie White, Colin Russell, Marsden and Ray Potter (18-16).
GIPPSLAND BOWLS REGION SINGLES
The GBR singles championship culminated at the Sale Bowls Club last Sunday with Shane Holmes (Heyfield) and Joanne Martin (Paynesville) crowned champions.
Holmes proved too good for Lakes Entrance star Brad Lancaster 25-19, while Martin accounted for Julie Simic in the final 25-5 to claim her second GBR singles title.
Both winners will represent the region later in the year at Bendigo at the state championships.
Maree Hack, who defeated Nannette Hamilton, Bev Oakley and Linda Ross last week in a hotly contested final. (PS)
