Goulburn Murray Bowls Region stands up at Region Sides Championships

The women competed in Silver Section 2 and got their campaign off to a winning start Saturday morning at the expense of Metro West on the greens of Central Wendouree Bowling Club.

However, things fell through in the afternoon, with defeats to Ballarat Highlands and Gippsland eliminating the Goulburn Murray girls in the group stage.

Meanwhile, the men’s squad came in highly fancied and plied their trade in the upper crust of Gold Section 1.

Group play began in bizarre circumstances with a 1-36 apiece draw opposite Northern Gateway.

The GMBR side steadied after that, knocking over Ovens & Murray and West Coast to progress into finals Sunday at Sebastopol Bowling Club.

Heartbreak ensued, though, with Bendigo Campaspe Goldfields prevailing on home soil in a fiercely contested one-shot decider.

Brad Holland and Shepparton Golf’s Brad Orr crossed paths again after going head-to-head at the previous weekend’s Byers Electric Invitational event, and the Bendigo native took the chocolates this time.

Tallygaroopna’s David Daws skipped a dominant showing in providing his region’s only triumph on the day, with the quartet led by Golf’s Brett Gunning falling short.

The 3-44 to 0-43 gold medal game could hardly have been decided by less, and GMBR manager Alan Rogers conveyed exactly the mood one would expect in the aftermath.

“The boys are devastated,” Rogers said.

“We’ve been runners-up three times in this event, featuring the best bowlers in the state.

“We played really well on the Saturday and in the final, but we weren’t quite there in the finish.

“They’re a great bunch of blokes and ladies, and a really close-knit mob.”

The squad has largely been a familiar one year-on-year, with many top names regularly suiting up to compete for the region.

However, Rogers says a handful more might be nice in hopes of making the ultimate difference.

“There perhaps were two players different from last year for the men,” Rogers said.

“Perhaps there are a couple of things we learned this year, but it’s a bit sad that some of the best bowlers in this region don’t make themselves available to play.

“There are a couple others we’d love to have with us, but it’s a bit of a drag on some people with the travel.”

It wasn’t all about the men, of course.

The women’s group-stage elimination may have at least partially been down to environmental factors, as Rogers explains.

“It was a bit disappointing we didn’t get back up to the gold with our ladies,” Rogers said.

“The greens didn’t suit them at all, because they’re a little slower in Ballarat and not as easy to play on.

“This event used to be in Echuca, and everyone is used to those greens, but it’s different when you get down there.”

Rogers delivers a closing statement designed to provide what he described as “a positive outlook” as the squad breaks up to return to club bowls this weekend.

“We’re still the second best in the state, and it was good to see that either one of us (or Bendigo) won it from the country, rather than a metropolitan team,” Rogers said.

“I love being manager of it because I know them and get on well with them all.

“But there’s no shame in being runner-up.”