By Tara Murray
Hoppers will have a chance at premiership glory having already secured promotion in the Bowls Victoria weekend pennant, division 4, section 1 competition.
After back-to-back relegations, the Hawks have been able to turn it around this season and are now one win away from the premiership.
Hawks coach and coordinator Stephen Macklin said results show what the club has focused on the past 18 months has really paid off.
“We are promoted into division 3 which is huge,” he said. “The club made the decision a year and half ago what direction it wanted to go in.
“It wanted to lift the competitiveness and there was a concerted effort to instill that idea, that competitive drive.
“There’s a real team feel and you don’t win finals unless you have a strong team.”
Having had to wait an extra weekend to play its semi final against Bacchus Marsh 2, the Hawks were itching to get out there.
He said it had been frustrating not to play last weekend, due to a total fire ban in Bacchus Marsh, but they understood why with things more important than bowls.
Macklin said for him the most pleasing thing in the win was how the group stuck to the task.
“We were down early and no one ever dropped their heads,” he said. “We backed each other up and there was so much positivity in the end.
“We got back on top and won by 31 shots. We’ve got our tails in the air and can not wait for Saturday.”
The final score was 97 (16)-66 (2).
Macklin’s rink won 24-16, Albert Wu’s rink won 21-18 and Andrew Doyle’s rink won 38-13 for the Hawks.
Having sealed promotion for next season already, it’s another boost for the Hawks who have a number of things planned.
“It’s a huge step for the club,” he said. “We had all four teams in finals.
“Our fourth team fell just short of the grand final. Our Tuesday teams didn’t make finals, but a couple looked like they were in the relegation zone but were able to lift as well.”
The Hawks will face Bacchus Marsh 2 in the grand final.
Bacchus Marsh beat Point Cook in Sunday’s preliminary final.
There wasn’t much between the two teams all day, with Bacchus Marsh getting over the line, 75 (14)-70 (4).
Brian Turner and Barry Watson were the winning skips for Point Cook.
