When it comes to sport, sometimes it simply is not your day.
For Kyabram’s division one weekend pennant squad, that saying perfectly describes its performance on grand final day, as a seasoned and determined Shepparton Golf demolished it on the game’s biggest stage.
After enjoying a tight battle with Golf throughout the season where all three of their clashes were decided by 10 shots or less, the Bombers were simply overawed on Saturday afternoon, as they left Stanhope Bowls Club having been handed a thumping 18-115 to 0-80 defeat.
It was the only time this season they had been swept in all four rinks, as stars the ilk of David Cartwright, Brent Reiner and Geoff Beattie struggled to find their best bowls under the pressure of the Golf juggernaut.
For skip and club vice-president Glenn Fields, the day showed him and the entire squad the level they have to get to in order to be a consistent contender at division one level.
“The first thoughts are that it was a disappointing day,” Fields said.
“There are a few mixed emotions in the sense that we are happy to have gotten there, but at the same time we just didn’t show up today.
“We just got beaten in all positions and outbowled by a dominant Golf side, who showed us a thing or two about how to perform on the big stage.
“Watching them in full-flight today, it showed us where need to get to and we will look to continue to try and get there next year.”
Despite the overwhelming disappointment of grand final day, season 2022-23 was still a major success for Kyabram Bowls Club.
A journey which began last winter, the Bombers went on an incredible recruiting spree that had class players like Cartwright, Reiner, Beattie and Connor Trewren come through their doors.
As a result of the increased depth, all four of the club’s weekend pennant sides reached grand finals, showing that the foundations are set for a bright future at the hangar.
Throw in the development of its youth, which had three juniors in Joshua and Jacob Cartwright and Charlie Boswood play in the division one grand final, and Fields was confident the squad would be back fighting for Allan Matheson Shield glory again soon.
“We’ve come a long way this year and there is a lot for the entire club to be proud of,” he said.
“The experience our young kids had today in playing against Golf in a grand final will be invaluable and will only make them better as players.
“All four teams in a grand final is a wonderful achievement for us as a club and we will take a lot of learnings out of today which will put us in a position to compete for premierships again next year.”