Julie Dosser is excited to create Western District Bowls Division history this weekend.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The bowler is about to become the first woman to play for City Memorial Red in a grand final.
"It's exciting for me because I think probably in the history of the club it's the first time a woman has been in the City Red team in the finals," she said.
The red team includes the best 16 players at the club and Dosser is the only woman in the side.
Dosser has otherwise enjoyed a memorable season.
The bowler has won numerous club champion awards including success in the women's 100 up, women's triples and she took out the coveted women's club singles award for the second time.
But there's still one team photo she'd like to add to the City Memorial Bowls Club walls.
Dosser said she expected a tight contest when her side faced Koroit Blue in the division one grand final at Timboon on Saturday.
"I think it'll be a very close game," she said.
"We met them the week before last and only lost by 10 shots.
"I'm hoping that it will be a very close, competitive game and hopefully we come out as winners."
City Red last celebrated division one success in 2011-12 and that team photo is on display at the bowls club.
This time City Red beat Warrnambool Gold to advance to the decider.
According to teammate Bruce Collie, Dosser was deemed "best on ground" in that preliminary final.
"Yes, a lot of people have told me that," she said with a laugh.
"It was just a bit of banter from my teammates which is good.
"I did feel that I did bowl well, but I had some ordinary shots as well which you do in bowls.
"I had a good team as well."
Dosser said being the only woman doesn't worry her.
"I work full-time so I have never played mid-week pennant," she said.
"I've always played Saturday pennant.
"Back when I first started playing bowls about 14 years ago, I was probably one of the first women to play on a Saturday because it was always known as men's bowls on a Saturday.
"It doesn't faze me, I've just played with the guys for many, many years."
She said the Saturday bowls competition became open to women numerous years ago.
Dosser hails from Benalla in the state's north-east and that's where she started her bowls career.
She was Benalla Bowls Club general manager and moved to Warrnambool in 2015.
She is now City Memorial Bowls Club general manager and works full-time.
Dosser has played mostly for City Gold in the past and broke into the City Red team after Christmas.
City Memorial has five teams playing off in grand finals this weekend.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.
