Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Regional rival Bendigo took it right up to the Bulls, with the match going all the way past the final siren due to a penalty restart before the home side eventually cleared the ball for a 28-24 triumph.
The Bulls led 14-0 at half-time, but two yellow and one red card for Shepparton in the second half threatened to derail the side's title hopes.
"The Bendigo guys had clearly done their homework," Shepparton coach Mark Stevens said.
"The way they were setting up and the way they were defending showed they had really come up with a plan.
"We still had a good first half, but our discipline let us down a bit in the second.
"A yellow card for us made it harder to defend, but we led 28-14 with about six minutes to go.
"Then they got a try with three minutes to go and we had another yellow and red card."
It left Bendigo with the ball after the final siren had sounded, trailing by just four points.
But the Bulls were able to hang tough for a stirring win.
"They came hard at us," Stevens said.
"But we were lucky that the boys were able to dig deep defensively and then clear the ball out for full-time.
"It certainly put a few more grey hairs on the supporters and I though."
The Bulls will now face the Melton Warriors in Saturday's grand final at Box Hill from 11.30am, looking to go back-to-back in the competition's decider.
"It was a really good hit-out and it's what we needed going into the grand final," Stevens said.
"We started this season with seven players from last year's premiership side, so it was a big turnover, but we've managed to get there again which is good.
"Everyone's really keen and excited for the weekend, we'll have a big contingent of supporters and family heading down and it will be live-streamed as well."
The last two meetings between the Bulls and Warriors have resulted in 42-23 and 78-7 victories for Shepparton.
18°C