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Dogs and Dragons big winners in rnd 12,2004

AFTER 12 rounds in 2004 the BFL ladder looked a lot different from the one we see some 48 months later.

Golden Square and South Bendigo were struggling with just four wins and three wins respectively. The Square was adrift of fifth-placed Castlemaine by eight premiership points and a massive percentage gap.

Gisborne, Sandhurst, Eaglehawk and Maryborough filled the top four spots with the Gardiner Reserve Dogs well clear on top by two, clear games from the Hurst and boasting a massive percentage of 220.49.

But as we now know it was Sandhurst which emerged triumphant on grand final day in ’04 with the Dragons’ first flag for 21 years.

Looking back on Round 12 four seasons back I was at Princes Park in Maryborough watching Steve “Bundy” Reaper slot through a lazy 10 goals for Gisborne.

The 10-goal tally wasn’t an isolated event for that round, though. Over at Dower Park Sandhurst’s Mark Fitzgerald also booted 10 after starting the game against the Roos in the ruck.

THE Princes Park Pies matched it with the Dogs for the first quarter-and-a-bit with just three points separating the clubs at quarter-time: 5.2 to 5.5.

Then Gisborne exploded, adding 8.5 to one goal in the second term. Reaper had just two goals to his name at the long break, the same tally as Luke Saunders, while Shane “The Dog” Davis dominated up forward and had three six-pointers by half-time.

Jordan Barham, who had booted three goals in the opening term, took his total to four with a major in the third term as Gisborne added four goals.

Maryborough kept pace, also snagging four majors, with big name recruit Keenan Reynolds having three goals beside his name by the last change.

But the last quarter belonged to Reaper. Leading strongly, he snared six goals with long kicking and even grubber kicks off the ground rolling through the big sticks at the rotunda end.

Reed Wills was the focal point for Maryborough. With David Leatch, Ash Evans and Martin Dell providing the drive Wills was Maryborough’s shining light in attack.

Michael Jennings had been a late withdrawal for the Magpies. Lee Stewart came into the side, replacing Jennings. Heath Pritchard was injured during the match with an injury later diagnosed as a dislocated knee cap.

Nevertheless it was Gisborne’s day, despite Chris Curcio being stretchered off in the second term.

Apart from Reaper’s 10 goals and Jordie Barham’s four, Saunders finished with four. Davis booted three and Simon Elsum chipped in with two goals.
Wlls (4), Reynolds (3) and Evans (2) were Maryborough’s main goalkickers.

SANDHURST belted the Flat, on the back of Fitzgerald’s 10 goals, in an even team performance.

Fitzy had plenty of helpers in attack. Playing his first game as a permanent forward Darren Atkinson bagged five goals capitalizing on the plentiful supply provided by Brad Comer, Leigh Gathercole and Matt Stagg.

One of the highlights of the game was the goal-of-the-day from Rob Thornton. Sandhurst’s midfield hard nut held off three opponents in the goal square, manoeuvred the ball into a spot where he could soccer it off the ground and scored a major.

Flat’s best included Mark Austin (five of the Roos’ 13 goals), Phil Birchmore and Steve Humphrey.

As round 13 rolled along that season, the Dragons were preparing for a big life membership night.

Five club stalwarts were to be presented with their awards: long-serving property steward Don Armstrong, committeeman and junior development officer Adrian Sexton, club president since 1997 Danny Ellis, senior team manager and 1995 reserves premiership playing coach Bill Robertson and committeeman and 200-game senior player Matt Smith.

CASTLEMAINE and South were dead level at halftime in their QEO clash, after the Bloods had jumped the more fancied Magpies to lead by seven points at the first change.

Coach Paul Eyles booted two of the Maine’s six second quarter goals as the Pies squared the ledger.

Thirteen second half goals to South’s six ensured Castlemaine’s four, premiership points as Leigh Rees (now a South player, of course) controlled the defensive half for the Magpies.

Apart from Eyles and Rees, Chris Jardine, Dale Knight, Matthew Peake and Jarred Trethowan were in the Magpies’ best.

Top players for the Bloods were Sam Hill (three goals), John Hardinge, Cameron Carter, Aaron Connaughton and Mungarra Brown.

EAGLEHAWK romped home by 19 goals over the Tigers at the Kyneton Showgrounds as the Two Blues consolidated third spot.

There were 12 individual goalkickers on Eaglehawk’s list with Daniel Geary underscoring the big weekend for key forwards. Geary kicked eight.
Luke Button, Kain Robins, Clint Whitsed, Ash Wilson and Marty O’Reilly, along with Geary, were listed in Eaglehawk’s best.

Although their seniors went down, the Tiger under-15s turned in an encouraging performance against Strathfieldsaye --- the club which is now the talk of central Victoria.

Thomas Bleeck, later to play senior footy with Kyneton, kicked a second quarter goal. But inaccuracy plagued the Tigers as they went down to Strathfieldsaye: 4.11 (35) to 6.6 (42).

2004 Round 12 senior scores: Sandhurst 31.24 (210) def. Kangaroo Flat 13.6 (84); Eaglehawk 25.28 (178) def. Kyneton 10.2 (62); Castlemaine 21.14 (140) def. South Bendigo 14.15 (99) and Gisborne 24.18 (162) def. Maryborough 11.6 (72).

Richard’s tips for Round 13: South Bendigo, Kangaroo Flat, Gisborne and Castlemaine. Progress tally: 42

By Richard Jones

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