Bendigo Advertiser | The Bendigo Football League has reached its halfway mark with a mix of both predictability and unpredictability in how the season is unfolding.
THE Bendigo Football League has reached its halfway mark with a mix of both predictability and unpredictability in how the season is unfolding.
It has been predictable at the pointy end, yet anything but among the middle to lower tier of teams jostling for a spot in the top five.
I doubt many BFL followers would be surprised to see a halfway ladder that features Strathfieldsaye (9-0), Golden Square (8-1), Sandhurst (7-2) and Eaglehawk (6-3) filling the top four rungs – with that order as most probably had it as well in their pre-season predictions.
It’s said the ladder doesn’t lie and that couldn’t be more truer of those four teams – none have beaten a side above them (top-of-the-ladder Strathfieldsaye an obvious exception); none have lost to any below them.
They have been dubbed the BFL’s “Big Four”, but so far the undefeated Storm have proven themselves to be a class of their own, while Hawks’ inability to claim the scalp of any of Strathfieldsaye, Golden Square or Sandhurst has them – at this stage – the team that is bridging the top three to the rest.
There has been no premiership hangover for the Storm, who have passed the first half of the season with flying colours.
Their depth has been tested, having already needed to call on 38 players – the league average is 34.4 – while they have had a target on their back each week as the reigning premier, but they have got through unscathed to join Sandhurst (2014), Golden Square (2011, 2010), Eaglehawk (2008, 2007), Gisborne (2004, 2003) and Maryborough (1998) as teams over the past 20 years to complete the first half of the season unbeaten.
While the Storm - who haven’t lost since Easter last year and haven’t been headed at any break this season - Bulldogs and Dragons have so far shown themselves to be best equipped for the double chance and the Hawks proving best of the rest, fifth spot is looming as a lottery, with no club yet putting their hand up to demand it.
What’s exciting for the BFL heading into the second half of the season is that the race is wide open.
Just eight points separate Kyneton (4-5), Kangaroo Flat (4-5), Castlemaine (3-6), South Bendigo (2-7) and Gisborne (2-7) from fifth to ninth and all have percentages ranging from 71 to 86.
Fifth spot is proving a revolving door, with it already having switched seven times in nine rounds.
While none of those five teams have beaten any of the top four sides – Castlemaine came the closest to an upset when it lost to Eaglehawk by one point – their games against each other, apart from South Bendigo and Kyneton both recording 10-goal wins over Gisborne, have been competitive and you sense they could all beat each other on any given day.
The mini ladder within based on games pitting those five teams against each other will go a long way towards determining who grabs fifth and currently looks like this – Kyneton (3-1, 121.8%), Kangaroo Flat (3-1, 110.8%), Castlemaine (2-2, 96.4%), South Bendigo (1-3, 107.6%), Gisborne (1-3, 69.7%).
As well as the open race for fifth spot, what’s also encouraging to see is the possibility of some fresh blood in September, with Kangaroo Flat (played finals just once since 2001); Kyneton (haven’t played finals since 2003); and Castlemaine (last played finals in 2005) all in the mix.
Although, the finals-hardened Gisborne that has missed September just twice since joining the BFL in 2000 may have something yet to say about that if it can use last Saturday’s win over Kangaroo Flat as a springboard, while the Bloods securing fifth spot would also be a significant effort considering no club since Kyneton in 2003 has climbed from a wooden spoon into the finals the following season.
That wooden spoon that was the Bloods last year already looks destined for the winless Maryborough for the first time since the Magpies – who have only got within 10 goals of the opposition once this year - rejoined the BFL in 1992.
Bring on the second half of the season.
