CASTLEMAINE and Kangaroo Flat are preparing for big reunions this weekend and as luck would have it the two clubs meet at Dower Park today.
The Magpies will celebrate their 2000 premiership when under the leadership of Shane Robertson they downed the Derrick Filo-coached Roos by two, straight kicks.
Meanwhile the Green and Whites have a big weekend planned as they host past champions from the 1948, 1955 and 1960 flag-winning sides.
Flat president Paul Brooks expects many memories to be recalled as the old warriors gather at the Dower Park rooms to relive past glories.
The Roo premiership sides from just after World War 2 played in the now defunct Bendigo Football Association. Some competing BFA clubs such as Huntly, Bridgewater and YCW are still alive and well.
Others like St Kilians, California Gully, Bendigo East, CYMS, Goornong, Long Gully and Kamarooka have long disappeared.
The two Gullies --- Long Gully and California Gully --- had long histories, though, as both competed in the old Bendigo competition from early in the 20th century right up to World War 1. The actual name ‘Bendigo Football League' did not come into use until 1913.
WITH Lachlan Brown and Richard Atkin as co-captains, Castlemaine outlasted an inaccurate Flat in the BFL decider 10 years ago.
The Magpies went into the grand final as red-hot favorites. But they had to withstand a withering third quarter barrage from the Roos before winning 12.11 (83) to 9.17 (71).
Castlemaine set up a 26-point lead by half-time with 15 scoring shots to nine. Then the Roos came out in the third term, with the wind, to mount a serious challenge.
However from 13 scoring shots the Green and Whites could kick only two goals. No fewer than 11 behinds (including four posters) were registered as well as some shots which missed everything!
So instead of taking a handy lead into the last change, Kangaroo Flat trailed by 10 points. Castlemaine scored only 1.2 but it was enough to ensure they held the advantage.
Shannon Milward and teenager Daniel Smith who had spent most of the first half in the back pocket sparked the Roos' third quarter revival.
But their hard work went largely unrewarded. Smith hit the post three times, Milward missed twice on the run, Scott Tuddenham hit the post from 20 metres out, Brett Rogers shot wide on the run from 30 metres while a set shot from Wayne Landry missed the whole lot.
The Magpies regrouped at three-quarter time. Even though the Flat twice closed to within one goal in the final term, the Maine held firm.
David Cox who had dominated in the air throughout and won the best afield Nalder Medal for his efforts was pivotal to Castlemaine's chances.
The Magpies actually outscored the Roos 3.3 to 3.1 in the pulsating last term on a day when goals were hard to come by. Only 21 were scored in the grand final.
Sean Smith with three goals was the Maine's main goalscorer. Co-captain Lachie Brown and fellow onballer Scott Baxter nailed two each.
Brown said the whole senior list had worked hard for their premiership success. "It's been a goal of ours ever since we started pre-season 10 months ago and we trained three nights a week.
"So we've really worked hard for this (the Bendigo Advertiser Cup). There might have been a few doubts about how far we could go in a game, but I think we showed today we can hold on for four quarters."
Coach Shane Robertson said winning the 2000 BFL flag meant more to him than his 1987 VFL premiership with Carlton.
"I suppose 1987 was more of an individual satisfaction that I'd done the hard work and got there. With this premiership I've given satisfaction to 50 guys who have worked hard with us throughout the season."
Describing himself as "a ring-in" Robertson added to give the ultimate satifaction to a small, country town, its committee which did all the hard work behind the scenes plus its big band of supporters was more special than what he'd been through before.
After the grand final Robertson, 36, announced his retirement as a player but said he would continue as Castlemaine's non-playing coach in 2001.
CASTLEMAINE 5.4 8.7 9.8 12.11 (83)
KANGAROO FLAT 2.3 4.5 6.16 9.17 (71)
GOALS --- Castlemaine: S. Smith 3, L. Brown 2, S. Baxter 2, C. Stone, L. Adams, M. Blake, L. Walters, S. Winduss. Kangaroo Flat: S. Tuddenham 4, D. Lancaster 2, S. Jorgensen, S. Elsum, A. Hawkins.
BEST --- Castlemaine: D. Cox, M. Blake, L. Brown, S. Baxter, L. Adams, E. Showell, C. Raak, B. Shepherd (until injured). Kangaroo Flat: S. Milward, D. Filo, B. Gloury, S. Tuddenham, A. Hawkins, D. Smith.
Awards --- Nalder Medal: David Cox (Cm). VCFL Medal: Shannon Milward (KF). Triple C-FM award: Shannon Milward (KF).
Castlemaine also won the reserves flag with a 21-point victory over South Bendigo: 11.16 (82) to the Bloods 9.7 (61).
KANGAROO FLAT won its first premiership for 22 years when it defeated YCW in the 1948 BFA grand final by 26 points to go through the season undefeated.
The BFA grand finals always finished a week after the BFL deciders so were staged on the Upper Reserve (the QEO).
Early finals matches in Bendigo's other league (later to become the Golden City F.L.) were contested at the Showgrounds or what we know today as the Tom Flood Sports Centre.
The 1948 grand final was played on October 9th. Flat, coached by 38-year-old Ritchie Lee, had a goal on the board within the first minute of the '48 grand final and was never headed.
Lee's brother Ron, who had played in premiership sides while coaching in Mildura, controlled the rucks for most of the grand final. His YCW opponent was 29-year-old Bob Southcombe who'd been recruited from Golden Square and was YCW captain-coach.
The Flat led at every change and it was only in the third quarter that YCW mounted a bit of a challenge.
Down by 25 points at half-time, YCW managed to erase just one goal of their deficit. Wells got a goal with a neat left foot snap kick but W. Bailey replied for Kangaroo Flat. Bailey was described in the Advertiser match report as "a most elusive forward."
J. McKee made the most of a Flat defender's error to goal for YCW at the end of the term but at three-quarter time Kangaroo Flat led by 19 points.
"Half the final term had expired with only a point registered. J. Whitney, V. Brennan, A. Boromeo and T. Stewart were prominent for Kangaroo Flat while I. Connell, K. Slattery, J. Harrington and J. Palmer were outstanding for YCW," the Advertiser scribe noted.
Boromeo booted the last goal of the day as Kangaroo Flat ran out 26-point winners over defending 1947 premier, YCW.
KANGAROO FLAT 4.4 7.6 9.9 12.12 (84)
YCW 1.2 3.5 6.8 8.10 (58)
GOALS --- Kangaroo Flat: W. Bailey 4, D. Aherne 3, Ritchie Lee, C. Charlton, T. Stewart, D. Spooner, A. Boromeo. YCW: J. McKee 2, J. Palmer 2, D. Purdon, F. Kyne, G. Wells, T. Cairns.
BEST --- Kangaroo Flat: W. Bowery, D. Aherne, G. Rusbridge, V. Brennan, A. Boromeo, W. Bailey, J. Witney, Ritchie Lee. YCW: J. Harrington, K. Slattery, I. Connell, R. Southcombe, J. Kellow, J. Palmer, G. Wells.
Umpire: H. Pinder.
Kangaroo Flat had beaten YCW 15.12 (102) to 9.10 (64) in the second semi-final. To secure a grand final spot, YCW downed Huntly (the 1946-47 BFA runners-up) in the final: 14.12 to 8.14.
MEANWHILE on the same day as Flat's success, Melbourne defeated Essendon in the 1948 VFL grand final replay at the MCG: 13.11 to 7.8. Only 52,226 spectators were on hand for the replay on October 9th, after the two cubs had drawn a week earlier in front of 85,658.
Essendon had turned in the worst ever display of grand final kicking, 7.27 (69), to draw with Melbourne 10.9 (69) a week earlier.
In the VFA grand final played at St Kilda, also on October 9th, Brighton confounded the experts with a 13.16 to 13.7 win over Williamstown.
Richard's tips for Round 15: South Bendigo, Strathfieldsaye, Kangaroo Flat, Golden Square and Maryborough. 2010 BFL season total: 65.
By Richard Jones
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