GOLDEN Square beat Maryborough by eight points in the BFL's 1939 grand final as hostilities in World War 2 started to grab headlines across the globe.

With Reg Ford the captain-coach the Mustards came from victory over South Bendigo in the first semi-final to claim the premiership.

Maryborough squeaked home over Rochester by two points in the second semi-final after battling back from a two-goal deficit midway through the final term.

Square disposed of Rochester by 34 points in the preliminary final. Two players --- Rohda with 10 goals and Hargreaves on five --- contributed 15 of the Mustards' 19 majors as the club, founded only in 1935, made their second successive BFL grand final.

The Bendigo Advertisers of the era published football match reports and sports snippets on page three. Facing the footy round-ups was the Page 2 war news with Germany claiming (in early October) five Allied planes had been brought down after an attack on their Atlantic fleet.

By grand final wrap-up day on Monday October 9th German dictator Hitler had proposed a European Conference to organize a "general laying-down of arms."

Hitler's luke-warm offer of peace was denounced by world leaders as "unconstructive and most likely, insincere" as the Soviets advanced into Estonia and Turkey closed its Dardanelles sea-lanes.

AT the QEO on grand final day BFL president, Councillor T. R. Davies, presented Kyneton full-back Elder Anderson with the Fred Wood Medal.

This award for the league's best and fairest senior player was one of the precursors to the current Michelsen medal. The senior medal was always presented just before the start of the grand final in the 1930s and 1940s.

Golden Square and Maryborough players, lined up on the oval, gave three cheers for Anderson.

Officials must have been happy to see the Maryborough side by that stage. The 1939 grand final was delayed by 20 minutes when the special train bringing the Maryborough players to Bendigo arrived late.

When field umpire Hawkins bounced the ball to start the '39 play-off Square looked lively. Kicking with the wind the Mustards landed the first major when Rohda goaled following a holding-the-ball free kick paid against Maryborough's Craigie.

The Advertiser reporter noted that the Maryborough team was "a trifle unsteady" particularly up forward where there was a lot of fumbling.

The writer doesn't mention it, but nerves and the late arrival at the ground probably hadn't helped the Borough team settle down.

Although big follower J. Wunhym dominated the packs for Maryborough the Advertiser writer reported the Borough had made a selection error in naming rover H. Hubble. "His injured knee prevented him from showing his normal dash," he wrote.

However, after a six-pointer from Murdoch (which travelled 70 yards, it seems) Maryborough goaled again when Hubble took the ball from Wilkie to secure full points.

Wunhym had the chance to notch another goal, but the antics of Square's Pitts on the mark put him off and Wunhym sent the ball out of bounds.

Square's captain Ford called Rohda into the ruck to relieve the usual followers before Maryborough skipper Coppock received attention from four trainers for a head injury.
He resumed, heavily bandaged.

Maryborough led by 15 points at half-time: 7 goals 8 behinds to Square's 5 goals 5 behinds.

During the interval Coppock had three stitches inserted in a nasty head wound, while Cummings also had treatment for a cut above one eye which had closed.

Square's B. Lapsley passed the ball to McNamee, resulting in a third quarter goal. When Norton goaled from a clever shot Golden Square suddenly shot two points in front.

After McNamee had landed his third goal in 10 minutes, Square kept attacking down the stand wing. Then after Bolger missed one shot for Maryborough he made amends with the ball sailing straight through.

Golden Square led by two points at three-quarter time: 9 goals six behinds, to Maryborough's 8 goals 10 behinds.
May and Pye were brilliant for the Square in the last quarter. May landed a hefty punt between the goal posts, while Pye's pace burnt off his bigger Borough opponents.

Still, Maryborough forged to the lead when Wunhym drove the ball to Bolger who scored his third six-pointer.

Hargreaves of Golden Square marked about 60 yards out and his goal drew the scores level. Only five minutes play remained.

When Foley marked and posted full points, Square's prospects looked bright. With three minutes to go, Golden Square led by a goal before another fine effort by Foley ended in his second six-pointer for the Square.

Maryborough again moved forward and Hubble marked seconds before the final bell. He goaled as the players were leaving the ground.

Final scores: Golden Square 14 goals 8 behinds def. Maryborough 12 goals 12 behinds.

THE LEAD paragraphs in the Monday paper read:
"Co-ordinating effectively and making better use of their forward advances, Golden Square scored a well-deserved victory in the grand final game of the Bendigo League on Saturday, thus winning the pennant for the last two years.
"Maryborough had some players who did not come up to expectations.

"Brilliant work was often wasted by the inability of the forwards to master Golden Square's defenders.

"Maryborough's players also experienced trouble in kicking the ball and this played a big part in the team's downfall.

"It was one of the hardest games in this league for years. More than 10,000 persons attended, gate receipts totalling 377 pounds."

IN THE early finals matches of the 1939 season, Square scored a big first semi win over South Bendigo while Rochester blew its chances in the second semi.

The Advertiser reported that in the first semi-final "unorthodox methods were carried out to counter South's centreline by switching the rovers onto the weak flank when they were resting.

"The value of this plan was demonstrated early in the second term. South sustained a severe loss in the first few minutes when captain C. Hindson was carried from the ground with a serious injury to an elbow.

"Muir, the crack half-forward and follower, was also unable to play."

Final scores: Golden Square 14 goals 14 behinds def. South Bendigo 8 goals 8 behinds.

MIDWAY through the final term of the second semi-final Rochester, with an advantage of more than two goals and playing superior football appeared the winner.

But the northern combination failed to check the final invasions of Maryborough which gradually bridged the gap and secured the deciding goal within a minute of the final bell.

It was an exhilarating finish to a keenly contested encounter.

The transfer of Murdoch, the former Richmond and Castlemaine player, to the centre half-forward position in the final term, enabled Maryborough to pull through.

While each side was strong in defence the attacking divisions lacked sting. Rochester's coach Copland tried to rally his side.

Murdoch goaled with a prodigious punt to leave Maryborough four points in arrears late in the final quarter. With only a minute to go Rochester looked certain to emerge the victor but it failed to repel another rally by Maryborough.

Bolger goaled seconds before the final bell to leave the final scores: Maryborough 8 goals 13 behinds, Rochester 8 goals 11 behinds.

AND IN the preliminary final Rochester was unable to counter Golden Square's fast and cohesive play.

The northern combination finished with a big deficiency, but it was handicapped as some of the players were still troubled with injuries received in the semi-final.

Square's star men were Rohda and Hargreaves who shared 15 of the 19 goals scored by the team.

Before the game Rochester intimated its intention of protesting against Golden Square if it played three men who had taken part during the 1939 season in Bendigo Association football: Jack Foley, Ritchie Lee and Jack McNamee.

The three men played, and the protest was duly handed to the secretary of the league at the end of the game.
Final scores: Golden Square 19 goals 13 behinds def. Rochester 15 goals 3 behinds.

Richard's 2010 grand final tip: Golden Square to defeat South Bendigo by 33 points. Season's total: 80.

By Richard Jones