KANGAROO Flat enjoyed their first ‘golden age’ in footy straight after World War 1 had ended, albeit in a lower grade league.

It’s hard to believe now, but there were competitions in vogue in Bendigo quite a stretch below the BFL from 1918 for a season or two known as the Third Rate Football Association and the Trades Association.
No doubt young men enjoyed playing football with the stresses of global war behind them, even if it wasn’t at the top level.
The Roos met Bendigo City in the grand final of the 1918 Third Rate competition as the war was winding up, but they managed just 4.13 (37) for the match and lost to City by 24 points.
By 1919 with the BFL in full swing again the First Rate Football Association was established. Four clubs contested this league: Golden City, Bendigo East, Foggitt Jones (a trade team) and the Flat.
The Roos just couldn’t match it with the other three and finished in the cellar.
On to 1920 and the higher ranked First Rate body had embraced seven clubs. Kangaroo Flat made it through to June 12th without a loss before Railways beat them. Nevertheless, the Roos went on to make the semi-finals.
The Flat went down to Long Gully in the FRFA second semi-final. Long Gully’s field kicking was a touch superior and although Stan Hammill and Read pulled in some big marks for the Flat, Long Gully won: 4.6 (30) to 3.3 (21).
A year later and the First Rate Association was up to eight clubs. The Roos won their opening three games with thrillers against Railways at the Kennington ground (now known as the Harry Trott Oval) and St. Kilians but went down in Rd. 4 to Golden City.
Kangaroo Flat was back in top form by Rd. 7 holding Huntly scoreless for the entire match. Flat won 5.14 (44) to 0.0 (0).

MINOR premiers by the end of the home and away rounds meant the Flat was firm favourite to win the 1921 flag. They’d gone on a winning streak of 10 in a row as finals approached.
Rain turned Canterbury Park into a slippery arena for the second semi-final but the Roos beat Golden City by three points: 6.4 (40) to 5.7 (37).
Kangaroo Flat didn’t deter the Railways boys, however. They won the final by eight points, ending the Roos’ 11-game winning run.
But as minor premiers Kangaroo Flat was entitled to challenge Railways and take entitlement of their ‘double’ chance.
Canterbury Park was the venue for the grand final and a large crowd turned out. Railways held a one-point lead as the final term started.
It turned into a bit of a cakewalk for Railways as they scooted home to a 15-point victory: 7.5 (47) to Flat’s 5.5 (35).
A season which had promised so much for the Kangaroos ended in deep disappointment, but that disappointment was the catalyst for the ultimate prize two seasons later.

FOLLOWING a lacklustre 1922 season when they ended up fifth and missed a spot in the finals the Kangaroos bounded into 1923 full of confidence.
Mid-season losses to Railways and St Kilians were compensated by a strong victory over Long Gully as the Roos consolidated second spot on the ladder.
They won the second semi-final against St Kilians and then the final over Railways. But as minor premiers St. Kilians exercised their right to challenge and contest the 1923 grand final.
In the final against Railways, Henry Glen and Stan Hammill were great leaders for the Flat and appalling kicking from their opponents helped the side.
By half-time Railways had registered 14 scoring shots but led 3.11 to Flat’s 2.4.
The Roos took over in the second half allowing Railways just two more six-pointers for the ’23 final. Kangaroo Flat won 7.7 (49) to 5.14 (44).

THE 1923 FRFA grand final was played as the curtain raiser to the Sandhurst-South Bendigo BFL decider at the Upper Reserve.
It was a big season for the BFL in 1923 as Rochester had entered the league with Echuca and Castlemaine both ready for admission over the next two seasons.
But Kangaroo Flat had bigger things to envisage. They jumped away early ramming home 4.3 to no score in the opening quarter.
St. Kilians made a mini-recovery but 0.5 by three-quarter time was never going to win a grand final and the Flat absorbed the minor premiers’ last quarter charge to win by 16 points.
1923 grand final scores: Kangaroo Flat 5.5 (35) def. St Kilians 2.7 (19).
The victory capped off a great season for the Flat and with a talented list at their disposal the Roos could be forgiven for thinking they were on the brink of a successful dynasty.

BUT it was going to take another three seasons before the Kangaroos tasted ultimate success once more.
White Hills was now a competing club with the Roos runners-up in both 1924 and 1925. They lost the final in 1924 to the Hillies and in 1925 they went down in the final to California Gully, a BFL club back in the first decade of the 20th century.
And so it was onwards and into 1926. Skipper Lee booted five goals in the grand final rematch against Cal Gully as the Roos steamrolled the reigning premier by 71 points.
Not long afterwards a trip to Elmore against the new Association club was rostered, but with a four-goal contribution from Lee the Roos won the battle of the undefeated clubs by two points.
On June 19th Lee finished with seven goals as Kangaroo Flat disposed of White Hills, 15.13 (103) to 7.6 (48). An even bigger winning score was posted against Long Gully: 20.18 (138).
The second semi-final was just about the best game of the 1926 season. Kangaroo Flat led Long Gully by 15 points before the Gully forged to the lead by one, straight kick.
Lee secured a loose ball and punted a goal to leave the scores all tied up at the final bell.
The Flat managed to win the replay --- another nail-biter --- by six points, 4.11 (35) to 4.5 (29), and earn a grand final berth against old rivals, St. Kilians.

THE Kennington ground was packed for the 1926 grand final.
Kangaroo Flat won the toss and kicked with the aid of a blustery breeze, yet managed just 3.4 to St. Killians 1.2.
It was going to be a grand final dominated by the defences and scoring was extra difficult.
But the Flat stayed in front all match, even if only narrowly and by the time the final bell sounded the Kangaroos had won: 7.11 (53) to 6.10 (46).
Kangaroo Flat, therefore, had remained undefeated for the entire 1926 season and in the view of the Advertiser writers of the day “had made up for the disappointments of the past two seasons.”
President Horace Bath was delighted with his players’ efforts in the ’26 season and joined his fellow committee members in passing on huge congratulations to Lee and his players.
And then major chances went begging as the Twenties came to their conclusion.
In 1927 the Flat won eight of their 10 home and away matches, downed White Hills in their semi-final 15.1 (101) to the Hillies 5.4 (35) but lost the match which counted – the grand final --- to St Kilians.
St. Kilians led by only two points at half-time before banging home six goals to 3.2 in the third term to win by 21 points.

A SEASON on and even with Henry Glen (six in an early fixture vs. White Hills) and Stan Hammill (12 majors against Long Gully) in great goal-kicking form the Roos couldn’t re-capture their 1926 form.
New side South Bendigo Juniors (what we’d call a BFNL Reserves side these days) accounted for Flat in the final. The Bloods led by seven points at the last break and despite Bynon’s excellent dash from his wing for the Flat, South won by 22 points and knocked the Roos out of a 1928 grand final spot.
It was heartbreak again in 1929. As Syd. Bull dominated the day’s play, the Roos comfortably beat South in the final: 7.4 (46) to 3.8 (26).
But minor premiers South Bendigo Juniors exercised their right to challenge and won the grand final by thee points: 4.12 (36) to 4.9 (33) in front of a large, but devastated, Kangaroo Flat crowd of supporters.
Peat and Harry combined to land the winning goal for the Red and Whites but little did Roo followers of the time know that the 1929 grand final would be the Flat’s last for almost two decades until they eventually reached the 1948 decider.

With thanks to Flat’s 2014 Hall Of Fame inductee Gary Place and Bendigo district historian Darren Lewis.
Material sourced from ‘We Are The Kangaroos: 1862—2013.’
Correction: In last week’s Reflections I hailed Greg Kennedy as the only player in recent times to win the Michelsen medal, leading goalkicker award and a premiership -- all in the one season.
Of course, Rochester’s Ray Willett achieved an identical trifecta in 1962. He won the Michelsen with 30 votes, topped the goalkicking with 67 and was a key man in Rochester’s unbeaten, flag-winning ’62 season.
Thanks to Rochy and Colbo historian and footy lover, Dr. ‘Rocket’ Rod Gillett.

Richard’s selections for Round 17: Strath. Storm (vs. Gisborne), Castlemaine (vs. Sth. Bendigo), Sandhurst (vs. G. Square, QEO), Eaglehawk (vs. Maryborough) and Kyneton (vs. Kang. Flat, at Bendigo Mazda Oval.
Tips running total for 2015: 66.

By Richard Jones