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benflGISBORNE booked its 2006 grand final berth by grinding South Bendigo into the QEO turf on preliminary final day.

Nine seasons ago the Graveyard Dogs had 14 goalkickers as they racked up an impressive 27 majors while restricting the hapless Bloods to just nine.

It was to be Gisborne’s fifth consecutive BFNL grand final appearance.

The second biggest game of the season was all over by the long break with the Graveyard Dogs ahead by close to seven goals.
Ben James tagged South coach Danny ‘Breeza’ O’Bree while running players Adam Pokrovsky, Matt Fitzgerald, Glenn Carrick and Daniel Sipthorp were outstanding all match.

The Bulldogs sprayed their shots in the first term. From 10 scoring shots they landed just three goals but still led by an impressive 17 points at the first change.

South did mount a mini-charge early in the second term.
Goals to Leigh Burke after he floated across the front of a pack for a sensational mark, followed by a spot-on conversion, and then another major after he’d marked one-handed put South within five points.

Just eight minutes of the second term had been played and spectators sensed a South recovery.

But that was to be the end of the Bloods’ charge.
Four unanswered Gisborne goals, sparked by skipper Luke Saunders along with defensive pressure from Marcus Barham and Cameron Medica, had South on the back-foot as half-time loomed.

The ‘Rolls Royce’ swooped on the ball after it had been swatted back from half-forward following a kick-in to run in for a classy goal.

THE Bulldogs added nine goals in the third term with Matt Fitzgerald ramming home two of his three goals for the day.
The Graveyard Dogs received a scare when Saunders was stretchered off during the third stanza after copping a heavy, but fair, bump from Leigh Burke.

South’s only answer to Gisborne’s salvo was a sole reply by Michael Leech.

Carrick’s right foot shot from the outside of his boot was a classic Bulldog goal. Then Farrugia stood in a tackle but was still able to handpass off to Pokrovsky for another Gisborne major.

And the Gisborne pressure didn’t wilt in the last term. The Bulldogs added 8.4 while at least South looked a trifle better, posting 3.2.

Shane Davis waltzed through a crush to score his third goal with Daniel Sipthorp in complete control in the midfield.
Gisborne coach Marcus Barham described the preliminary final performance as “our best four quarter effort of the year.”
“We didn’t let up or give up on the chases or allow our pressure and run to drop off for the entire match,” he said.

“Fitzy always lifts for the big games but today he went to another level,” said Barham. “He was particularly motivated as his grandfather Brian Fitzgerald --- a legend at Gisborne Football-Netball Club -– passed away during the week.”
“So there was extra incentive for Fitzy in this preliminary final.”

Gisborne 3.7 10.13 19.17 27.21 (183)
South Bendigo 1.2 5.3 6.7 9.9 (63)
Goals – Gisborne: Glen Carrick 3, Shane Davis 3, Darren Farrugia 3, Matt Fitzgerald 3, Daniel Sipthorp 3, Adam Pokrovsky 2, Luke Saunders 2, James McFarlane 2, Matt McKenzie, Cameron Medica, Ollie Messaoudi, Michael Dillon, Jason Duff-Tyler, Richard White. South Bendigo: Leigh Burke 2, Dayne Frew 2, Danny O’Bree 2, Luke Beattie, Michael Leech, Neville Clark.
Best – Gisborne: Matt Fitzgerald (best on ground), Ben James, Adam Pokrovsky, Glen Carrick, Daniel Sipthorp, Anthony Belcher, Darren Farrugia. South Bendigo: Rick Coburn, Grant Tasca, Dayne Frew, Leigh Burke.
Reserves prelim. final: South Bendigo 18.13 def. Gisborne 4.5. Under-18s prelim. final: Sandhurst 17.10 def. G. Square 8.9.

AND the count for the 2006 Michelsen medal was looming, two days after the preliminary final had been decided.

Gisborne duo Michael Dillon and Matt Fitzgerald (the 2003 winner) were named by the majority of rival BFNL coaches as likely to take out the medal.

Among them was then Gisborne coach Marcus Barham. “Fitzy is the best rover in the competition and has had at least five games where he should poll the three votes,” said the coach.
The Graveyard Dogs had dominated the vote count in the early to mid-Noughties with Fitzgerald’s 2003 medal followed by teammates Simon Elsum in 2004 and Luke ‘Rolls Royce’ Saunders in 2005.

Golden Square centreman Jason Griffin had enjoyed a big 2006 but he’d been suspended for one match mid-season and was thus ineligible.

Among other players tipped to poll well were South Bendigo’s Danny ‘Breeza’ O’Bree and Ryan Connaughton, Eaglehawk’s Kain Robins, Golden Square’s Aaron Hawkins and Castlemaine coach and centreman Ian Martin.
Advertiser sports editor Adam Bourke straw-polled the BFNL coaches on the eve of the big count and this is what they thought.

DARREN Walsh (GS). His club: Aaron Hawkins. Rival club: Matt Fitzgerald (Gis). Marcus Barham (Gis). His club: Matt Fitzgerald. Rival club: Kain Robins (Eh). Danny O’Bree (SB). His club: Ryan Connaughton. Rival club: Matt Fitzgerald (Gis). David Collins (Sh). His club: Michael Cornish. Rival club: Michael Dillon (Gis).

Derrick Filo (Eh). His club: Kain Robins. Rival club: Matt Fitzgerald (Gis). Lachlan Brown (Cm assistant cch.). His club: Chris Jardine or Guy Marshall. Rival club: Michael Dillon. Neville Massina (Kyneton). His club: Brad Else. Rival club: Michael Dillon (Gis). Steve Thomson (Mrb). His club: Ash Noonan or Dylan Clarkson. Rival club: Michael Dillon (Gis). Chris Harrington (KF, ex-coach and senior player). His club: Hamish Dahl. Rival club: Danny O’Bree (SB). Shane McCarty (North City). His club: Cam Richardson. Rival club: Matt Fitzgerald (Gis).

And the chocolates went to? Well, a tie between Barham and Filo, actually. They’d both selected Robins.
Eaglehawk’s Robins polled 15 votes to win the 2006 Michelsen Medal while Square’s Matt O’Toole took out the Ron Best goalkicking medal with 82 majors.

AROUND the traps in mid-September 2006 and Mount Pleasant booked a grand final spot against Elmore with a 14-point win over Lockington-Bamawm United in the HDFL preliminary final.
Mounts fought back from a 23-point half-time deficit to win: 18.12 (120) to LBU’s 15.16 (106).

Newstead booked their MCDFL grand final place by downing Carisbrook by 27 points: 14.12 (96) to 10.9 (60).

The Steaders, who won even without injured coach Steven Oliver, were to go around against the Harcourt Apple Eaters in the 2006 MCDFL Big Dance.

The Lexton Plains F.L. was still up and running nine years ago and Carngham-Linton beat Natte Bealiba 18.14 to 7.6 in their preliminary final.

After the Golden Rivers F.L. grand final Wakool was celebrating. They’d won a tight grand final by eight points. Final scores: Wakool 18.14 to Nullawil’s 17.12.
Donald comfortably overcame Birchip-Watchem in the North Central preliminary final: 19.18 to 12.12.

And in the Murray League grand final Echuca United was celebrating after accounting for Mulwala --- 15.11 to 9.12.

THE AFL preliminary finals were set for a Sydney-Fremantle clash in the Harbour City while Chris Judd’s West Coast Eagles would also fly east to clash with Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.

In Week 2 of the AFL finals series in 2006 Freo accounted for Melbourne (yes, hard as it is to remember, the Dees actually played finals in the early to mid-2000s) -- 14.18 to 11.8.
Matthew Pavlich (who’s still going strong) speared home two goals for the Dockers along with Murphy, Farmer and Carr.
They snagged two each also. David Neitz and Russell Robertson nailed three goals apiece for Melbourne.

The Weagles trounced the Western Dogs 16.17 to 5.9 with Lynch (6) and Hunter (4) booting the major share of West Coast’s majors.

Chris Judd, who retired in early June this year, was in the best for the Eagles along with Ben Cousins, Daniel Kerr, Hunter, Lynch and Selwood.

Richard’s selection for preliminary final, under lights, Saturday evening: Sandhurst by 11 points over Golden Square.
Tipping total for 2015: 78. Correct finals tips: 4 out of 4.

By Richard Jones