A look back at previous Bendigo Football Netball League Michelsen Medal winners.

1955, Jim Byrne (Sandhurst): the dominant ruckman of his era, the mid-Fifties, Byrne played 57 games for the Hurst. He was with Sandhurst for just three seasons before heading to the Big Smoke to try out with St. Kilda at the end of the 1956 season. Member of Sandhurst’s finals sides of 1954-55-56, but runners-up to South in both 1954 and ’55 were as high as Byrne was to achieve.

1965, a tie between Kevin Delmenico (Castlemaine) and Bill Serong (Echuca): both polled 18 votes on the day of the count and like Byrne a decade earlier were also described as ruckmen. Former Collingwood player Serong --- Echuca’s playing coach --- was probably more of a ruck-rover or what we’d term an on-baller these days.
Serong played 98 games for the VFL’s Magpies (1956-1961, 52 goals) and then 16 games for North Melbourne in 1962. Delmenico, who also lined up for the Maine at centre half-back, played for the BFL’s Magpies between 1962-65 and then for Footscray (now the Western Bulldogs) in 65 games from 1966-1970.

1975, Tony Southcombe (Golden Square): the second of his two Michelsens as ‘Bluey’ had also won in ’72 with a massive 33 votes. Member of the inaugural BFNL Hall of Fame in 1986 he was not only the top follower of his day but also a very handy goalkicker. Unsurprisingly, a key member of BFL inter-league sides and also selected in elite VCFL teams of the period. Lined up with Carlton for 13 VFL/AFL games (11 goals) in 1977.

1985, Shane Muir (Kyneton): the pre-eminent rover of his time who played in three grand finals for two premierships with the Tigers: in 1995 and 1997. Also in the runner-up side to the Flat in ’96. One of the top handful of in-and-under midfielders in the BFL of the period and was a regular member of Blue and Gold inter-league sides, including the stellar sides of the late 1980s coached by Neville Strauch.

1995, Frank Coghlan (Sandhurst): described as a ruck-rover in the Michelsen Medal archives, Frank was a classic centreman/midfielder in today’s parlance. Polled 17 votes to win in ’95. Had a huge ‘tank’ and was still running hard towards the end of the final quarter on the old, square-shaped QEO with its very deep pockets. Ended up playing 109 games (64 goals) for St. Kilda, 1986-1992, before returning to the Hurst.

2005, Luke Saunders (Gisborne): polled 18 votes and as a forward smashed the hold of midfielders and ruckmen who had been stepping up to collect Michelsens for years. One of the best high marks for a player of his size in the 2000s. An inspirational leader – known as the ‘Rolls Royce’ -- with a knack of kicking ‘clutch’ goals for the Graveyard Dogs in their premiership-winning streak of four [from six grand finals] during the mid-Noughties. Saunders polled 18 votes to win from joint runners-up Ian Martin and Luke Walters (both Castlemaine) on 16.

By Richard Jones