WITH this season's Queen's birthday split weekend well behind us now, let's look back at those super busy few days in June 1993.
An inter-league match was played on the Saturday, one BFL match was rostered for the Sunday and the remainder went ahead on the holiday Monday.
In an 11-team competition --- North Bendigo, Kennington and Northern United were still member clubs --- it must have presented a fixturing nightmare.
I noted in my BFL back page wrap-up on Tuesday, June 15th, 1993 that the inter-league semi-final --- won by the Blue and Gold --- had taken its toll on players.
"It was a tough weekend for a number of Bendigo representative footballers," I wrote 21 seasons ago.
"Some such as Square's Justin Esposito on the Sunday and Kyneton's Tony Kelly on the Monday, didn't play at all after Saturday's win.
"Castlemaine's Simon Jorgensen didn't finish Monday's match against South while his lion-hearted Magpie teammate Derrick Filo was clearly feeling the pinch.
"Peter O'Farrell was a late withdrawal from the Dragons' side at Raywood, replaced by Ashley Harris.
"And South Bendigo playing coach Peter Curran watched the Monday game from the sidelines. He was delighted with the performance of his players as they battled back from a half-time deficit to wear down the Magpies and win a holiday Monday thriller by 21 points."
Paul Starbuck took his place in Castlemaine's team for the Monday game despite having flown in from Europe only on the Saturday night.
The age-old problem of clubs' ability to field under-18 sides was on the boil two decades ago.
Kennington-Strathdale Thirds forfeited their match to Kyneton. It came just one round after North Bendigo under-18s forfeited their match against Golden Square.
There were suggestions right through the central Victorian region that the age gradings for Thirds across the region --- including the Heathcote and Loddon Valley leagues --- needed to be altered.
"But that could only come about through a decision by the full membership of the Bendigo regional board of the VCFL," the back page article stated.
SOUTH Bendigo's players had to call on all their reserves of tenacity and courage to wear down Castlemaine in the BFL round 11 match-of-the-day.
The Magpies bounced out to an 8.4 to 5.8 lead by the long break. QEO patrons saw some spectacular marking on a surprisingly sunny winter's day.
Maine key forward Stuart Annand was in sparkling form, hauling in many overhead high marks. First-gamer David Nicholas (recruited from Vermont) made an auspicious debut nailing five goals for South from full-forward.
With acting captain Francis Burke and '92 Michelsen medallist Simon McLean leading by example the Bloods booted five goals to nil in a match-defining third quarter.
They crept out to a 13-point buffer by three-quarter time: 10.9 to 8.8.
Curran used Deon Marks in the ruck as well as in defence, Stephen Dean and David McMurray alternated in picking up the dangerous Annand, but David Cox --- relishing the absence of John Hill --- starred for the Maine in the ruck.
Dean Henderson was another handful for South. He booted two goals in the opening term as the Magpies opened up an 18-point break.
It was Henderson's first game back in the black and white after recovering from a broken nose.
Crumbing small forward Jamie Allan booted two goals for the day for the Maine while Mark Keck, Travis St Clair and David Ivey landed two each for the Bloods.
Current Sandhurst coach Brett Fitzpatrick had been moved to full-back on Nicholas during the second term and turned in a serviceable game for the Magpies.
AT the Atkins Street ground Kangaroo Flat kept their finals hopes alive with a 13-point win over North Bendigo.
Catalyst for the Roos' upset win was an eight-goal second quarter sparked by Robert Herbert from the back half and capped off by on-ballers Harrington, Wilson and Wicks.
Surprisingly, it wasn't David Lancaster who was the main target up front. He did kick a couple of goals but Dean Armstrong was the destroyer with six.
Five of Armstrong's bag were landed in the second quarter onslaught.
Darren Moorhead and Bryan Dorrington landed three goals apiece on the day for the Bulldogs with Justin Pickering prominent with his strong marking around the ground.
Unfortunately for North, the stretcher was needed twice before half-time: Clarke and Phillips were carried off.
The late John Turner was the Addy's man-at-the-game at Atkins Street that June afternoon.
Sandhurst demoralized Northern United at Raywood, leading 16 goals to two at the long break. Key forwards David Gallagher (9) and Danny Ellis (8) went on a goal-kicking day out with Paul McMahon and Steve Robinson adding four each.
The Swallows' Simon Green, another inter-leaguer sapped by Saturday's wet conditions, played his heart out yet United managed only four goals for the day.
The Dragons' Julian "Jack" Perez controlled the ruck duels, McMahon was named best afield for his midfield drive while Matthew Sexton chopped off innumerable United forward moves.
KYNETON was another club to bolster its finals credentials with a 57-point victory over Kennington.
The fifth-placed Tigers had to battle hard to shake off the Saints and led by 28 points at half-time.
Steve Coghill booted three of his six goals in the second stanza, Terry Mangan and Nick Heath who changed at full-forward with turns on the ball were on top in the ruck duels while Steve Smithwick was a damaging forward flanker.
Then the Saints roared back. They booted seven, straight goals in a terrific third term burst.
Grey Lyon (4 goals for the day) and Stephen Ralph (3) were damaging in front of goal. David Trevorah was also an elusive forward.
However, the Tigers were also on target in the free-flowing third term. They booted 8.1 with Gerard Goodyear's superb raking shot from the boundary line the goal-of-the-day.
It turned out to be a 15-goal third quarter.
The Tigers consolidated their hold on the match with a five-goal last quarter while restricting the Saints to a couple.
Nonetheless Michael Nihill, the Advertiser reporter at the game, concluded that "Kennington isn't far away from a win.
"They had tremendous running players in Ralph, Lyon, Rick Townsend and Troy Rodda but unfortunately no big men up forward.
"If a big key forward can be found (before clearances close) the Saints will win a game."
Final scores: Kyneton 24.13 (147) def. Kennington 16.4 (100).
Sandhurst 35.19 (229) def. Northern. United 4.7 (31).
Kangaroo Flat 16.16 (112) def. North Bendigo 14.15 (99).
South Bendigo 13.14 (92) def. Castlemaine 10.11 (71).
Ladder, with all clubs having had one bye, therefore each had accrued 4 premiership points for the bye: South Bendigo 9 wins, 1 loss, 40 prem. pts; Maryborough 9, 1, 40; Sandhurst 8, 2, 36; Castlemaine 7, 3, 32; Kyneton 5, 4, 1 draw, 26.
Outside Top Five: Eaglehawk, 5, 5, 24; Kang. Flat 4, 6, 20; North Bendigo 3, 5, 1 draw, 18; Golden Square 3, 7, 16; Northern United 1, 9, 8; Kennington-Strathdale 0, 10, 4 premiership points.
Richard's tips for Round 11: Kangaroo Flat by 43 points against Castlemaine, Strath Storm by 57 over Eaglehawk, Gisborne by 29 over Maryborough, Sandhurst by 22 against Kyneton and Golden Square by 52 over South at the QEO.
2014 season total: 42.
By Richard Jones