GISBORNE belted Eaglehawk after the midway mark of the second term in 2004's preliminary final, holding their opponents goalless for the rest of the match.

The Gardiner Reserve Dogs went on to cement a grand final berth against Sandhurst and in the process inflict a crushing 65-point defeat on the Two Blues.

Jordan Barham (5) and Steven Reaper (4) drilled nine goals between them for the Dogs. Sean Smith was the only multiple goalkicker for Eaglehawk with two.

The second half fadeout left Borough coach Derrick Filo lamenting a season of lost opportunities.

"It was the story of our season, actually," Filo said after the prelim. final.

"We had opportunities to be further ahead at half-time, but didn't take them.

"And against the top sides when you don't take your opportunities you get hurt on the scoreboard. Gisborne was just far too good for us in the second half."

FILO, somewhat uncharacteristically, lashed out at the standard of umpiring in his after-match comments.

Rarely had he whinged about the men-in-white during his celebrated 20-year BFL career, but that prelim. final weekend Filo said he was worried for Bendigo footy.

"The umpires have been absolutely terrible," the Eaglehawk mentor said.

"We had an emergency umpire on Saturday who was almost inciting action with some of the things he was saying to the players," said Filo.

"He was looking and – I think --- was hoping for a response from players.
"Some of the experienced guys are still okay but we now have some of these young umpires coming into umpiring with (big) egos.

"Talking to the Bendigo Umpires' Association about decisions has become a waste of time. In a game late this season I thought the umpiring bordered on cheating," said the Eaglehawk coach.

"There's no use organizing a meeting with the umpires because you can't give them constructive criticism. They always believe the umpies have done a top job."

Filo said it was something the BFL board (and clubs) needed to address before it got out of hand.

I have the names of the 2004 prelim. final umpires [three field, and one emergency], but decided to leave their names out of this article.

Anyone with the slightest knowledge about accessing old Bendigo Advertiser files down at the Hargreaves Street library --- or for that matter, by clicking on the Trove newspaper internet search facility on the desktop or iPad at home --- should be able to dig up those four names fairly easily.
I think in this story for the BFNL Record, however, I'll leave those umpire names out.

LEADING up to the game Hawk defender Luke Button said he'd been driven by the disappointment of 2003.

The 21-year-old had missed out on selection for Eaglehawk's grand final side a year earlier.

Now the highly-regarded captain at the Borough and a key defender, a decade back he was Eaglehawk's centreman.
In a preliminary final-eve story Button told how he'd worked hard right through the summer of 2003-4 so he'd be able to hold his side in the Two Blues' best 21.

"I knew I had to be fitter and stronger," he said of his build-up to the 2004 season under playing coach Filo.

Greater fitness allowed him to run to more contests, run harder from defence into attack and then back again --- the other way.
Button also involved himself in more tackling training to improve that aspect of his game.

He'd nailed a regular spot in the Eaglehawk senior side by mid-season 2004 and played his 50th match for the Hawks in the qualifying final against Sandhurst.

Filo used Button in a variety of roles. He'd played on a wing, across half-back, in the centre (which was his spot on preliminary final day) and as an on-baller.

An Eaglehawk player since his under-12 days, Button endured mixed emotions when the Two Blue senior and reserves side matched up against Gisborne in the 2003 grand finals.
He was voted the R.F. Turner medallist as best afield in Eaglehawk's victory in the reserves while the 'Ones' were beaten by Gisborne, coached by Mick McGuane.

OVER the summer Button and his teammates put in a lot of hard work, particularly endurance running.

"The runs at Lightning Hill were really tough and we also did a fair amount of running around Lake Neangar," he said.

"That sort of training was pretty rough at times, but the work you have done during those months really shows out at this time of the year, in the finals."

The Hawks' centreman knew the final against Gisborne would be tough and hard.

The Bulldogs had had the wood on the Two Blues during the 2004 season and got over the line successfully each time.
"We have to stick to our game plan and do the basics," Button said, commenting on trying to end Gisborne's charge towards a third straight grand final and the chance to claim a hat-trick of Bendigo Advertiser premiership cups.

Final scores, prelim. finals, 2004:
Seniors: Gisborne 14.13 (97) def. Eaglehawk 3.14 (32).
Reserves: Eaglehawk 12.9 (81) def. South Bendigo 3.4 (22)
Under 18s: South Bendigo 4.10 (34) def. Kang. Flat 2.7 (19).
Grand finals schedule, September 18th, 2004:
Seniors: Sandhurst v Gisborne.
Reserves: Gisborne v Eaglehawk.
Under-18s: Sandhurst v South Bendigo.

SIMON 'Harry' Elsum of Gisborne won the 2004 Michelsen medal, polling 23 votes to win clearly from Rick Andrews of Sandhurst (19 votes) and Ashley Evans of Maryborough (18).
Eaglehawk's Ash Wilson ended up fourth with 15 votes.

After 11 rounds of the count Evans led. Then in the run home Elsum took the lead and was never headed.

He polled in eight of the 14 games he played a decade ago and finished with seven best afield votes. Elsum's concluding three-vote award came in the final home-and-away game, Round 18 versus Kangaroo Flat.

Elsum also won the Bendigo Advertiser-Strath Village Player of the Year award.

Golden Square's Stacey Scott comfortably won netball's Betty Thompson Medal with 29 votes.

She polled in 12 of the Bulldogs' 16 games. Stacey snared six three-votes in her total of 29.

Lauren Ryan of Eaglehawk was second on 19 votes with Paige Rymer (Gisborne) third on 18.

AROUND the traps and Colbinabbin with coach Darryl Wilson and captain Damian Slater at the helm won their third consecutive Heathcote DFL flag.

In a low-scoring Big Dance the Grasshoppers scored a 29-point victory over White Hills. The Demons were playing in their first grand final since 1988, but just couldn't really get going on the big occasion managing a meager two majors for the day's play.
After 48 hours of heavy rain, conditions at the Elmore ground were extremely difficult for players.

Colbo ruckman Nick Fraser was adjudged best afield. Brendan McEvoy with three six-pointers was the only multiple goalkicker on the park.

Final scores: Colbinabbin 6.14 (50) def. White Hills 2.9 (21).
In the MCDFL preliminary final, Newstead earned the right to play Carisbrook in the 2004 decider.
At Princes Park in Maryborough Newstead 9.14 (68) def. Harcourt 6.7 (43).

Richard's 2014 preliminary final tip: Sandhurst by 30 points over Gisborne. Finals total: 4 out of 4. Overall season tally: 79. Michelsen medal tip: Ryan Maldenis (Sandhurst) from Corey Jones (Golden Square) and Tim Martin (S'hurst).
Dark horse: Ben Weightman (Kyneton).

By Richard Jones