BENDIGO league clubs were furious with the administration's decision to continue scheduling club fixtures and inter-league clashes on the same weekend back in 1983.
Thirty years ago club matches were played on the Saturday while the Blue and Golds' semi-final clash with Riverina took place on the Sunday.
Eaglehawk was particularly upset with the way things panned out.
Former president Kelvin Alcock wrote to the league stating that the decision to continue playing club and Winfield Country Championships games on the same weekend was "breaking his club in half."
The Two Blues had six players in the representative side: club coach Phil Byrne, key defender Robert O'Connell, on-ballers Steve McDougall and Danny Slater, No. 1 ruckman Gary Addlem and uncompromising defender Peter Rogerson.
With those players missing Eaglehawk lost to second-bottom club, Kennington-Strathdale: 25.13 (163) to 10.23 (83).
Rowan Sadler booted eight goals for Kennington, while Rod Southon added five and Wayne McCumber three.
Ian Baines was best for the inaccurate Hawks with three majors.
Mr. Alcock told the Advertiser he'd watched in dismay as many long-time Eaglehawk fans left the ground at half-time in disgust.
"While I'm extremely pleased and proud that Eaglehawk provided one-third of the Bendigo team for Sunday and the fact that ex-Eaglehawk player Denis Higgins coached the side, why doesn't the league postpone all home-and-away matches for that week the Winfield Country Championships are on?" he asked.
The former Hawks' boss said all other major country leagues he knew of postponed their normal fixtures.
"I can't see why this league cannot.
"Why should Eaglehawk after being associated continuously in country football for 103 years (the club was founded in 1880) be treated like this?" Mr. Alcock asked the BFL in his written submission.
He added that Eaglehawk's poor performance against Kennington could be traced back to the missing six, star players.
"This league is breaking our club in half," he wrote.
Although Mr. Alcock didn't specify this fact in his letter, Eaglehawk lost both its 1983 club matches when the inter-league matches were on: to South Bendigo in May and then to Kennington in June.
THE 12 club presidents were scheduled to meet with the fledgling BFL board of management on the Thursday after the busy weekend.
It was believed Eaglehawk would refuse to take the field for a home-and-away match in the future if they lost six players to inter-league selection.
And Kangaroo Flat and Peter Hinck had some explaining to do.
The Roo captain-coach played for his side on the Saturday after being originally named in the Bendigo side.
Hinck sat on the pine for the early part of the match against Golden Square before running onto the field not long before quarter-time.
He wore a different number to his regular number 9. The team sheet handed to the central umpires --- and viewed by the Advertiser after the match --- showed Hinck's name beside No. 4.
That was the guernsey he wore for the Square match. The official BFL guide showed player K. Walsh as Flat's No. 4.
Hinck was injured during the match when he collided in a pack with a teammate's shoulder. He was taken to hospital where four stitches were inserted in a cut above his mouth along with two stitches to a cut inside his mouth.
Flat president Ian Jackman declined to make any comment about the matter, but the Advertiser discovered the Roos' line of argument would be that Hinck was quite prepared to don a Blue and Gold jumper for the inter-league semi-final the next day.
However, when team officials and selectors found out on the Saturday night about Hinck's condition after his outing with the Flat, hasty changes were made.
North Bendigo skipper Wayne Walsh was added to the 20. He joined Tony Southcombe on the interchange bench for the start of Sunday's game.
(Remember, only two interchange players were allowed three decades ago.)
YCW's Gary Evans went from the bench to a wing. Hurst's Michael Lenaghan from one forward pocket to the other wing and Frank Coghlan started in the attacking pocket.
IF ALL this wasn't enough to create continuous back page headlines in the Advertiser there was drama about Riverina's travel arrangements to central Victoria.
Torrential rain in southern NSW on the Thursday and Friday leading up to the QEO clash meant contingency plans had to be made.
Riverina secretary Graham Woolnough said from Ganmain on the Friday evening heavy rain had cut roads in many parts of NSW -– including some areas which had players in the inter-league team.
"Narrandera had about 50 mm of rain on Friday morning. The road between Narrandera and Ganmain has been cut," he said.
The original plan was for the visiting team to arrive at the QEO by 4 pm Saturday. But contingency plans were put into place and the Riverina side arrived late Saturday in time for the Sunday clash.
It was expected that the wet conditions would suit Bendigo's smaller, running side.
Coach Higgins emphasized that first possession and quick movement of the ball towards key forwards John Williams and Ron Best were paramount.
Best had played just seven quarters of footy in '83 leading into the inter-league semi and told the Advertiser he was aware selectors had gambled on his fitness.
South Bendigo defender, the late Graeme Wright, was handed the big job on Riverina ace spearhead and prolific goalkicker Brian Parks.
Apart from the floods, there was extra drama for the Riverina side.
At a late night tribunal hearing on the Thursday night Coolamon ruck-rover Russell Campbell had been cleared on a striking charge.
The biggest surprise came from former South Melbourne star Victor Hugo. He'd told Riverina selectors he wasn't interested in inter-league footy and hadn't bothered attending training.
Against Bendigo at Narrandera in 1980 Hugo booted seven goals and was one of the NSW side's best. So he was a big loss to the Riverina side three years down the track.
SO WHAT happened after all the drama, intrigue and games at the selection table all those years ago?
Well, Bendigo used the dry ball better early on and established a match-winning advantage over Riverina. Best booted five goals, including a team-lifter from an acute angle early on, to prove his inestimable value to the Blue and Golds.
Wright and Phil Byrne, moved to full-back mid-game, between them held Parks to two majors.
Alan Paterson was best man afield in the first half. He controlled the ruck battles and snared mark after mark around the QEO. Greg Williams and Garry Mountjoy were busy around the stoppages and Gary Evans worked hard on his wing.
The match was played in pouring rain with sheets of water covering the QEO in many patches.
The rain eased and then stopped after half-time. The sun even peeked through in the last term.
Final scores: Bendigo 12.12 (84) def. Riverina 4.19 (43). The gate takings were a miserable $1300.
A DAY earlier North Bendigo had rammed home 10 last quarter goals to beat Northern United.
The Atkins Street Dogs had trailed at the last change but urged on by a large supporter base, downed the previously unbeaten Swallows by 48 points.
David Graham moved to centre half-back for the second half and nullified United's David Ludeman.
YCW won just their second game of the season downing cellar dweller White Hills 19.12 (126) to 9.14 (68).
Sandhurst accounted for Kyneton 14.11 (95) to 10.12 (72).
In a 12-club structure with five clubs up from 1982's Division 2 there were some fearful hidings dished out in 1983.
But as it was to pan out by late August, United and North both made the finals and after nine rounds the two sides were actually on top of the pile.
Ladder after nine rounds, 1983: Northern United 7 wins, one draw, 30 prem. points; North Bendigo 7 wins 2 losses, 28 (155.13%); Golden Square 7, 2, 28 (141.99 %); Sandhurst 6 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses, 26; Kyneton 6 wins, 3 losses, 24.
Outside the Five: South Bendigo 5, 4, 20 (129.62%); Eaglehawk 5, 4, 20 (114.28%); Castlemaine 3, 6, 12 (97.18%); Kangaroo Flat 3, 6, 12 (74.84%); YCW 2, 7, 8 (74.15%); Kennington-Strathdale 2, 7, 8 (60.91%); White Hills 0 wins, 9 losses, 0 premiership points.
NOTE: It was the only season in the league's history when 12 clubs competed, There were 22 home-and-away rounds 30 years back --- maybe a reason why the league had to schedule club matches on the same weekends as inter-league fixtures just to fit everything in.
From the Bendigo Advertisers of May 28th and 30th, 1983 and Thursday, June 2nd, 1983.
Accessed at the Goldfields Research Centre of the Bendigo library's Regional Archives Collection, Hargreaves Street, Bendigo.
Richard's tips for Round 9, 2013: Gisborne by 57 points, Sandhurst by 32, Strath Storm by 40 and South Bendigo by 13.
2013 season total: 23.
By Richard Jones
