THERE would be very few BFNL followers who would contest the assertion that Robert "Ninga" O'Connell rates as one of the best centre half-backs to have played locally.

In a career which spanned more than 250 games at two clubs he was an outstanding player.

He commanded the CHB spot like few other players before or since with sure judgment, great dash and extra safe hands.
Ninga was truly like the Rock of Gibraltar.

He played his junior footy at Eaglehawk in the Two Blues' under-13s and under-15s before moving to Golden Square to pull on the blue and gold jumper in the under-18 ranks.
The move wasn't as big a surprise as many people might think. Robert's dad had played at the Square and was a keen Bulldogs man.

Playing two seasons of under-18 footy in 1972 and 1973 he made it to the senior side and then racked up 111 senior games in six seasons with the Square.

These were truly ‘golden' years for Golden Square. The Bulldogs played off in five consecutive grand finals to notch flags in 1975, 1976 and 1979.

Needing a change and knowing plenty of people out at the Borough, Ninga made the switch to Eaglehawk in 1980.
He enjoyed instant success and was a member of the Two Blues' 1980 and 1982 premiership sides under playing coaches Denis Higgins and Phil Byrne, respectively.

He eventually took on the role of senior coach in 1985 which just happened to coincide with the phenomenal rise and rise of arch-rival Northern United.

FOR Ninga his first season as senior coach was ruined by injury. But he bounced back and regained his usual superlative form, leading his Hawks' charges to two grand finals against the Swallows in 1986 and 1987.

Unfortunately as Sandhurst had discovered in 1985, no other BFL club could compete with the vast array of talent United had acquired. Robert's sides went down in both seasons.
But reaching those two grand finals provided Ninga with some of his treasured memories.

Eaglehawk had to beat Sandhurst and Castlemaine in the 1986 and 1987 preliminary finals to reach the Big Dances against Northern United.

Both times the Two Blues got up, motivated by their core of one-eyed fans. Robert still remembers the QEO grandstand roof nearly coming off under pressure from the roars of encouragement from the Eaglehawk fans.

The 1987 grand final was special for Ninga for another reason. It was the occasion of his 250th senior game in effectively his final BFL season. Although he did pull on the boots again during his second stint as the Hawks senior coach, his body was not so willing.

From there he went out the Heathcote District League to play with Mount Pleasant and thus continue to exert a positive influence on local footy.

With the proud Eaglehawk club on its knees and in dire financial straits, Ninga returned to coach the club in the 1995 and 1996 seasons.

This was an emotionally draining time for the Two Blues and Ninga can lay claim to helping rebuild and re-shape the proud Borough club.

NINGA was always a tremendous advocate for inter-league footy.

He wore the famous Bendigo Blue and Gold colours on no fewer than 13 occasions and was captain during the 1986 and 1988 campaigns.

A few seasons earlier --- in 1983 - he had been paid the ultimate accolade by being named the VCFL centre half-back.
On the local scene, I'll always remember the times when Eaglehawk played Sandhurst during the BFL home-and-away season, and then into the finals series.

Ninga would play centre half-forward from time to time for the two Blues. That would mean a match-up with the Hurst's key defender Brendan Hartney.

Many's the time when the Monday Addy would feature the two star players going for a mark side by side. I'd say, looking back, the honours were shared between the pair.

And even when Robert was actually playing centre half-back for Eaglehawk, he must have sneaked down into the forward half.

Because when one or other of the Addy photographers came in on Sundays to show us what he (or she) had snapped at the QEO there would be the inevitable shot --- Hartney versus O'Connell in a marking duel.

It made for great action photos in the back page BFL wrap-up stories whenever the Hurst played the Two Blues at home.

ONE of Ninga's greatest accolades came in mid-2005 when the Eaglehawk Team of the Century, 1880-2005, was named. The selected team covered a century and a quarter of the proud Borough club's history.

Selection panel executive officer, Zack Harvey, had industriously burrowed through old newspaper files, particularly in Melbourne's public library.

So on our little panel of five or six, we had to assess the feats of players from the late 19th century and into the early years of the 20th century.

During that period BFL games were played on Wednesday afternoons. Then the best of the local talent caught the train down to Melbourne on Saturday mornings to play in the VFL for clubs such as Fitzroy, St Kilda, Collingwood and Carlton.

Those were just some of the clubs Eaglehawk players of the time represented.

Anyway, after all these meetings had been held and players assigned to various positions --- including a handful from the very early years of the 1900s --- Ninga O'Connell was named as the Team of the Century centre half-back.

Additionally, he was selected as the team captain with 1950s stalwart Basil Ashman the vice-captain.

On Saturday August 13th, 2005, the 125th anniversary gala dinner was held at the All Seasons.

The backline was the first group outlined to the packed auditorium. Up stepped Ninga and the other five members of the Two Blues' all-time defensive unit.

It was no surprise to see O'Connell as the CHB. He had made the position his own during a decade at the top level, establishing a standard of excellence that few other backmen have equalled.

After dinner the midfield group and forward line was announced.

The it was the turn of the followers and interchange players before Team of the Century coach John Ledwidge and team captain Ninga O'Connell were named.

The two stepped forward to thunderous applause to take out the top two positions for the evening.

Ledwidge had mentored the Hawks to premiership victories in 1968 and 1971 over South Bendigo and the Square, respectively.

The '71 Bulldogs posted the lowest ever BFL grand final score recorded to date: just 3.10 (28).
Robert O'Connell was inducted into the BFL Hall of Fame in October, 2010.

With thanks to the Hall of Fame selection committee and its executive officer, Darren Lewis.

Richard's tips for Round 13: South Bendigo by 11 points, Sandhurst by 37, Strathfieldsaye by 22, Maryborough by 40 and Gisborne by 51.
2012 season total: 47.

By Richard Jones