Three years ago, some great games were played during the season. In reverse order, here's how the best were rated:-
10/. Round 12 - Flat 12.9 (81) def. Gisborne 8.8 (56).
Will be remembered down the years as the match in which Gissy's stunning 35-game winning streak at the Graveyard came to an end.
Clinging to its berth in the Top Five by percentage only, the Flat led by three points at half-time before booting 7.3 to 5.3 in the second half.
They thus became the first visiting team at Gardiner Reserve to leave with the four, premiership points since Golden Square achieved the feat in round 7, 2005.
9/. Round 11 - S'hurst 17.15 (117) def. Kang. Flat 15.17 (107).
The Dragons withstood a massive second half charge from the Roos at Fulton Hogan Oval to win their 6th game of 2009.
The Hurst led by no less than 44 points at half-time, before the Flat turned the game on its head in the second half. The home side slammed on 10 goals to four to fall just 10 points short.
The result left the Roos, Eaglehawk and Sandhurst all level on six wins and in a log jam between positions four and six on the BFL table.
8/. Round 8 - Gold. Square 13.13 (91) def. Kyneton 13.5 (83).
The Tigers produced a gallant team effort in a match which pitted the season's ultimate wooden spooners against the eventual premiers.
Down by 35 points at the first change, Kyneton surged back to push the Bulldogs all the way before finishing just eight points short.
At the time of their meeting at the Showgrounds, Square had a 7-1 win-loss record and a percentage of 145. The Tigers had a 1-7 record and a percentage of only 47.
7/. Round 9 - Castlemaine 16.4 (100) def. Gisborne 12.20 (92).
Second-placed Gisborne fought back from 19 points down at ¾ time at the Camp Reserve to lead by four points following a goal to wingman Tom May.
Four minutes remained in the match.
But the Magpies, winners of just one of their first eight games, responded by kicking the final two goals of the game through big forwards Steven Oliver and Jason Cordy.
It was the first time the Maine had beaten Gisborne anywhere since 2001.
The win had a sour note for the Magpies with forward Sean Smith suffering a horrific broken leg which forced the match to be halted for 25 minutes during the third quarter.
6/. Round 3 - Kyneton 11.10 (76) def Eaglehawk 10.8 (68).
The upset of the season. Bottom of the table in 2008 the Tigers upset reigning premiers the Two Blues at the Kyneton Showgrounds.
The Tigers prevailed over Eaglehawk for the first time since 2003, despite the fact they won just one of the three quarters on the scoreboard.
It would prove to be one of only two wins the Kyneton senior team would celebrate in seasons 2008-2009.
5/. Round 6 - Sandhurst 13.16 (94) def. Kyneton 13.15 (93).
With scores locked together at ninety-three apiece after a minor score kicked by Hurst coach Keiran Nihill, Dragons' youngster Braidy Dickens kicked a behind in the dying moments to snatch a thrilling one-point victory for his club at the Kyneton Showgrounds.
Only moments earlier Kyneton's Zack Boyer was denied a mark 30 metres out from goal which would have given him a chance to put the Tigers seven points up.
4/. Round 6 - Kang Flat 11.8 (74) def. Maryborough 10.11 (71).
After managing just one goal for an entire half of footy and trailing by 29 points at the main break, the Magpies produced a stunning comeback at Princes Park
Veteran Glenn Chadwick's goal in time-on of a see-sawing final term left Maryborough only four points adrift.
The Magpies then had one last chance in the final moments to steal a win.
But Luke Bucknall's 50 metre shot faded to the left and registered only a behind with the Roos hanging on to win a classic by three points.
3/. Round 4 - Gisborne 8.7 (55) def. Sandhurst 7.12 (54).
With Sandhurst leading by a point in a low-scoring affair on a Sunday afternoon at the QEO, Gisborne's Daniel Favaro marked 20 metres out at the Barnard Street end on a slight angle.
Only 51 seconds were left on the clock when Favaro calmly slotted the set shot to put the Graveyard Dogs ahead by one point.
But there was one last twist. Sandhurst's Nick Stagg was freed on the grandstand side wing with six seconds to go.
With the final play of the day Stagg passed to the leading Mark Fitzgerald. ‘Hoofa' marked 40 metres out on the rotunda flank (when there still was a rotunda there), city end, a split second after the siren.
The siren denied the Dragons' forward a chance to win the game - or at the very least tie it up, with a behind.
2/. Round 18 - K. Flat 17.17 (119) d. Maryboro 17.11 (113).
This was a classic under lights at Fulton Hogan Oval, the very last match in the BFNL's home and away season.
Billed under the banner of the Peter Holliday Tribute match and despite the constant rain and tricky night conditions 34 goals were scored in the shoot-out as the two sides jostled all match for supremacy.
The Roos' Cameron Carter kicked what proved to be the match-winner in the pulsating contest when he launched a 55 metre kick which carried for a goal.
The six-pointer put the Flat up by 12 points in time-on of the final term and even though the Pies scored one, last major it was too late.
It was eventual Western Bulldogs rookie Eddie Prato's first senior BFNL match for Maryborough.
1/. Round 5 - Gisborne 13.10 (88) d South Bendigo 11.16 (82).
The Bloods looked destined to become the first team in 33 games (remember, this was only round 5) to down the Bulldogs at the Graveyard --- the Gardiner Reserve.
South led Gisborne by 18 points at the 22-minute mark of the last term in the battle between the league's two remaining unbeaten teams.
However, over the last nine minutes of the game the Bulldogs showed their never-say die attitude to kick four, unanswered goals. They clinched a stunning victory in a match between the league's leaders at the time which lived up to all the pre-match hype.
The run of four, late goals was kick-started by Dogs captain Anthony Belcher before key forward Callan Potter slotted the final three --- the last of which followed a high-flying screamer 30 metres out.
The mark featured on Channel Nine's Footy Show: the Almost Footy Legends segment.
THE match where Castlemaine veteran Michael Blake announced his retirement came following the Round 10 fixture versus the Strathfieldsaye Storm.
It was the return game after the Storm had registered a sensational upset victory in their first senior BFNL outing, three seasons ago, back in round 1.
Castlemaine 21.14 (140) defeated. Strathfieldsaye 5.12 (42).
The previous night Blake had been inducted into Castlemaine's list of 25 All-Time Greats. He'd booted four Castlemaine goals in the first term against the Storm to help set up a huge win.
Magpie midfielder Brodie Culpitt nailed 7 goals in a best afield performance.
With thanks to Luke West and the Bendigo Advertiser team.
Tips for Round 4: Golden Square, Maryborough, Gisborne, Strathfieldsaye, Sandhurst.
2012 season total: 12.
By Richard Jones
