TEN years ago a range of on-field and off-field matters were being discussed as autumn came into view --- and the season hadn't even started.

Prime among the talking points was Rick Andrews' sudden walk-out from Sandhurst's senior coaching position.
The hard-nut midfielder shocked the Dragons and the wider BFL community by deciding to ditch Sandhurst and accept an assistant coaching role at his first club, Maryborough.
Ben Sexton was named as the new Dragon coach, but by then it was mid-January and summer training was well under way at rival BFL clubs and around the district.

Back to the Sexton story later. As it was a decade ago, the drought was still creating havoc for groundsmen and women right across our State.

In mid-January 2003 the City of Greater Bendigo began pumping water from its man-made dam in the Bendigo Creek, behind the old police station, onto the two premier sports grounds.

Water was pumped onto the Tom Flood Sports Centre and the dead, yellowing QEO grass through specially laid pipes.
400,000 litres of water daily, mainly sourced from the Crusoe Reservoir, was to be directed onto the oval surfaces.

The QEO had been aerated to allow better filtration of water.

Then, after a fortnight of night watering, Parks and Gardens staff had also re-sown large sections of the QEO.
Early 2000s city councillor Alan Besley said the two icons needed to look their best by early March.

The QEO was to host an AFL practice match on March 8th. And the Bendigo Madison cycling and athletics extravaganza was scheduled for the Sports Centre the same weekend.

THE summer months leading up to the actual kicking of the footies on the field were packed with drama.
At the start of December 2002, the clubs had dismissed the remnant of the BFL board.

As board members Betty Mitchell and John Harty hadn't sought re-election, outgoing chairman Jock Clark and executive officer Frank Ward were the only remaining board members left.

Five club presidents --- Sandhurst's Danny Ellis, Eaglehawk's Gary Thorn, South's Ron Hiatt, Maryborough's Gerry Carmody and Gisborne's Roger Toll --- formed an interim board.

In a statement to the Bendigo Advertiser, the clubs stated "the decision was taken under the circumstances that due to the constitutional requirement of a quorum of four board members to hold an AGM, the scheduled AGM listed for December 16 could not proceed."

"The interim board will present its recommendations to a re-scheduled BFL meeting set down for Monday, February 3rd."

Ellis told reporter Adam Bourke he was sure the clubs would look at re-structuring the league.

"We will closely look at the functions of the board and review the models used by the other major leagues in Victorian country football."

For his part Clark, who had another term to run with the board, said he was undecided about his future.
"To be honest, I'm relieved. Now I can sit back and pick and choose what football involvement I want for next year," he said.

"The clubs have probably made a wise decision considering there was really only myself and Frank left on the 2002 board."

Clark said he was certain the board system had passed its use-by date. It was time to 'bite the bullet' and take on a full-time administrator, he added.

AND take on a full-time administrator was exactly what the BFL did.

On New Year's Day, 2003, the Advertiser led its back page with the announcement that Darren 'Dasher' Lewis had been appointed the league's executive officer.

Even though the appointment announced by BFL interim chairman Danny Ellis was for three months only, at least Mr. Lewis had been given the nod ahead of the other applicants: LVFL secretary Russell McGibbon and Bendigo Junior F.L. secretary James Loy.

The new EO was under no illusion he faced a tough task given the turbulent 12-13 weeks Bendigo footy had been through since the 2002 season wound up.

"I'm looking forward to it," Mr Lewis said. "When I applied for this job I stressed my love of footy. Bendigo football is in the position where it's on the verge of something great.

"Improved communication will be the significant starting point for me. Everybody has got to be informed of exactly what's going on."

The new Bendigo F.L. executive officer had enjoyed a long involvement in country football at club level, with stints at Wangaratta Rovers and Golden Square.

Mr. Lewis had made his mark in cricket administration. He'd served three years as Sandhurst Cricket Club president and in 2001-02 had been president of the Bendigo District Cricket Association.

But his BFL appointment meant he had to relinquish his role as head of the BDCA.

HYPER-ACTIVE Sandhurst president Danny Ellis --- remember, he was also at this stage BFL board interim chairman --- announced on January 14th key forward Ben Sexton was the Dragons' new playing coach.

Ellis said Sexton had been "the stand-out candidate" to replace Andrews who had controversially walked out on the club in December, 2002.

"We probably looked at about five candidates with Ben always our preferred option. We maintained all along we needed a playing coach and Ben fitted that mould perfectly.
"The club believes he's got the necessary skill and experience to really develop our young playing list."
Sexton was to oversee his first training session at Ewing Park on January 17th.

A week later Mark Brown penned a comment piece in the Addy headed: Let's set the record straight.

"Ben Sexton wasn't coerced into accepting the senior coaching job at the Sandhurst Football Club.

"He didn't owe Dragons' president Danny Ellis a favour, nor did he put his hand up out of blind loyalty as some around the BFL would have you believe.

"Sure, he didn't want to abandon the club he's called home since he was a teenager, especially at a time of need, but he also wasn't about to take charge of a sinking ship, either," Brown noted.

"No. Sexton greed to coach the Dragons for 2003 because like everyone else around the BFL he knows something special lingers there."

Brown listed the young talent available to the Dragons. Bendigo Pioneers trio Zac Perez, Rodney Woodford and Mark Fitzgerald were coming through.

When those were added to four or five other promising teenagers graduating from the Dragons 2002 under-18s, plus an experienced core including Toby Cardew, Kieren Prowse, Wayne Mitrovic and Sexton himself, all of a sudden there was the making of a premiership contender, Brown claimed.
Speculation that Sexton had been forced into the coaching role became rife before Xmas when the 30-year-old chiropractor didn't initially jump at the position when first offered, Brown added.

Sexton said other matters had needed consideration. "I had to ensure I had the necessary time to fulfil what will be a challenging role," he said.

"I had to weigh up everything and be satisfied I had the time to coach. It's a reasonably big job and not something you want to do half-measured."

SO WHAT happened in Round 1, 2003?
Square belted Flat in a relocated match, played at Newbridge.

The Wade Street Oval had been deemed unfit for footy as the early 2000s drought wreaked havoc with the surfaces of ovals.

Golden Square 22.13 (145) def. K. Flat 5.8 (38). Fresh 89.5 FM Player of the Year votes – 4: Darren Walsh (GS), Jarrod Quinn (GS). 3: Ben Doherty (GS), Matt Dillon (GS). 2: Dillon Anderson (GS).
Eaglehawk 25.14 (164) def South 12.8 (80). Votes – 5: Shannon Milward (Eh). 4: Damian Lock (Eh), Kain Robins (Eh). 2: Jeremy Quick (Eh). 1: Luke Hartley (Eh).
Gisborne 25.21 (171) def. Castlemaine 11.10 (76). Votes – 5: Chris Curcio (Gis). 4: Darren Farrugia (Gis), Steven Reaper (Gis). 2: Matthew Peake (Cm), Rodney Sharp (Gis).
Kyneton 17.13 (115) def. Sandhurst 13.14 (92). Votes – 4: Wayne Eve (Kyn), Darren Chambers (Kyn), Toby Cardew (Sh). 3: Brad Else (Kyn) and Brent Dryden (Kyn).

Richard's picks for Round 1, 2013: Golden Square [Good Friday], Maryborough and South Bendigo [April 6th] and Sandhurst [Sunday, April 7th].
Season 2012 total: 73, including finals.
Top five picks: Gisborne, Strathfieldsaye, Square, Hurst, Eaglehawk.
Grand final: Gisborne v Storm. Premiers: Gisborne.
Season's big improver: Eaglehawk. Wooden Spoon: Maine.
Ron Best Medal: Ricky Symes (Sandhurst). Michelsen Medal: Kain Robins (Eaglehawk).

By Richard Jones