PAST greats of Golden Square will gather this weekend to remember the glory years of 1964-65 in the Bendigo Football League.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Bulldogs’ home game against Strathfieldsaye at MyJet Oval on Saturday will coincide with a reunion of the club’s 1964 and 1965 premiership teams.
Golden Square dominated the 1964-65 seasons, winning back-to-back flags in the seniors and seconds, plus the thirds premiership in 1964.
Both senior flags were coached by Bert Rowe, and both were hard-fought contests against Rochester.
The Bulldogs - known as “Bertie’s Boys” - came from 10 points down at three quarter-time of the 1964 grand final to win by nine points, 10.10 (70) to 9.7 (61).
The victory ended what is the longest premiership drought in the Bulldogs’ history of 19 years, with it their first flag since 1945.
Golden Square’s Kevin Shearn earned best-on-ground honours.
The centre half-forward kicked three goals, with his “great marking and long kicking under adverse conditions a treat to watch”.
Shearn hauled down 11 marks, while another of the Bulldogs’ best players, vice-captain Don Matthews, racked up 30 kicks.
In what was a tight contest all game, the match-sealing goal was kicked in the final term by Golden Square’s Trevor Hyland when he snapped from the forward pocket.
In also winning the seconds and thirds flags, the Bulldogs became the first club since Eaglehawk in 1953 to claim all three.
Golden Square’s 1964 senior flag ended the country clubs domination of the BFL, with Rochester and Kyneton having combined to win the previous six premierships since 1958.
The following year Golden Square and Rochester - playing in the last of its eight grand finals in a row - were again combatants for the 1965 premiership.
Minor premier Rochester had been favourites for the grand final, with one headline in the Bendigo Advertiser leading up to the game suggesting: “Cup should come naturally to Demons”.
But the Bulldogs led at every change to win 12.19 (91) to 11.11 (77) and claim the club’s fifth flag, with that tally now at 17.
Rover Don Matthews (four goals) again played a starring role on grand final day for the Bulldogs.
Kevin Shearn again kicked three goals, while captain John Ledwidge was also a standout in the ruck for the Bulldogs, who were later paraded through Golden Square on the back of a firetruck.
However, the Bulldogs couldn’t make it three flags in a row, losing to Kyneton by 12 points in the 1966 grand final a year later.
SENIOR SCOREBOARDS:
1964
Golden Square 2.4 3.6 6.8 10.10 (70)
Rochester 3.2 3.4 8.6 9.7 (61)
GOALS – Golden Square: K. Shearn, B. Waycott 3, M. Rodda 2, D. Matthews, T. Hyland 1. Rochester: J. Williams, N. Howe 2, K. Waters, D. Dobell, R. Willett, M. Darrock, R. Ponton 1.
BEST – Golden Square: K. Shearn, D. Matthews, J. Ledwidge, D. Bonney, N. Strauch, L. Learmonth, B. Waycott. Rochester: D. Hooper, J. McMahon, R. Willett, T. Randall, N. Howe, R. O’Neill.
1965
Golden Square 4.4 4.9 9.13 12.19 (91)
Rochester 2.3 4.7 7.10 11.11 (77)
GOALS – Golden Square: D. Matthews 4, K. Shearn 3, R. Anderson 2, J. Ledwidge, J. Farmer, V. Spiers 1. Rochester: K. Waters 3, G. Barber, B. Jones, B. Knight 2, R. Knight, D. Dobell 1.
BEST – Golden Square: D. Matthews, J. Ledwidge, K. Raynor, R. Wenn, D. Bonney, L. Learmonth, K. Shearn. Rochester: B. Knight, S. Broom, K. Waters, T. English, D. Hooper, G. Barber, B. Jones, G. Taylor.