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Got any feedback, suggestions, news tips or weather snaps? Comment below, find us on social media or email kieran.iles@fairfaxmedia.com.au - Oh and we love cute animal pics!
11am: THAT'S THE WRAP FOR TODAY: The final siren has sounded on today's On the go Bendigo blog - thanks for visiting. It's been great to have your company.
I hope you are up and about, have the shopping and chores out the way and can sit back and enjoy the game this afternoon - it should be a cracker.
For me, the heart says Hawthorn, but the head says Sydney - just. They appear a little fresher with the extra day's rest and don't like the idea of Cyril Rioli being back after a half of reserve grade football.
As an old Mildura boy, it would be great to see Ben McGlynn, from just across the river in Wentworth and also a former Bendigo Pioneers player, get a well deserved premiership win.
If you are partying today, please be responsible and leave the car at home.
Don't forget to pop back tomorrow morning - we will be blogging from 8am with all your local news, weather, photos, online buzz - and plenty of grand final coverage.
10.48am: Alan and Jenny Moore from Kennington, and their grandchildren Jemima and Oliver Davis, are among the lucky ones the AFL grand final today. They just spoke to the Bendigo Advertiser and are excited about the Swans' chances today. The Addy has its Live Blog online.
Having a grand final party? Let us know on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram using #bgokickoff and we'll put your AFL Grand Final pictures on our live blog.
Send your finals day pictures to grace.serpell@fairfaxmedia.com.au
For more click here
10.44am: Here's what's making news nationally.
Click here
10.40am: How did you do in our grand final themed quiz? Here are today's answers:
1. Tony Jewell; 2. Shane Ellen; 3.Ken Sheldon; 4. Wayne Harmes (Carlton); 5. Mitch Morton.
Here's a handy fact for you. Shane Ellen kicked 16 goals in total in his 65 games with Adeliade and the Western Bulldogs. Amazing to think five came in that grand final. Not so amazing to St Kilda fans I guess who were denied a second-ever premiership.
10.30am: If you'd like to share your grand final party pictures with the Bendigo Addy, feel free to email them to kieran.iles@fairfaxmedia.com.au Anyone have any early grand final day pictures?
10.25am: There was plenty of people from the Bendigo region involved at the Royal Melbourne Show this week. Among them were a trio of British bulldog exhibitors, including Michelle Clark and Jemima Draper (pictured below).
10.18: LOCAL NEWS: A FORMER life member of Cairn Curran Sailing Club who loved being on the water rescuing people - Jack Wagstaff - has been honoured with the club's freshly-painted rescue boat named in his honour.
To read Renee Thompson's story, click here
10.05am: Forgot to add, it's my first time doing the On the Go blog today - hence the tardy start to proceedings online. I think we'll go through to 11am today; I could do with the experience.
10am: We have a winner in our book giveaway. Congratulations to Fiona Ellery of Huntly. Two fine books headed your way soon. There will be another chance to win some great prizes next week.
9.55am: IT'S QUIZ TIME FOLKS! Here's five AFL grand final questions to get you in the mood for today's big game.
1. Who coached Richmond to victory in its last grand final win in 1980?
2. In 1997, Darren Jarman led the Adelaide Crows to victory with a five goal haul. Another Crow also booted five goals. Name him?
3. In 1979, Carlton seemed to have the game sewn up at three-quarter time leading by a comfortable 29 points. Collingwood came home with a wet sail slamming on four goals to have the Blues rattled. In a famous move that is still argued over by Collingwood supporters, Carlton’s Wayne Harmes desperately chased down his own kick, and from the boundary line knocked the ball to the goal square where a teammate was waiting to kick the winning goal for the Blues. Who kicked the goal?
4. Who was the first recipient of the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in a grand final? Hint: It was first awarded in the 70s?
5. Name the former Richmond and West Coast player who kicked two goals for Sydney in its grand final win over Hawthorn in 2012?
9.49am: NEWS: Here's what's making news in today's Bendigo Addy.
Click here
9.43am: SPORT: IT'S a special day for one former Bendigo Pioneer today, with Ben McGlynn set to run out for the Sydney Swans against his former club Hawthorn.
For Nathan Dole's story, click here
9.30am: IT'S GIVEAWAY TIME: We've got two great books to giveaway this morning - Margaret Wild and Vivienne Goodman's Tanglewood and The Moon Shines out of the Dark, by Stephanie Dowrick and Anne Spudvilas.
All you have to do to enter is email kieran.iles@fairfaxmedia.com.au with your name and contact phone number.
The first person to email their details wins!
9.24am: Bendigo people heading to Melbourne for today's huge premiership decider are in luck. V/Line advises all trains are running on time.
9.15am: Hawthorn and Sydney Swans fans have already started arriving at the MCG ahead of today's grand final kick-off at 2.30pm. Could be a long day ahead for some!
8.40am: Good morning Bendigo! It's AFL grand final day and you are planning a barbecue or drinks in a beer garden, your wish for good weather has come true. It's 13 degrees currently - on our way to a top if 22 degrees. The maximum is expected to be reached not long after the opening bounce in today's much-anticipated clash between the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn.
Good morning. Need a national news snapshot first thing - well, we have you covered.
It's AFL grand final day and we've got plenty of coverage to keep you going ahead of the big clash on Saturday afternoon. You can send your team a message, find out who's playing where, or take our quiz. But first: Saturday.
► To check out the front pages of Fairfax publications for today, click here
7.45am: Former Victorian Government weed eradicators have made startling new claims of appalling safety standards when working with dangerous chemicals in the Ballarat and wider goldfields region. See the special investigation here.
7.40am: When AFL grand final action kicks off in Melbourne, Bathurst's fanatical Sydney Swans fans Mark and Liz Kennedy will be in the thick of the action. Their AFL grand final pilgrimage to the hallowed Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) started on Thursday with a nine-hour road trip south ahead of the decider between the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn. Read more.
7.30am: A truck driver has died in a crash between two heavy vehicles on the Hume Freeway near Woomargama. The driver’s truck, believed to be carrying a cargo of magazines, caught fire soon after colliding with a tanker, at about 7.30pm on Friday night. Read more.
7.27am: A remote camera has captured an elusive marsupial that hasn’t been seen in the Grampians for 30 years. Read more.
7.20am: In the NRL, South Sydney have ended the Sydney Roosters’ NRL title defence to surge into their first grand final in 43 years with a stirring comeback win over their century-old rivals. Read more.
7.18am: A Newcastle boy who died due to morbid obesity was the victim of ‘‘medical neglect’’ at the hands of his drug-addicted parents while health workers and government agencies failed to enact a plan to save him, Newcastle Coroners Court heard on Friday. Read more.
7.15am: Work has started on a development to restore a Bendigo landmark to its former glory. Crews from Hopley Demolition on Saturday started dismantling the interior of the Hopetoun Hotel, at the corner of Mitchell and Wills Street. Watch the video here.
7.10am: A doctor has been suspended from Dubbo Hospital following an investigation into his behaviour and clinical practices. Read more.
7.06am: After more than 30 years as a security guard in Australia and overseas, John Mokomoko is used to the unexpected. But he said delivering a baby in the Launceston General Hospital car park was something else. Read more.
7.04am: In Orange, staff at the Millthorpe Post office and Pharmacy saved Forest Reefs resident Bill Sovdat from being ripped off $1350 when he almost fell victim to an overseas scam. Read more.
7.02am: Where is the best place to watch the AFL grand final if you're overseas?
7.00am: In Tamworth, the search is on for the Hottest Tradie. Do you have someone to nominate? See who has entered already.
6.50am: We'll be fair - one for Sydney, one for Hawthorn. And while you're there, why not test your AFL knowledge? Take our quiz
6.45am: In the US, it's #NationalPancakeDay. Here's some breakfast inspiration:
► The pilgrimage has begun. Up to 15,000 Swans fans travelled down to Melbourne on Friday for the biggest day in Australian football this year. Read more.
► A cabinet decision to sign off on military action in Iraq is just days away, Prime Minister Tony Abbott has revealed. After meeting world leaders at the United Nations in New York, Mr Abbott was flying home to brief cabinet on Australia's participation in joint military action. Read more.
► Australia is poised to install some of the toughest penalties in the world for disclosing the identity of an intelligence agent as the first raft of national security reforms are set to pass Parliament. Read more.
► Vodafone is developing a scheme to store details of the websites its customers have visited for up to 90 days. Read more.
► If you haven't seen this heart-warming video already, watch little baby Lachlan receive a hearing aid and hear sounds for the very first time.
► West Africa's Ebola virus outbreak was "preventable" and is on the hands of "complacent" institutions that failed to heed stark early warnings, says an Australian aid worker who has returned from Monrovia. Read more.
► A coalition of 21 organisations working to promote human rights in Cambodia described Australia's refugee deal as a cynical attempt to place refugees who had already suffered persecution in their home countries into further hardship. Read more.
► Yes, we know the internet is full of cat videos - but if you just can't get enough, here's one that's gone viral this week.
Two stranded hikers rescued from Mount Bogong have had a chance to thank their rescuers in person. The three civilian search and rescue teams who brought the duo to safety with police were recognised at a Victoria Police awards ceremony in Wangaratta on Friday. Read more.
From 7am until 9am on week days and 8am until 10am on weekends we will be bringing you news, weather, photos, giveaways, fun and everything you need to start your morning. From 7am until 9am on week days and 8am until 10am on weekends we will be bringing you news, weather, photos, giveaways, fun and everything you need to start your morning.