WAY OUT WEST: THE YEAR THAT WAS: No. 15-11

15. Redbacks survive in extra-time - the crowd at the NCFL grand final got more than their money’s worth when Wedderburn and Charlton faced off for the second year in a row.

The Redbacks – chasing their fourth flag in a row – had gone into the grand final $1.10 favourites, but for the second time in three years, prevailed by the barest of margins.

Scores had been level at 80 apiece at the final siren, and after both sides scored two behinds during extra-time, it was Wedderburn’s Andrew Chalkley who kicked the match-winning point from 40m with 52 seconds on the clock from a deliberate out of bounds free-kick.

In prevailing 11.17 (83) to 12.10 (82), the Redbacks became the first NCFL club to win four flags in a row, with those four premierships by a combined 23 points. Has there been a more fortunate country footy dynasty?

14. Amateur almost a Master – he ended up finishing tied for 11th, but there were times throughout the final round of the Australian Masters where amateur Lucas Herbert looked like he could be returning to Bendigo with a new fashion accessory – the famed gold jacket

After firing a course record seven-under 65 in the third round at Metropolitan that thrust him into the spotlight, Herbert started the final round of the Masters two shots off the lead.

The Masters dream was well and truly alive, and twice during the final round the 18-year-old was joint equal-leader as one of the great Bendigo sporting stories was unfolding.

But there was no fairytale finish as Herbert lost his momentum with bogeys on the 9th, 10th and 12th holes, eventually finishing the tournament four shots behind winner Nick Cullen.

13. Too good for Gippsland… again – there was déjà vu for Bendigo when it beat Gippsland by 34 points in their inter-league game in May.

It was the third time in five years Bendigo defeated Gippsland at the QEO.

Under the guidance of new coach Rick Ladson, there were 15 first-time BFL players in the team that won an entertaining clash 19.14 (128) to 13.16 (94).

Among the BFL debutants were two with 432 games of AFL experience between them – Stephen Milne and Corey Jones.

And both were instrumental in the win, with the pair combining for 13 goals -  the same amount as what Gippsland kicked.

BOG Milne bagged nine and Jones snagged four.

The game was a fantastic spectacle that encompassed all that’s great about representative football. 

Now, bring on Ballarat.

12. Pinniger’s ton of class – what a way for Matt Pinniger to bow out of the BDCA than with a brilliant grand final century in Bendigo United’s belting of Golden Square in March.

The star left-hander had to contend with a broken toe as he crunched 115 in the Redbacks’ imposing 6-283 at the QEO

Pinniger faced 225 balls and smacked 15 boundaries.

While Pinniger set it up with the bat, wily off-spinner Nick Crawford finished it off with the ball the following day with another vintage grand final performance, claiming 5-28 off 10.1 overs as Square, which had finished 17 points clear on top of the ladder, was routed for just 119.

11. Cats stun Bulldogs – early in the third quarter of the HDFL grand final it looked like the 37-year premiership drought for North Bendigo was destined to come to an end at last.

The Bulldogs, who had lost just once leading into the grand final, led Lockington-Bamawm United by 26 points six minutes into the third term at Huntly and could seemingly do no wrong.

To that stage the Bulldogs had kicked nine goals to five and with what you would have thought to have been the fresher legs, plus the Cats going into the game with injury concerns, looked set to race away to the flag.

But inspired by co-captain Matt Bongiovanni, the Cats’ renowned fighting spirit rose to the fore as the HDFL powerhouse kicked eight of the last 10 goals to win 13.9 (87) to 11.10 (76) – their fourth flag in a row.

That win by the Cats highlighted the importance of big-game experience.