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10. Square drought breaks – 51 years without the ultimate success finally came to an end for Golden Square in March when it won the Bendigo Bowls Division pennant flag.
The five-shot grand final win over Eaglehawk capped a remarkable late-season charge from Golden Square, which had sat sixth going into the last round of the home and away season and at that stage, finals were a long-shot at best.
But Square squeezed its way into the top four, defied its underdog status to win two cut-throat finals and then defeated the Hawks 94-89 to claim their first division one flag since 1963.
Any flag is to be treasured, but when you’ve waited more than half-a-century for one, it’s all the more sweeter.
9. BFL Bulldog becomes a Giant – young Gisborne forward Pat McKenna spent the winter running around the ovals of the Bendigo Football League.
Next year McKenna could be booting goals in the stadiums of the AFL after he was drafted out of the BFL by the GWS Giants.
McKenna – who a month earlier captained the Australian under-19 cricket team in Sri Lanka - was one of the bolters of the AFL National Draft when the Giants took him in the second round at pick No.23.
After kicking 16 goals in round one for Gisborne’s under-18s, the classy McKenna spent the rest of the season in the seniors for the Bulldogs, booting 45 goals, including a haul of nine against Kangaroo Flat in the final round.
McKenna’s drafting out of the BFL shows that even though you may not be in the spotlight of the TAC Cup or state-league footy, you just never know who may be keeping a close eye on you..
Western Bulldogs’ forward Jack Redpath will attest to that. He was drafted from Kyneton on his 21st birthday three years ago.
8. Martin’s record Michelsen – Sandhurst ruckman Tim Martin achieved what had never been done before – poll 34 votes to win the BFL’s Michelsen Medal.
Having won the Michelsen last year, Martin went back-to-back in emphatic style as it quickly became apparent early in the count that he had the medal sewn up again.
Martin’s 34 votes surpassed Golden Square ruckman Tony Southcombe’s previous record of 33 votes in 1972.
The 25-year-old, who accepted the medal on crutches after dislocating his ankle in the preliminary final the night before, polled nine best on grounds among his 34 votes as he finished 13 clear of the former AFL pair Stephen Milne and Corey Jones on 21 each.
7. A well-oiled Machine – after four LVFL flags in a row you’d think Bridgewater would start to show some signs of tapering off.
But not this year as the Mean Machine under new coach Andrew Collins took their game to yet another supreme level in 2014 with one of the most dominant seasons in LVFL history.
The Mean Machine breezed through the year undefeated, winning their 18 games by an average of 85 points.
YCW when beaten by 24 points the day the Eagles had Alan Didak in their line-up was the only team to get within five goals of the Mean Machine, while only twice did Bridgewater fail to kick a score above 100.
For the second year in a row Bridgewater took on Bears Lagoon-Serpentine in the grand final.
But unlike last year’s enthralling encounter for the flag, this year’s rematch was - as most expected - one-sided as the Mean Machine bolted to a 96-point victory, winning 22.15 (147) to 7.9 (51).
Next stop is an attempt at equalling Calivil United’s record of six LVFL flags on the trot. You’d be brave to back against them.
6. Golden Glasgow Games - Bendigo cyclist Glenn O’Shea and netballer Caitlin Thwaites returned from the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow with gold medals proudly around their neck.
Triple Bendigo Advertiser Sports Star of the year O’Shea was a part of the Australian Cyclones’ team pursuit squad – coached by Bendigo’s Tim Decker - that defeated England for the gold in a Games record time of 3.54.851.
Later in the Games, Thwaites was a member of the Australian Diamonds that defeated New Zealand 58-40 for the netball gold.