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5. Storm sizzles – in the space of six seasons Strathfieldsaye has climbed the ranks from Bendigo Football League new-comer to premiers.
Having lost last year’s grand final, the Storm were the popular pre-season tip to go one better after adding to their already impressive list with the former St Kilda duo of Stephen Milne and Steven Baker.
The Storm duly lived up to all the pre-season hype with a stellar season in which they won 19 of their 20 games, culminating in a 55-point grand final win over Sandhurst.
Ten of the Storm’s 19 wins were by at least 10 goals, with their only blemish a 79-point Easter Saturday loss to the Dragons
Strathfieldsaye’s 20.18 (138) to 12.11 (83) grand final win came in just the Storm’s 114th game – not bad going for a club built from scratch competing in a major league.
4. Downie’s golden day – 12 months ago there would have been those who scoffed at Tyrone Downie’s decision to have another crack at VFL with the Bendigo Gold.
Aged 25 and having endured more than his share of injuries playing with Kangaroo Flat in the BFL, Downie put his reputation on the line by signing with the Gold.
The rest is history as one of Bendigo footy’s great stories unfolded in November when forward Downie was selected by the Gold Coast Suns at the AFL rookie draft.
With the Gold having folded, Downie had planned to play with Richmond’s VFL team in 2015.
Instead, the former City of Greater Bendigo member of the parks department has an opportunity to be on the end of lace-out passes from new team-mate Gary Ablett.
3. Dempster in the race of his life – the Tour de France is one of the biggest sporting events in the world and this year it had the added local interest of Bendigo’s Zak Dempster competing.
Dempster rode for the NetApp-Endura team and in doing so, became the first Bendigo cyclist to contest the gruelling 3664km three-week event.
Dempster finished 151st in the general classification, five hours behind winner Vincenzo Nibali.
Not forgetting his grassroots, a couple of months after riding down the Champs-Elysees in the greatest race of the them all, Dempster was back at the Tom Flood Sports Centre racing in the more low-key Bendigo Cycling Club’s Thursday night program.
2. End of an era – 17 seasons and 321 games of involvement in the VFL came to an end for Bendigo on Friday, August 22.
Years of walking a financial tightrope finally took its toll on Bendigo’s VFL club when it was announced on June 25 the Bendigo Gold would fold at the end of the season.
The decision was made with eight games left in the season as the Gold embarked on a two-month farewell tour that culminated with an emotional final game against Collingwood on a Friday night at the QEO.
The Gold dared to dream of a fairytale finish, and it looked a possibility when Bendigo led by nine points during the third term.
But the Magpies lifted when challenged and kicked away to a 20.11 (131) to 13.7 (85) win, although, the Gold never threw the towel in, kicking three of the last four goals of the match.
Fittingly, captain Steven Stroobants kicked the final goal for Bendigo as the curtain came down on a VFL era that began in 1998 and featured the Bendigo Diggers, Bombers and Gold.
Shame it’s gone.
1. Back-to-back Spirit – same No.1 as last year as the Bendigo Spirit made it consecutive WNBL championships.
And just like last year, they did it against Townsville in front of a massive home crowd of more than 2500 at the Bendigo Stadium back in March.
In a high-scoring grand final, the Spirit won 94-83 after breaking away in the final term, with Bendigo’s Kelsey Griffin putting on a masterclass, finishing with 28 points and 15 rebounds en-route to the MVP.
With two titles in a row and being well-placed again this season, the opportunity is now there for the Spirit to become the first team side the Adelaide Lightning (1994-96) to win a hat-trick of WNBL championships.
Doing Bendigo proud on the national stage.