COACH Andrew Collins says the importance of the “Bridgy brotherhood” can’t be underestimated in the club’s era of dominance of the Loddon Valley Football League.
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On Saturday the Mean Machine will vie for its sixth-consecutive premiership when it takes on Mitiamo in the grand final at Newbridge.
When asked this week about the prospect of playing in a premiership for the first time alongside his older brother, Alex, coach Collins was quick to point out that he is hoping to be part of a flag with “21 of his brothers”.
“It would be nice to win one with Alex and something we’d look back on and be pleased with, but I’d like to think there’s another 21 brothers out there on Saturday,” Collins said.
“We’re all close and there’s no doubt it’s a brotherhood at Bridgewater.
“We can get on edge with each other and that happens when you’ve probably got four points of contact each week – training twice, the game and then Saturday night – so it’s a big part of your life in winter.”
The “Bridgy brotherhood” features four sets of brothers who will play in Saturday’s grand final – Andrew and Alex Collins, Ben and Alex Galea, Tom and Zeb Broadbent and Daniel and Tristin Nalder.
Bridgewater has again cast a mighty shadow over the LVFL this season, finishing two games clear at the top of the ladder with a 15-1 record, and then destroying Bears Lagoon-Serpentine by 108 points in the second semi-final.
“We just keep on trying to be as ruthless as we can each training session and game with our effort,” said Collins, who has already claimed the LVFL treble this season on Harding Medal, El-Vee Award and league goalkicking.
“The group has maintained both individual and team hunger in that continued chase of wanting to do it again.”
For four of the past five years, Bridgewater has turned the LVFL grand final into a non-event
Their five flags in a row have included a 115-point grand final win over Calivil United in 2010, 99-point victory over Pyramid Hill in 2011, 65 points against Newbridge in 2012 and 96 points against Bears Lagoon-Serpentine last year.
The only one of their five flags on the trot that has gone down to the wire has been their eight-point victory over the Bears in 2013.
If the Mean Machine salute again on Saturday – and Sportsbet has them $1.13 favourites – they will join Calivil United as the only LVFL club to win six on the trot.
Bridgewater’s 22 on Saturday boasts a combined 52 Mean Machine premierships, with Jared Keely, Daniel Connors, Kyle Chant, Marty Shadbolt, Alex Galea and Tom Broadbent all chasing their first with the club.
