BRIDGEWATER orchestrated AFL Central Victoria’s biggest half-time revival of the past four seasons with its Loddon Valley victory over Calivil United last Saturday.
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Since 2014 no AFLCV senior team, which takes in the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central leagues, has faced a bigger half-time deficit as what Bridgewater did last Saturday and win the game.
The Mean Machine was staring down the barrel of a heavy loss when it had just one goal on the board and trailed the ladder-leading Demons by 39 points at the main break – 1.6 to 8.3.
Yet from 39 points down, the Mean Machine showed plenty of fighting spirit to kick 9.9 to 2.4 after half-time to record a stirring eight-point victory – 10.15 (75) to 10.7 (67).
Bridgewater’s victory last Saturday, which improved the seven-time defending premier’s record to 11-3, was the second time across the AFLCV region this season a senior team has overcome a deficit of more than five goals at half-time.
The other was Gisborne, which after trailing Kangaroo Flat by 34 points at half-time, 2.2 to 7.6, produced a dominant second half to record a 12.8 (80) to 9.10 (64) win in round three of the Bendigo league.
Since the start of the 2014 season, 1167 senior matches have been played across the Bendigo, Heathcote District, Loddon Valley and North Central leagues.
Of those 1167 matches, just 11 feature games where a team has come from at least four goals down at half-time to win.
Gisborne is the only team to have done it twice during the four-year timeframe.
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• Biggest AFLCV half-time comebacks since 2014:
Rd 15, 2017 – Bridgewater v Calivil United – LVFL
Bridgewater trailed Calivil United at half-time by 39, 12-51, won by 8, 75-67.
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Rd 3, 2017 – Gisborne v Kangaroo Flat – BFL
Gisborne trailed Kangaroo Flat by 34, 14-48, won by 16, 80-64.
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Rd 2, 2015 – Kangaroo Flat v Castlemaine – BFL
Kangaroo Flat trailed Castlemaine by 33, 24-57, won by 8, 84-76.
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Rd 5, 2014 – BL-Serpentine v Mitiamo – LVFL
BL-Serpentine trailed Mitiamo by 31, 31-62, won by 10, 92-82.
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Rd 3, 2016 – Castlemaine v Kyneton – BFL
Castlemaine trailed Kyneton by 30, 40-70, won by 7, 114-107.
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Rd 11, 2015 – White Hills v Huntly – HDFL
White Hills trailed Huntly by 29, 19-48, won by 4, 77-73.
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Rd 1, 2017 – Newbridge v Pyramid Hill – LVFL
Newbridge trailed Pyramid Hill by 27, 21-48, won by 20, 87-67.
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Rd 10, 2016 – St Arnaud v Boort – NCFL
St Arnaud trailed Boort by 27, 25-52, won by 3, 70-67.
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Rd 1, 2014 – Eaglehawk v Kyneton – BFL
Eaglehawk trailed Kyneton by 26, 22-48, won by 26, 89-63.
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Rd 9, 2016 – Gisborne v South Bendigo – BFL
Gisborne trailed South Bendigo by 25, 17-42, won by 3, 61-58.
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Rd 12, 2016 – Pyramid Hill v Marong – LVFL
Pyramid Hill trailed Marong by 24, 5-29, won by 9, 55-46.
