BFNL DECADE THAT WAS - the 2012 season

READ MORE - BFNL DECADE THAT WAS - the 2010 season

Footballing drama doesn't get any more gripping than a kick after the siren to decide a grand final.

And that's what fans at the 2012 BFNL grand final between Golden Square and Gisborne were treated to.

Gisborne players and supporters probably beg to differ, but arguably the most memorable moment of the BFNL decade was when Gisborne's Rod Sharp marked 45m out on the press box flank of the QEO moments before the final siren with his side three points down.

As Sharp walked back to take his shot at goal, the siren sounded: the game, and the 2012 premiership, resting on the boot of the 32-year-old.

Off the boot Sharp's kick looked good - Gisborne's coaching and support staff burst onto the ground from the interchange in jubilation as the ball looked to be sailing through - but it dropped, landed on the goal-line and was punched clear by Golden Square ruckman Zac May as Square clung on for a famous victory: 16.10 (106) to 14.19 (103), their fourth flag in a row.

A couple of months later reflecting on "that kick", Sharp told the Bendigo Advertiser: "I was happy with the line of it, but in the end, I got underneath the footy as I was concentrating on the accuracy, rather than just going back, relaxing and sinking my boot into it. Obviously, it's disappointing to lose like that. I'm shattered by it and it will eat away at me forever, but life goes on."

As well as Sharp's kick after the siren, the 2012 grand final was also the scene for a piece of BFNL history.

Grant Weeks' fourth goal for Golden Square in the opening minute of the last quarter was his 164^th of the season, eclipsing the 163 of Eaglehawk's Frank Crapper that had stood as the league record since 1933.

What a day that was.

CASTLEMAINE

Finished - 10^th (1-16-1)

Another tough season for the Magpies that yielded only one win, giving Castlemaine just three victories from 54 games for the first three years of the decade.

However, the Magpies did almost pull off the upset of the season when they hosted Sandhurst in round 13.

The Magpies were on the bottom of the ladder; the Dragons third at the time, but they couldn't be split as the thrilling game finished level 10.10 (70) apiece.

Castlemaine's Harmit Singh tied the game with the final score of the match - a behind with 15 seconds left on the clock in the league's first draw since 2006.

Best player votes:

(6 for being named best; 5 for second best and so on)

Lachlan Ford - 44

Brody Culpitt - 44

Jarryd Graham - 40

Top goalkickers:

Jason Cordy - 37

Brody Culpitt - 19

Lachlan Ford - 11

.........................................

EAGLEHAWK

Finished - 6^th (8-10)

Eaglehawk was in unfamiliar territory in September of 2012 - done and dusted.

Every year between 2002 and 2011 the Hawks had been part of the BFNL finals, but their September streak came to an end in 2012.

The previous year's runners-up was unable to recover from a 1-5 start and finished sixth, with three of their eight wins coming in the last three rounds.

After copping the 135-point grand final hiding off Golden Square the previous year, the Hawks then had to confront the Bulldogs first-up in round one: the margin this time 112 points.

Best player votes:

Josh Bowe - 43

Brady Green - 42

Brad Stringer - 26

Top goalkickers:

Matt Gretgrix - 60

Eamon Costello - 12

Brad Stringer - 11

.........................................

GISBORNE

Finished - 2^nd (16-4-1)

So close... yet so far for the Bulldogs, losing the dramatic grand final to Golden Square by three points.

The Bulldogs finished a game clear on top of the ladder and had the league's Michelsen medallist in Scott Walsh, but fell astonishingly short of the ultimate prize.

The Bulldogs had four of the Addy's top 10 ranked players in Walsh, Casey Summerfeld, Tom Waters and Ollie Messaoudi, plus classy forward Darren Farrugia, whose 75 goals included six in the memorable grand final to earn the VCFL Medal.

In the space of 12 months the Bulldogs had now lost a grand final by three points and preliminary final by six points - both games in which they kicked 14.19 and had more scoring shots than their opposition. That stings.

Best player votes:

Scott Walsh - 49

Tom Waters - 45

Casey Summerfield - 44

Top goalkickers:

Darren Farrugia - 75

Matthew Knox - 46

Clay Illman - 34

.........................................

GOLDEN SQUARE

Finished - 1^st (17-3-1)

Golden Square players in the QEO grandstand holding aloft the premiership cup had become a familiar sight in the BFNL and was again in 2012.

Coached by Mark Lloyd, Golden Square became the first club since Northern United (1984-87) to win four premierships in a row.

In stark contrast to the previous year's annihilation of Eaglehawk, this time the Bulldogs' winning margin was just three points over Gisborne, with the result of the game out of their control as Rod Sharp lined up to take his kick after the siren.

As well as the fourth flag in a row, the season is also best remembered for the record-breaking feat of Grant Weeks to kick 164 goals, while Simon Rosa, who won the Nalder Medal on grand final day, was equally as impressive and a newcomer in Hamish Morcom won the league's Rising Star award.

Best player votes:

Grant Weeks - 56

Simon Rosa - 55

Travis Baird - 46

Top goalkickers:

Grant Weeks - 164

Adam Baird - 19

Christian Carter - 16

.........................................

KANGAROO FLAT

Finished - 7^th (7-11)

What had been a revolving door of coaches for the previous 10 years continued at the Roos, this time with Tyrone Downie at the helm.

Were up and about early, winning five of their first eight games, but just like the previous year after a positive start the Roos were unable to capitalise, winning only two of their last 10 games.

Undoubtedly their best win of the season was when they upstaged Gisborne by seven points in round six in a game where the Roos jumped out of the blocks superbly and led 59-6 at quarter-time.

Best player votes:

Aaron Walklate - 51

Tyrone Downie - 36

Jack Bowyer - 35

Top goalkickers:

Tyrone Downie - 63

Tyson Mihocek - 48

Jarryd Wiegard - 19

.........................................

KYNETON

Finished - 9^th (2-16)

Two wins for the Tigers was an improvement after they had endured a winless 2011.

Their 13-point win over Castlemaine in round 11 ended a 30-game losing streak, although, they were stiff not to break it a month earlier against Canterbury Park.

The Tigers, who had Brodie Filo playing for them that day, had led by 13 points in the last quarter, but conceded the last two goals of the game to Eaglehawk's Eamon Costello - the second from a 50m penalty - and were pipped by two points in what co-coach Derrick Filo at the time labelled the most disappointing home and away loss of his 18-year coaching career.

After 2012 the Tigers' senior team wouldn't be seen again until April of 2014.

Best player votes:

Harrison Huntley - 43

Zac Boyer - 33

Kris Davis - 31

Top goalkickers:

Nathan Thompson - 43

Rhys Ellis - 17

Harrison Huntley - 15

.........................................

MARYBOROUGH

Finished - 8^th (5-13)

Won two of their first four games, but ended the season with just five.

Were good enough though to beat one of the finalists when they upset Strathfieldsaye by one point in round 17 in what remains their last victory over the Storm.

Just like Kyneton (Filo and Nathan Thompson), the Magpies went down the co-coaching model in 2012 with on-baller Joel Malone returning from Queensland to join Matt Aston in the role.

Best player votes:

Joel Malone - 67

Tyson MacIlwain - 51

Luke Bucknall - 34

Top goalkickers:

Cameron Rinaldi - 41

Matt Bond - 22

Matt Johnston - 16

.........................................

SANDHURST

Finished - 4^th (13-6-1)

Disappointing end to the season for the Dragons, who having finished in the top three were bundled out of the finals in straight sets.

Lost the qualifying final to Golden Square by 13 points and first semi-final to Strathfieldsaye by 39 points.

Did notch a win against eventual premier Golden Square by five points early in the season, ending what was a 28-game winning streak for the Bulldogs at Wade Street.

The Dragons played 20 games that year, with on-baller Blair Holmes in the best players for 15 of them.

Best player votes:

Blair Holmes - 64

Sam McGee - 45

Jake Ward - 37

Top goalkickers:

Ricky Symes - 73

Lee Coghlan - 24

Jake Ward - 22

.........................................

SOUTH BENDIGO

Finished - 5^th (11-8)

Remains the last season of finals action for the Bloods, who bowed out in the elimination final to Strathfieldsaye by 43 points under lights.

In a similar trend to the previous year, played their best footy in the first half of the season. The Bloods were 8-3 and in second position after 11 rounds, but went 3-4 over the last seven rounds to slide to fifth.

Fifth was a fair reflection given the Bloods were 1-7 in their eight home and away games against fellow finalists.

Best player votes:

Brady Childs - 48

Daniel Anderson - 46

Brook Martyn - 34

Top goalkickers:

Michael Leech - 48

Alex Galea - 30

Glen Scholtes - 21

.........................................

STRATHFIELDSAYE

Finished - 3^rd (14-7)

Their fourth season in the competition was also the first taste of finals action for the improving Storm.

They relished the big stage first-up, knocking over South Bendigo by 43 points in the elimination final.

Then comfortably handled Sandhurst in the first semi-final, but their run came to an end in the preliminary final with a 19-point loss to Gisborne in what was another stepping stone for bigger things to come.

Had the gun trio of Lachlan Sharp (68), Sam Mildren (57) and Tom Bartholomew (53) all kick 50-plus goals as they combined for 178.

Best player votes:

Matt Ladson - 56

Nick Smith - 40

Matt Smith - 35

Top goalkickers:

Lachlan Sharp - 68

Sam Mildren - 57

Tom Bartholomew - 53

Scott Walsh joined Luke Saunders, Simon Elsum and Matt Fitzgerald (twice) as Gisborne players to have won the Michelsen Medal in the Bulldogs' 13 seasons since joining the Bendigo league in 2000.

Held on a Monday night at the Capital Theatre, the star midfielder polled 23 votes and had the medal sewn up by round 17, with hot favourite Grant Weeks having to settle for second on 18.

Weeks' third and final season at Golden Square was his most prolific - 148 goals in the home and away season, plus 16 more in the finals for a total of 164: a new league record.

Kicked at least 10 goals seven times - his 100th in round 13 - with a season-high of 21 against Kyneton in a 162-point round 15 win.

Weeks' season tally - 10, 4, 11, 10, 9, 5, 11, 3, 7, 7, 5, 11, 11, 5, 21, 7, 4, 7, 4, 8, 4.

1. GISBORNE

Record - 15-2-1, 184.7%

2. GOLDEN SQUARE

Record - 14-3-1, 156.1%

3. SANDHURST

Record - 13-4-1, 131.1%

4. STRATHFIELDSAYE

Record - 12-6, 133.2%

5. SOUTH BENDIGO

Record - 11-7, 132.6%

6. EAGLEHAWK

Record - 8-10, 79.3%

7. KANGAROO FLAT

Record - 7-11, 96.2%

8. MARYBOROUGH

Record - 5-13, 71.6%

9. KYNETON

Record - 2-16, 46.2%

10. CASTLEMAINE

Record - 1-16-1, 52.4%

...........................................

ELIMINATION FINAL:

Strathfieldsaye 15.13 (103) d South Bendigo 9.6 (60)

QUALIFYING FINAL:

Golden Square 13.12 (90) d Sandhurst 10.17 (77)

1ST SEMI-FINAL:

Strathfieldsaye 19.15 (129) d Sandhurst 13.12 (90)

2ND SEMI-FINAL:

Golden Square 17.15 (117) d Gisborne 12.9 (81)

PRELIMINARY FINAL:

Gisborne 16.10 (106) d Strathfieldsaye 13.9 (87)

GRAND FINAL:

Golden Square 16.10 (106) d Gisborne 14.19 (103)

...........................................

Bendigo 18.12 (120) d Gippsland 15.7 (97) at QEO

Best - C. Anderson, G. Weeks, B. Childs, S. Rosa, T. Waters, J. Coghlan

...........................................

(includes finals)

164 - Grant Weeks

(Golden Square)

75 - Darren Farrugia

(Gisborne)

73 - Ricky Symes

(Sandhurst)

68 - Lachlan Sharp

(Strathfieldsaye)

63 - Tyrone Downie

(Kangaroo Flat)

...........................................

FOOTBALL:

SENIORS:

Golden Square

RESERVES:

Sandhurst

UNDER-18S:

Sandhurst

.....................

NETBALL

A GRADE:

Eaglehawk

A RESERVE:

Sandhurst

B GRADE:

Eaglehawk

B RESERVE:

Sandhurst

17-UNDER:

Sandhurst

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