LVFNL DECADE IN REVIEW SERIES:
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ONE of country Victoria's longest premiership droughts continues into another decade after that elusive flag again proved beyond Pyramid Hill during the 2010s in the Loddon Valley league.
Not that the Bulldogs didn't have their chances.
Six times during the 2010-19 decade the Bulldogs made it to the final three, including playing in two grand finals - 2011 and 2019 - while there were four preliminary final defeats.
For the decade only Bridgewater with 145 won more than Pyramid Hill's 121 games, yet the Bulldogs had no senior silverware to show for their consistency, with their last premiership remaining a distant 1950.
The Bulldogs participated in nine of the 10 finals series during the decade, missing out in only 2017 when they were sixth in what was their first time finishing outside the top five since 2003.
They had a winning record against every team through the decade, except for Bridgewater (6-19), which proved a regular thorn in the side of Pyramid Hill during the finals.
The Bulldogs met the Mean Machine five times in finals during the decade, but were beaten every time, including by 99 points in the 2011 grand final whitewash.
That 2011 grand final shellacking came a week after one of the Bulldogs' most memorable wins of the decade - their two-point victory over YCW in the preliminary final after a set-shot goal to Gavin James in the dying seconds.
The classy James finished well clear in the best player voting for the decade for the Bulldogs.
Despite spending two years at Huntly in 2015 and 2016, James was the only player across the Loddon Valley to earn more than 300 votes (six for being named best, five for second best and so on), racking up 328.
James featured among Pyramid Hill's best players in 88 games for the decade, and with his tally of 117 was also one of five Bulldogs to kick more than 100 goals.
Key forward Sam Kennedy led Pyramid Hill's goalkicking for the decade with 227, which included 12 hauls of at least five, while Michael Bateman's 12 against Inglewood in 2011 was the club's biggest bag.
While a senior flag again eluded the Bulldogs, their reserves (two) and under-18 (four) teams combined for six premierships.
YEAR-BY-YEAR:
2010
Finished - 3rd (15-4)
lost preliminary final to Calivil United
Most best player votes:
Gavin James - 46
Leading goalkicker:
Sam Kennedy - 43
............................................
2011
Finished - 2nd (15-5)
lost grand final to Bridgewater
Most best player votes:
Gavin James - 46
Leading goalkicker:
Michael Bateman - 57
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2012
Finished - 3rd (12-7)
lost preliminary final to Newbridge
Most best player votes:
Alistair Dwyer - 55
Leading goalkicker:
Michael Bateman - 30
............................................
2013
Finished - 3rd (13-6)
lost preliminary final to BL-Serpentine
Most best player votes:
Gavin James - 45
Leading goalkicker:
Sam Kennedy - 63
............................................
2014
Finished - 3rd (13-6)
lost preliminary final to BL-Serpentine
Most best player votes:
Liam Bartels - 49
Leading goalkicker:
Paul Grayling - 69
............................................
2015
Finished - 4th (13-5)
lost first semi-final to Mitiamo
Most best player votes:
Bryden Morison - 59
Leading goalkicker:
Fabian Brancatisano - 45
............................................
2016
Finished - 4th (8-10)
lost first semi-final to Calivil United
Most best player votes:
Billy Micevski - 45
Leading goalkicker:
Nathan Fitzpatrick - 34
............................................
2017
Finished - 6th (8-8)
Most best player votes:
Billy Micevski - 51
Leading goalkicker:
Joe McGrath - 51
............................................
2018
Finished - 4th (10-8)
lost first semi-final to Mitiamo
Most best player votes:
Billy Micevski - 48
Leading goalkicker:
Nathan Fitzpatrick - 38
............................................
2019
Finished - 2nd (14-5)
lost grand final to Mitiamo
Most best player votes:
Gavin James - 45
Leading goalkicker:
Braidy Dickens - 70
BEST PLAYER VOTES:
1 - Gavin James
Votes: 328
Times in best: 88
Top 3: 51 No.1: 16
............................................
2 - Bryden Morison
Votes: 193
Times in best: 51
Top 3: 28 No.1: 12
............................................
3 - Billy Micevski
Votes: 187
Times in best: 51
Top 3: 29 No.1: 9
............................................
4 - Dylan Morison
Votes: 162
Times in best: 45
Top 3: 25 No.1: 5
............................................
5 - Brad Fawcett
Votes: 154
Times in best: 46
Top 3: 20 No.1: 4
............................................
6 - Steven Gunther
Votes: 142
Times in best: 35
Top 3: 23 No.1: 7
............................................
7 - Leigh Davies
Votes: 112
Times in best: 30
Top 3: 17 No.1: 7
............................................
8 - Sam Kennedy
Votes: 111
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 18 No.1: 2
............................................
9 - Andrew Dobby
Votes: 97
Times in best: 27
Top 3: 13 No.1: 5
............................................
10 - Jaryd Wishart
Votes: 96
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 11 No.1: 2
TOP 10 GOALKICKERS:
1 - Sam Kennedy
Goals: 227
High: 8 Games: 76
5+: 12 10+: 0
............................................
2 - Paul Grayling
Goals: 161
High: 8 Games: 42
5+: 17 10+: 0
............................................
3 - Michael Bateman
Goals: 131
High: 12 Games: 52
5+: 5 10+: 1
............................................
4 - Nathan Fitzpatrick
Goals: 130
High: 7 Games: 57
5+: 5 10+: 0
............................................
5 - Gavin James
Goals: 117
High: 4 Games: 70
5+: 0 10+: 0
............................................
6 - Billy Micevski
Goals: 91
High: 6 Games: 44
5+: 2 10+: 0
............................................
7 - Braidy Dickens
Goals: 70
High: 11 Games: 18
5+: 5 10+: 1
............................................
8 - Jaryd Wishart
Goals: 61
High: 4 Games: 41
5+: 0 10+: 0
............................................
9 - Steven Gunther
Goals: 61
High: 3 Games: 36
5+: 0 10+: 0
............................................
10 - Bryden Morison
Goals: 56
High: 5 Games: 40
5+: 1 10+: 0
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
v BL-Serpentine
Record - 15-10
............................................
v Bridgewater
Record - 6-19
............................................
v Calivil United
Record - 15-8
............................................
v Inglewood
Record - 20-0
............................................
v Maiden Gully YCW
Record - 17-6
............................................
v Marong
Record - 20-3
............................................
v Mitiamo
Record - 15-9
............................................
v Newbridge
Record - 13-9
DECADE RECORD:
Played - 185
Won - 121
Lost - 64
Drawn - 0
Winning % - 65.4%
Average for/agst - 97/72
Seasons in finals - 9
Finals record - 8-17
Premierships - 0
RESERVES
Total wins - 74
Seasons in finals - 4
Premierships - 2
UNDER-18S
Total wins - 117
Seasons in finals - 8
Premierships - 4
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