BENDIGO ADDY'S DECADE IN REVIEW SERIES:
HDFNL - HUNTLY
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HDFNL - HEATHCOTE
HDFNL - ELMORE
HDFNL - COLBINABBIN
LVFNL - PYRAMID HILL
LVFNL - NEWBRIDGE
LVFNL - MITIAMO
LVFNL - MARONG
LVFNL - MAIDEN GULLY YCW
LVFNL - INGLEWOOD
LVFNL - CALIVIL UNITED
LVFNL - BRIDGEWATER
LVFNL - BEARS LAGOON-SERPENTINE
NCFL - ALL EIGHT CLUBS
THE year 2010 signaled not only the beginning of a new decade for Leitchville-Gunbower, but also the start of a fresh era.
The Bombers joined the Heathcote District league in 2010 from the Central Murray league and would go on to be part of arguably the No.1 rivalry of the decade with North Bendigo.
The Bombers finished 7th, 6th and 9th in their first three years in their new home, were knocked out in the elimination final in 2013 and made a preliminary final in 2014 before playing off in four consecutive grand finals against the Bulldogs from 2015 to 2018.
The Bombers lost the first two grand finals by 10 points in 2015 and 20 points in 2016, but their two years of disappointment were followed by two years of jubilation when they won the 2017 flag by 26 points and 2018 premiership by nine points.
Throughout the four-consecutive grand final seasons the Bombers won 66 of 74 games, including 23 victories by at least 100 points.
The Bombers were star-studded throughout those four seasons and renowned for their slick and skilful brand of football that full-forward Matt Perri was regularly the beneficiary of.
Perri's four seasons with the Bombers from 2015 to 2018 netted 342 goals - the most of any player in the competition for the decade.
Perri bagged 59 in 2015, 81 in 2016, 124 in 2017 and 78 in 2018, giving the Mount Pleasant defenders in particular plenty of nightmares.
Of the seven double figure bags of goals Perri kicked for the Bombers, four of them came against Mount Pleasant.
Perri was one of six Bombers to kick more than 100 goals for the decade, along with Ayden Walton (142), Tim Lincoln (123), Tyler Jones (119), Daniel Coates (118) and Jack Dye (102).
Superstar wingman Lincoln and Jackson McEewen topped the Bombers' best player votes (six for being named best, five for second best and so on) for the decade, each with 139.
Lincoln was among 15 players who played in the Bombers' back-to-back flags of 2017-18, including earning the best-on-ground medal in 2017, while McEwen departed for Rochester after the 2017 victory.
As well as the two senior flags, the Bombers also won four under-17 premierships for the decade, while one of their home-grown talents, Marty Hore, is doing the club proud with the AFL career he is forging at Melbourne.
YEAR-BY-YEAR:
2010
Finished - 7th (4-12)
Most best player votes:
Brent McGlone - 33
Leading goalkicker:
Tyler Jones - 43
............................................
2011
Finished - 6th (6-10)
Most best player votes:
Josh Edgar - 46
Leading goalkicker:
Ayden Walton - 64
............................................
2012
Finished - 9th (1-15)
Most best player votes:
Tyler Jones - 69
Leading goalkicker:
Tyler Jones - 25
............................................
2013
Finished - 5th (8-9)
lost elimination final to Heathcote
Most best player votes:
Russell Lee - 59
Leading goalkicker:
Ryan Eastman - 32
............................................
2014
Finished - 3rd (11-8)
lost preliminary final to LBU
Most best player votes:
Jye Keath - 41
Leading goalkicker:
Joel Helman - 40
............................................
2015
Finished - 2nd (16-2)
lost grand final to North Bendigo
Most best player votes:
Tim Lincoln - 52
Leading goalkicker:
Matt Perri - 59
............................................
2016
Finished - 2nd (15-3)
lost grand final to North Bendigo
Most best player votes:
Tom German - 51
Leading goalkicker:
Matt Perri - 81
............................................
2017
Finished - 1st (18-1)
defeated North Bendigo in grand final
Most best player votes:
Matt Ladson - 46
Leading goalkicker:
Matt Perri - 124
............................................
2018
Finished - 1st (17-2)
defeated North Bendigo in grand final
Most best player votes:
Jack Gleeson - 51
Leading goalkicker:
Matt Perri - 78
............................................
2019
Finished - 6th (8-8)
Most best player votes:
Logan Prout - 52
Leading goalkicker:
Jack Dye - 43
BEST PLAYER VOTES:
1 - Tim Lincoln
Votes: 139
Times in best: 36
Top 3: 20 No.1: 8
............................................
2 - Jackson McEwen
Votes: 139
Times in best: 34
Top 3: 21 No.1: 12
............................................
3 - Jye Keath
Votes: 129
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 23 No.1: 8
............................................
4 - Daniel Coates
Votes: 118
Times in best: 29
Top 3: 18 No.1: 10
............................................
5 - Tyler Jones
Votes: 108
Times in best: 24
Top 3: 18 No.1: 8
............................................
6 - Hoby Bussey
Votes: 106
Times in best: 34
Top 3: 13 No.1: 2
............................................
7 - Joel Donehue
Votes: 104
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 13 No.1: 6
............................................
8 - Matt Pollock
Votes: 103
Times in best: 27
Top 3: 16 No.1: 3
............................................
9 - Lee Pollock
Votes: 102
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 13 No.1: 8
............................................
10 - Matt Perri
Votes: 99
Times in best: 25
Top 3: 16 No.1: 7
TOP 10 GOALKICKERS:
1 - Matt Perri
Goals: 342
High: 13 Games: 66
5+: 30 10+: 7
............................................
2 - Ayden Walton
Goals: 142
High: 10 Games: 42
5+: 10 10+: 1
............................................
3 - Tim Lincoln
Goals: 123
High: 7 Games: 52
5+: 5 10+: 0
............................................
4 - Tyler Jones
Goals: 119
High: 10 Games: 42
5+: 7 10+: 1
............................................
5 - Daniel Coates
Goals: 118
High: 11 Games: 43
5+: 6 10+: 1
............................................
6 - Jack Dye
Goals: 102
High: 7 Games: 38
5+: 6 10+: 0
............................................
7 - Joel Helman
Goals: 87
High: 6 Games: 36
5+: 6 10+: 0
............................................
8 - Jake Vandongen
Goals: 86
High: 8 Games: 28
5+: 6 10+: 0
............................................
9 - Jake Williams
Goals: 60
High: 7 Games: 23
5+: 1 10+: 0
............................................
10 - Adam Decicco
Goals: 56
High: 3 Games: 35
5+: 0 10+: 0
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
v Colbinabbin
Record - 12-10
............................................
v Elmore
Record - 13-7
............................................
v Heathcote
Record - 14-7
............................................
v Huntly
Record - 18-4
............................................
v LBU
Record - 9-13
............................................
v Mount Pleasant
Record - 16-4
............................................
v North Bendigo
Record - 10-17
............................................
v White Hills
Record - 12-8
DECADE RECORD:
Played - 174
Won - 104
Lost - 70
Drawn - 0
Winning % - 59.8%
Average for/agst - 99/81
Seasons in finals - 6
Finals record - 9-5
Premierships - 2
RESERVES:
Total wins - 84
Seasons in finals - 6
Premierships - 0
UNDER-17S:
Total wins - 133
Seasons in finals - 9
Premierships - 4
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