BENDIGO ADDY'S DECADE IN REVIEW SERIES:
HDFNL - MOUNT PLEASANT
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HDFNL - LOCKINGTON-BAMAWM UNITED
HDFNL - LEITCHVILLE-GUNBOWER
HDFNL - HUNTLY
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
FOR consistency across the decade North Bendigo was the benchmark club of the Heathcote District league throughout the 2010s.
The Bulldogs were the only club that featured in all 10 finals series in the HDFNL for the decade as they constantly kept themselves among the top flag contenders.
There was certainly plenty of hype around the Bulldogs' 2012 grand final appearance against Lockington-Bamawm United given it was their first since 1998.
But by the end of the decade the Bulldogs playing off for the flag had become synonymous with the HDFNL.
Between 2012 and 2019 the Bulldogs played in seven of the eight grand finals, missing out in only 2013 when beaten by Huntly in the preliminary final.
Their seven grand final appearances yielded three premierships - back-to-back triumphs against Leitchville-Gunbower in 2015 and 2016 and a victory against Colbinabbin last year.
The Bulldogs also lost a pair of grand finals to both Leitchville-Gunbower (2017 and 2018) and LBU (2012 and 2014).
Throughout the decade the Bulldogs won 139 of their 189 senior games - 30 more victories than any other team, with LBU the next best on 109.
The Bulldogs spent a total of 52 rounds on top of the ladder and kicked the decade's highest score of 39.9 (263) against Elmore in a 233-point thrashing in round 16 of 2018.
And as well as the three senior premierships, it was also a decade littered with individual success.
Of the 10 Cheatley Medals won throughout the decade, five went to North Bendigo players - Josh Gitsham (2011 and 2012), Tyson Findlay (2014), Jarrod Findlay (2017) and Joel Helman (2019).
The Bulldogs also had two winners of the league goalkicking, with Michael Spooner taking it out in 2012 (83) and Dean Watson winning in 2010 with 60.
Spooner's season tally for 2012 finished at 106 after kicking a further 23 goals in the Bulldogs' four finals, including 10 in the elimination final victory over Huntly.
Aarryn Craig, who played all 10 seasons with the Bulldogs, ended the decade as both their leading goalkicker (288) and No.1 for most best player votes (235) to go with his three flags and four inter-league games.
YEAR-BY-YEAR:
2010
Finished - 4th (12-6)
lost first semi-final to LBU
Most best player votes:
Damien Webb - 44
Leading goalkicker:
Dean Watson - 64
............................................
2011
Finished - 5th (8-9)
lost elimination final to White Hills
Most best player votes:
Josh Gitsham - 50
Leading goalkicker:
Aarryn Craig - 50
............................................
2012
Finished - 2nd (11-9)
lost grand final to LBU
Most best player votes:
Ash Craig - 78
Leading goalkicker:
Michael Spooner - 106
............................................
2013
Finished - 3rd (10-9)
lost preliminary final to Huntly
Most best player votes:
Ryan Alford - 45
Leading goalkicker:
Michael Spooner - 61
............................................
2014
Finished - 2nd (16-2)
lost grand final to LBU
Most best player votes:
Tyson Findlay - 52
Leading goalkicker:
Damien Webb - 51
............................................
2015
Finished - 1st (17-3)
defeated Leitchville-Gunbower in grand final
Most best player votes:
Brady Herdman - 45
Leading goalkicker:
Sam Barnes - 82
............................................
2016
Finished - 1st (17-3)
defeated Leitchville-Gunbower in grand final
Most best player votes:
Sam Barnes - 37
Leading goalkicker:
Sam Barnes - 92
............................................
2017
Finished - 2nd (16-3)
lost grand final to Leitchville-Gunbower
Most best player votes:
Brett Strange - 43
Leading goalkicker:
Sam Barnes - 70
............................................
2018
Finished - 2nd (15-4)
lost grand final to Leitchville-Gunbower
Most best player votes:
Jarrod Findlay - 41
Leading goalkicker:
Tyson Findlay - 51
............................................
2019
Finished - 1st (17-2)
defeated Colbinabbin in grand final
Most best player votes:
Joel Helman - 57
Leading goalkicker:
Brady Herdman - 67
BEST PLAYER VOTES:
1 - Aarryn Craig
Votes: 235
Times in best: 83
Top 3: 39 No.1: 11
............................................
2 - Ash Craig
Votes: 231
Times in best: 60
Top 3: 35 No.1: 13
............................................
3 - Jordan Ford
Votes: 218
Times in best: 52
Top 3: 33 No.1: 15
............................................
4 - Ryan Alford
Votes: 198
Times in best: 59
Top 3: 25 No.1: 9
............................................
5 - Tyson Findlay
Votes: 164
Times in best: 41
Top 3: 27 No.1: 7
............................................
6 - Josh Gitsham
Votes: 159
Times in best: 38
Top 3: 26 No.1: 7
............................................
7 - Damien Webb
Votes: 144
Times in best: 34
Top 3: 24 No.1: 10
............................................
8 - Brady Herdman
Votes: 123
Times in best: 29
Top 3: 19 No.1: 13
............................................
9 - Jarrod Findlay
Votes: 121
Times in best: 31
Top 3: 19 No.1: 7
............................................
10 - Sean Morris
Votes: 109
Times in best: 29
Top 3: 17 No.1: 8
TOP 10 GOALKICKERS:
1 - Aarryn Craig
Goals: 288
High: 6 Games: 130
5+: 6 10+: 0
............................................
2 - Brady Herdman
Goals: 286
High: 12 Games: 66
5+: 24 10+: 3
............................................
3 - Sam Barnes
Goals: 244
High: 13 Games: 44
5+: 24 10+: 4
............................................
4 - Tyson Findlay
Goals: 185
High: 8 Games: 78
5+: 9 10+: 0
............................................
5 - Michael Spooner
Goals: 167
High: 12 Games: 32
5+: 17 10+: 2
............................................
6 - Damien Webb
Goals: 150
High: 10 Games: 62
5+: 8 10+: 1
............................................
7 - Ryan Alford
Goals: 118
High: 4 Games: 67
5+: 0 10+: 0
............................................
8 - Dean Watson
Goals: 113
High: 9 Games: 37
5+: 8 10+: 0
............................................
9 - Sean Morris
Goals: 106
High: 6 Games: 48
5+: 3 10+: 0
............................................
10 - Jeremy Mills
Goals: 95
High: 7 Games: 43
5+: 3 10+: 0
HEAD-TO-HEAD:
v Colbinabbin
Record - 20-7
............................................
v Elmore
Record - 17-3
............................................
v Heathcote
Record - 15-7
............................................
v Huntly
Record - 19-7
............................................
v Leitchville-Gunbower
Record - 17-10
............................................
v LBU
Record - 13-10
............................................
v Mount Pleasant
Record - 20-1
............................................
v White Hills
Record - 18-5
DECADE RECORD:
Played - 189
Won - 139
Lost - 50
Drawn - 0
Winning % - 73.5%
Average for/agst - 117/74
Seasons in finals - 10
Finals record - 16-13
Premierships - 3
RESERVES:
Total wins - 86
Seasons in finals - 6
Premierships - 1
UNDER-17S:
Total wins - 98
Seasons in finals - 6
Premierships - 1
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