THE Bendigo Advertiser today begins a new football series looking back on the 50 most dominant premiership seasons in the Bendigo, Heathcote District and Loddon Valley leagues since 1990.
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50 - CALIVIL UNITED 2003
Coach - Andrew Freemantle
Record - 18-3
Percentage - 186.0%
Average for - 121
Average against - 65
Points differential - +56
RESULTS:
lt BL-Serpentine 84-98
def Dunolly 129-13
def Bridgewater 209-28
def YCW 143-71
def Mitiamo 100-89
def Newbridge 130-84
def Inglewood 130-68
def Pyramid Hill 117-60
def Marong 122-79
def BL-Serpentine 119-92
def Dunolly 300-8
def Bridgewater 181-22
def YCW 102-40
lt Mitiamo 53-102
def Newbridge 94-68
def Inglewood 107-87
lt Pyramid Hill 81-99
def Marong 127-79
Qualifying final:
def Inglewood 66-57
Second semi-final:
def Mitiamo 64-57
Grand final:
def Mitiamo 87-69
SUMMARY - The Calivil United team of 2003 was the launching of a Demons' dynasty - the first of the club's string of six Loddon Valley league premierships in a row.
Having lost the grand final to YCW in 2002, the Demons' path to redemption got off to a shaky start in the opening round of 2003 when they lost to Bears Lagoon-Serpentine by 14 points.
The Demons then peeled off 12 wins in a row by an average of 94 points, with their biggest victory through that winning streak the 292 points they beat Dunolly by in round 11 - a game in which they kicked 46 goals.
The Demons weren't the best team of the home and away season though - they finished one game behind ladder-leader Mitiamo.
But they were the best team when it mattered most, beating Inglewood (this was the last year the Blues made the finals) in the qualifying final, and then knocking off Mitiamo in both the second semi and grand final.
The Demons prevailed 13.9 (87) to 10.9 (69) over the Superoos in the grand final, with forwards Nic Balic and Nick Manley kicking three goals apiece, while their best players were headed by coach Andrew Freemantle, Balic, Stephen Dean and Adam Clutton.
The senior team's triumph capped off a memorable grand final day at Backhaus Oval for the Demons, who celebrated a trifecta after also winning the reserves and under-17 flags.
"We thought if we got one or two we'd be doing well - to get three just blows you away and is unbelievable for the club in terms of recruiting players and getting sponsorship next year," president Peter Sexton said.
THE TEAM - Hayden Polglase, Jacob Grieves, Jordan Grieves, Marcus Allen, Brad Allen, Tim Wagner, Hugh Lethlean, Nick Manley, Josh Hunt, Matthew Winchcomb, Nic Balic, Adam Clutton, Jarad Smith, Robbie Haw, Lachlan Ralphs, Aaron Demeo, Andrew Freemantle, Ross Maxted, Grant Ralphs, Glen Richards, Steve Dean.
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49 - EAGLEHAWK 2018
Coach - Josh Bowe
Record - 18-3
Percentage - 190.4%
Average for - 115
Average against - 60
Points differential - +55
RESULTS:
def Strathfieldsaye 84-59
def Castlemaine 232-20
def Gisborne 108-61
def Golden Square 70-51
lt Kyneton 73-92
def South Bendigo 115-69
def Sandhurst 70-69
def Kangaroo Flat 207-40
def Maryborough 96-44
lt Strathfieldsaye 58-92
def Castlemaine 195-29
lt Gisborne 86-90
def Golden Square 99-78
def Kyneton 138-80
def South Bendigo 127-88
def Sandhurst 48-33
def Kangaroo Flat 82-42
def Maryborough 150-56
Qualifying final:
def Kyneton 149-37
Second semi-final:
def Strathfieldsaye 105-65
Grand final:
def Strathfieldsaye 122-73
SUMMARY - Eaglehawk was on a mission when it entered the Bendigo league season in 2018.
The Hawks just had six months to stew on their September disappointment of 2017 when they surrendered a 20-point three quarter-time lead in the grand final to Strathfieldsaye and lost by 32.
Driven by their disappointment, the Hawks set the tone for their season early, beating Strathfieldsaye by 25 points in their grand final rematch in round one, before obliterating Castlemaine by 212 points the following week.
Ended the home and away season second on the ladder, one game behind Strathfieldsaye, but timed their run perfectly to peak in September.
The Hawks' finals campaign began with a 112-point demolition of Kyneton in the qualifying final, before a pair of convincing wins over Strathfieldsaye - by 40 points in the second semi-final and 49 points in the grand final to clinch their first premiership since 2008.
The Hawks' premiership side coached by Josh Bowe and skippered by defender Tim Hill featured eight players under the age of 22 and 17 one-pointers.
"We've got so many kids who are playing like 28-year-olds in their prime. The learning they got from last year really showed today and I couldn't be more proud of them all," Bowe said.
The Hawks had five players feature among the top 20 in the Addy's season-ending rankings - Brodie Collins (No.8), Jack Fallon (No.10), Ben McPhee (No.12), Gedd Hommelhoff (No.15) and premiership coach Bowe (No.18), while Sean Williams slotted 64 goals.
Canterbury Park proved a fortress for the Hawks, who were 9-0 at home for the year with an average winning margin of 71 points.
THE TEAM - Ben McPhee, Brenton Conforti, Brodie Collins, Cam McGlashan, Dillon Williams, Gedd Homelhoff, Glenn Daly, Jack Fallon, Jesse Collins, Joel Mullen, Jonty Neaves, Josh Bowe, Lachlan Atherton, Oscar Madden, Riley McIvor, Riley Saunders, Sam Harper, Sam Thompson, Sean Williams, Shaun Knott, Tim Hill, Tyler Miles.
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