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NUMBERS 32 and 31 in our series looking back at the 50 most dominant premiership seasons across the Bendigo, Heathcote District and Loddon Valley leagues since 1990.
32 - SOUTH BENDIGO 1994
Coach - Peter Curran
Record - 18-2
Percentage - 241.4%
Average for - 146
Average against - 61
Points differential - +85
RESULTS:
def Northern United 225-67
def Maryborough 177-40
def Sandhurst 171-73
def Castlemaine 210-36
def Golden Square 77-59
def Kyneton 124-63
def North Bendigo 128-56
def Kangaroo Flat 218-71
def Eaglehawk 178-26
def Northern United 130-57
def Maryborough 89-60
lt Sandhurst 93-109
def Castlemaine 154-51
lt Golden Square 52-90
def Kyneton 102-73
def North Bendigo 195-33
def Kangaroo Flat 143-81
def Eaglehawk 194-18
Second semi-final:
def Golden Square 133-63
Grand final:
def Golden Square 135-87
SUMMARY - While South Bendigo again made the grand final in 1995, the Bloods' 1994 season would be the last of their premiership dynasty of the '90s.
Having already won premierships in 1990, '91 and '93, the Bloods added a fourth flag in five years with another season of BFL dominance in 1994.
Captain-coached by Peter Curran, the Bloods of 1994 won 18 of 20 games and boasted a percentage of 241.4, with their dominance asserted from the outset.
Their first month of the season featured four wins by a combined 567 points after they belted Northern United by 158, Maryborough by 137, Sandhurst by 98 and Castlemaine by 174.
At 4-0 and with a percentage of 362.5, there was certainly no premiership hangover for the Bloods.
They won their first 11 games by an average of 101 points before going down to Sandhurst by 16 points in round 12, while a fortnight later they were beaten again following a 38-point defeat to Golden Square.
But those two losses did nothing to halt the Bloods' surge to the flag, which they captured with a 20.15 (135) to 13.9 (87) grand final win over Golden Square.
The Bloods of 1994 won five of their 20 games by more than 150 points.
"It was Peter Curran's second year at the club as coach and he certainly led from the front with the experience he had of playing in Hawthorn premiership teams (1986 and 1989) and being coached by Allan Jeans," said Bloods' stalwart Peter Tyack, who played in all four flags during their '90s dynasty.
"All throughout that year we were committed to not settling for anything but being the best. We knew we were good enough to win it and weren't going to let anything stop us from achieving what we'd set out to do."
THE TEAM - Ross Maxted, Steven Ralph, Kristen Brown, Steve McMurray, Brett Ryan, Mark Hall, Daryl Symons, Rob Bakes, Deon Marks, Michael Hall, David McMurray, David Nicholas, Shaun Leech, Craig Osborne, Simon McLean, Francis Burke, Peter Curran, Peter Tyack, Adam Shanahan, John Hill.
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31 - GOLDEN SQUARE 2009
Coach - Mark Adamson
Record - 19-2
Percentage - 188.9%
Average for - 135
Average against - 71
Points differential - +64
RESULTS:
def Eaglehawk 158-100
def Kangaroo Flat 143-91
lt South Bendigo 73-147
def Sandhurst 109-58
def Strathfieldsaye 172-125
def Maryborough 142-81
def Castlemaine 178-83
def Gisborne 119-70
def Kyneton 91-83
def Kangaroo Flat 148-65
lt South Bendigo 91-120
def Sandhurst 135-59
def Strathfieldsaye 90-26
def Gisborne 197-38
def Eaglehawk 143-36
def Castlemaine 200-53
def Maryborough 77-45
def Kyneton 188-27
Qualifying final:
def Gisborne 135-27
Second semi-final:
def South Bendigo 136-95
Grand final:
def South Bendigo 108-71
SUMMARY - Golden Square's 2009 season ushered in the beginning of a Bendigo league feat that has been achieved only one other time in the competition's history - win five premierships in a row.
The Bulldogs lost an epic grand final to Eaglehawk by six points in 2008, but from their opening game of 2009 it was clear Mark Adamson's side had come back with a hunger that would drive it to atone for the previous year's disappointment and signal the beginning of a golden run at Wade Street.
In their season-opener at Canterbury Park the Bulldogs kicked 16 goals to seven after half-time to demolish Eaglehawk by 58 points in a one-sided grand final re-match.
The only team the Bulldogs lost to during 2009 was South Bendigo, twice losing to the Bloods in the home and away season by 74 points in round three and 29 points in round 11.
That round 11 defeat at the QEO to the Bloods though sparked a barnstorming end to the season in which the Bulldogs won their next 10 games by an average of 93 points during a stretch in which they outscored their opposition in 38 of 40 quarters.
The season culminated with a 37-point grand final win over South Bendigo in which ruckman David McMeekin earned the Nalder Medal for best on ground.
In what was the year before the arrival of boom forward Grant Weeks, the Bulldogs had an even spread of goalkickers, with Michael Bateman (45), captain Christian Carter (41) and Matt O'Toole (40) all kicking 40-plus, while Adamson slotted 37.
Four Bulldogs - Mark Lloyd (No.4), O'Toole (No.8), Nathan Bell (No.13) and Adam Baird (No.18) - featured among the top 20 in the Addy's season-ending player rankings.
THE TEAM - Dale Young, Jack Geary, Mark Lloyd, Matt O'Toole, Adam Baird, Nathan Bell, Adrian McErvale, Brayden Dorrington, Chris Malone, Christian Carter, David McMeekin, Jason Griffin, Lachlan O'Toole, Luke Rosa, Aaron Hawkins, Anthony Holdstock, Matt Klein-Breteler, Nick Carter, Callum Sharp, Mark Adamson, Michael Bateman.
THE LIST SO FAR
No. 34 & 33 - Castlemaine 1992; South Bendigo 1990
No. 36 & 35 - Mitiamo 1999; Sandhurst 2016
No. 38 & 37 - North Bendigo 2019; Leitchville-Gunbower 2018
No. 40 & 39 - Bridgewater 1991; Calivil United 2017
No. 42 & 41 - Heathcote 1992, Sandhurst 2004
No. 44 & 43 - Eaglehawk 2008, Elmore 2007
No. 46 & 45 - Mount Pleasant 1990, Newbridge 2018
No. 48 & 47 - Gisborne 2006, Calivil United 1990
No. 50 & 49 - Calivil United 2003, Eaglehawk 2018
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