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SATURDAY'S round of matches in local football competitions would have been tailor-made for players who thrive in contested, physical games.
And it would have been a day for the long sleeves given the "feels like" temperature when the ball would have been bounced to start games was just 1.4 degrees according to the Bureau of Meteorology Bendigo observations.
There was also more than two millimeters of rain that fell in Bendigo between 2.20pm and 5pm on Saturday, making for what would have been some slogfest games where every goal kicked would have well and truly been earned in the challenging conditions.
However, it was instead a weekend of no community sport, with all indoor and outdoor sport closed as part of the five-day Victorian lockdown that is in place until 11.59pm Tuesday night.
This is the second season-pause winter competitions have frustratingly had to endure this year after the previous Victorian lockdown on the weekends of May 29 and June 5.
As disappointing as it was to be without sport again for the weekend, one positive was a reprieve for the region's grounds, which would have been left a boggy mess had they been played on over the weekend.
One of the region's marquee games that had to be aborted on Saturday was the keenly-anticipated BFNL clash between top side Strathfieldsaye and third-placed Golden Square, both of whom have 9-2 records.
"We're disappointed we didn't get to have a crack at Strathfieldsaye today, particularly coming off last week (36-point win over Sandhurst), which was our best performance of the year over four quarters," Golden Square coach Christian Carter said on Saturday.
"We had really set ourselves for the two games against Sandhurst and Strathfieldsaye in consecutive weeks after they beat us the first time, so it's disappointing we didn't get to play today because it would have been a really good opportunity to test ourselves against the best side."
It's disappointing we didn't get to play today because it would have been a really good opportunity to test ourselves against the best side
- Christian Carter - Golden Square coach
Had the game been played one key out for Golden Square would have been half-forward Hamish Morcom, who had been best-on-ground the previous week against Sandhurst.
"Hamish broke his nose against Kyneton a couple of weeks ago and got another knock on it last week against Sandhurst," Carter said.
"He had some surgery on Tuesday, so he'll be out for a couple of weeks.
"He was doubtful before the Sandhurst game, but we decided to play him and he didn't take a backwards step. His attack on the footy for a bloke with a badly broken nose was enormous."
Meanwhile, Bulldogs' small forward Jake Thrum will head back to the surgeon this week for an update on the broken hand that has had him sidelined since his last game on May 22.
"Thrumy is hoping to get back in two weeks and, hopefully, he can get a month of footy in before finals," Carter said.
Should the BFNL season resume next Saturday with its July 24 games as fixtured Golden Square will be at home to Maryborough.
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