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BFNL REWIND | South shines in 2007 finals warm-up
News
BFNL REWIND | South shines in 2007 finals warm-up
Published on:
24 November 2025
South Bendigo tuned up for its elimination final clash against Golden Square with a 38-point win over North City at the QEO in a 2007 Sunday clash.
It was already early September when the BFNL's final home-and-away round was played on the same weekend as the AFL's 16-club home-and-away competition wound up also.
There were no Gold Coast or Greater Western Sydney clubs in the AFL back in 2007.
"The Bloods looked sharp for the first three quarters before easing up in the final term to win by a touch more than six goals," Addy reporter Adam Bourke wrote.
"South looked set to win by a 15-goal-plus margin when it led by 71 points at the final change, but North City rallied late to kick six goals to one in the last quarter," wrote Bourke.
"I'm not worried about what happened in the last quarter. We had no bench left and I don't think you can blame the players for looking ahead to next week's finals," coach Rick Coburn said.
The Bloods did all the damage in the first half. They led 10.7 to 2.3 with North City unable to contain their run through midfield.
Key forwards James Burke, Dayne Frew and Leigh Burke were a constant threat for the Northies' defenders while at ground level Brady Childs and Cameron Hall were damaging.
Aaron Clark, Eddie Den Outen and Adam Richardson battled hard for North City, but South Bendigo just had too much class, Bourke wrote, with the half-time margin out to 52 points.
"And when South added six goals to three in the third term it looked like the Northies were going to be on the end of a three-figure defeat," he added.
But to the club's credit, Bourke said, North City cashed in on South's lack of desire and spirit in the final quarter as they added 6.5 to 1.2 to bolster their final scoreline.
"Nick Sullivan was lively in attack with three of those six goals while ruckman Scott Howard had a great duel with John Hardinge.
"Howard was named in the Northies best five players while South had injury worries with key forward Leigh Burke (rolled ankle) and Coburn himself, but the coach was happy with "getting some footy into players coming back from injuries."
"After a long lay-off I didn't want to do too much myself as we had the game in the bag, so there was no need for me to play in the second half."
In the game I covered for the Addy, just five points separated the teams at the Camp Reserve at the last change.
Golden Square clung to a slender five-point lead and that after a stuttering start when they trailed Castlemaine by 10 points at half-time: 3.6 (24) to the Magpies' 5.4 (34).
As I wrote in the Monday Addy of September 3rd, 2007: "As a warm-up for the coming weekend's elimination final Square's Round 18 performance must be firmly left in the archives.
"They won't be able to afford a three-goal first half on Sunday against South Bendigo. Yes, three goals. That's all they could muster against the Camp Reserve Pies on Saturday."
I noted that playing Jason Griffin at full-forward hadn't worked and the Bulldogs had needed the relentless running of Jason Curtain, Stacy Fiske and Chris Kent to stay in touch.
The Magpies burst out to a 10-point quarter-time lead thanks to Adam Culvenor, Daniel Christmas and late replacement Brett Cole booting majors at the scoreboard end.
But the home side had suffered a blow when tap ruckman Luke Walters was sidelined for a lengthy period after an accidental head clash with Hamish Dahl.
And then as the second term wound down Magpie small man Jimmy Gale floated a wobbly kick over outstretched hands for a home team major, while Nick McDonald toe-poked through a grubber with 35 seconds left on the clock.
In between Square stayed within reach --- albeit two, straight kicks behind --- as Darren Walsh and skipper Christian Carter landed goals, with Carter's six-pointer capping off lead-up work from Adrian McErvale and James Walsh.
Luke Rosa kept the Square in contention with strong marks at centre half-forward in the first part of the third stanza. He landed a goal following a free kick from a scuffle with Lachlan Maltby.
Then Maine skipper Chris Jardine and Calvin Phillip combined to land the ball with retiring coach Ian Martin for a much-needed Magpie major.
Walters, back on the field after injury treatment, scored an easy Maine goal courtesy of a 50m penalty befor six-pointers to Fiske and Mark Adamson handed the Bulldogs a slender five-point last change lead: 7.10 to 7.5.
And then the Square romped home. Carter nailed three of his four goals for the day in the last term, backed up by Riosa and Kent, with Golden Square nailing 12 scoring shots to the Maine's two.
Golden Square coach Jeff Brennan conceded his side's first half "had been terrible and what we dished up wasn't acceptable after a good first three quarters last week."
"'But after a decent bake at half-time we managed to get back up on the horse and, remember, we get Matty O'Toole and Jake Hall back for the knockout final."
After his final game as Maine senior coach Ian Martin conceded his farewell match wasn't as gut-wrenching as he'd thought it might be.
"In the final seven or eight minutes we definitely ran out of legs and they scored a few goals. But there's some fine, young players coming through at the Castlemaine Football Club and the next coach who comes along will inherit a good start."
South Bendigo. 5.2. 10.7. 16.12. 17.14 (116)
North City 0.1. 2.3 5.7. 11.12 (78)
Major goalkickers, South: J. Burke 5, B. Childs 2, Dayne Frew 2, C. Hall 2, J. Hardinge 2. North City: N. Sullivan 3, A. Clark 2.
Best, South Bgo: B. Childs, C. Hall, D. Bevan, J. Burke, J. Hardinge, E. Dickins. North City: A. Clark, E. Den Outen, N. Sullivan, S. Howard, A. Richardson.
Golden Square. 1.3 3.6. 7.10. 12.17 (89)
Castlemaine. 3.1. 5.4. 7.5. 8.6. (54)
Major goalkickers, G. Square: C. Carter 4, S. Fiske 2, C. Kent 2. Castlemaine: D. Christmas 2.
Best, G. Square: L. Rosa, J. Curtain, D. Walsh, L. O'Toole, C. Kent, S. Fiske. Castlemaine: J. O'Brien, S. Burchell, M. Hodoras, L. Brown, C. Jardine, D. Christmas.
Other rd. 18 final scores: Sandhurst 18.20 (128) def. Kyneton 8.8 (56); Maryborough 19.17 (131) def. Kangaroo Flat 10.6 (66) and Gisborne 22.15 (147 ) def. E'hawk 8.7 (55) [after scores were level at half-time: Gis. 7.7 (49), E'hawk 8.1 (49).]
Ladder: Gisborne 17 wins, 1 loss, 68 prem. pts; Eaglehawk 14-4 56; Sandhurst 13-5, 52; Golden Square 12-6, 140.2%, 48; South Bgo 12-6, 131.4%, 48.
Bottom Five: Castlemaine 9-9; Maryborough 5-13, 74.6%, 20; North City 5-13, 60.8%, 20; Kyneton 3-15, Kangaroo Flat 0 wins, 18 losses, 37.7%.
Finals, Week 1, Saturday qualifying final: Eaglehawk vs. Sandurst (6.30 pm). Sunday elimination final: Golden Square vs. South Bendigo (2.15 pm).
A grade netball: Maryborough 44 def. Kang. Flat 37; Sandhurst 87 def. Kyneton 18; G. Square 75 def. C'maine 21; Gisborne 46 def. E'hawk 44; South Bendigo 66 def. North City 20.
Top Five: Sandhurst 18 wins, 0 losses, 72 prem. points; Golden Square 15-3, 60; Eaglehawk 13-5, 52; Maryborough 12-5-1 draw, 50; Gisborne 10-7-1 draw, 42.
Finals Week 1, Saturday qualifying final: Golden Square vs. Eaglehawk, (6.30 pm). Sunday elimination final: Maryborough vs. Gisborne, (2:45 pm).
AFL Rd. 22 final scores: West Coast 21.6 (132) def. Essendon 19.10 (124); St Kilda 14.18 (102) def. Richmond 13.14 (92); Sydney 22.9 (141) def. Hawthorn 10.9 (69); Kangaroos 23.19 (157) def. Western Dogs 14.9 (93); Geelong 22.13 (145) def. Bris. Lions 15.13 (103) and Melbourne 21.13 (139) def. Carlton 15.18 (108). (one game played Friday night also).
Top 8: Geelong 18 wins-4 losses 72 pts.; Port Adelaide 15 wins-7 losses 113.5%; West Coast 15-7, 111.7%; Kangaroos 14-8; Hawthorn 13-9 113.0%; Collingwood 13-9, 101.0%; Sydney 12-9-1 draw; Adelaide 12-10.
