Elmore admitted to BFL for one season only: 1946

Seven decades ago Australia, like the rest of the world, was just settling down to normal life after a number of unrelenting years of war.

The BFL had been in recess from 1942 to 1944 and although Germany didn’t surrender until May 1945 and Japan not till August the BFL season was completed in ’45.

Golden Square thrashed Eaglehawk by 101 points in that season’s grand final, but the league was still short of competitive clubs.

So Elmore was admitted in 1946 with Kyneton and Echuca remaining in limbo although Rochester was back in action.

The four Bendigo metropolitan clubs -– Sandhurst, South Bendigo, Eaglehawk and Golden Square --- were back out on the footy grounds along with Rochy and Elmore.

But it was a very brief sojourn in the league for the Bloods as they were dumped by the BFL for the 1947 season when Kyneton re-joined.

Things looked promising in Rd. 1, played on May 11th, with Elmore just going down to old, established club Rochester by one point.

The Bloods conceded Rochy a big start but had a great final quarter to fall just short.

At the start of the final quarter Koch landed full points for the new club followed by a major from skipper Dawson.

A third, unanswered goal from Hayes and a minor score off the boot of Job levelled the scores.

Sharp goaled for Rochester to give the home side a bit of breathing space and his shot was followed by a behind from the home side.

But Elmore wasn’t done with yet.

When Koch landed his second last term major for the Bloods, a rushed point followed to lock the scores up again.

And then only moments before the final bell Rochester captain Ernie Vine broke through the Elmore defence and his behind gave the home side their narrow win.

Eaglehawk surged to a handy first half lead over defending premiers Square and the gap couldn’t be breached.

The Hawks clung on to win by four points.

Sandy Herbert (5) and Hussey (3) nailed eight of Sandhurst’s 12 goals against South with the Addy footy scribe describing Herbert as “one of the favourites for the BFL goalkicking award.”

Hussey had served in the Navy during the war and in 1946 was training to become a teacher.

And at all of the three games flags were flown at half-mast out of respect to the late Councillor T.R. Davies, a former BFL president.

Rd. 1 scores: Sandhurst 12.19 def. South Bendigo 9.9; Rochester 7.9 def. Elmore 7.8 and Eaglehawk 12.9 def. G. Square 11.11.

Gate takings: Upper Reserve £64, Rochester £28 and Golden Square £38.

Coach Vine called for extra training for his Rochester players telling the Advertiser “extra stamina will be needed from what we showed against Elmore last weekend.”

The draw was South Bendigo vs. Golden Square, Eaglehawk vs. Rochester and Elmore vs. Sandhurst.

And of course back in the Forties the Bendigo Football Association had re-formed post-WW2 and the draw was:

Provincial vs. Kangaroo Flat, Huntly vs. Kennington, Kamarooka vs. North Bendigo and Neilborough vs. Axedale (at Sebastian).

Onto Rd. 2 in the BFL and Sandhurst was in front by three goals at half-time away from the Upper Reserve against Elmore.

“In the third quarter they kept up a constant barrage on the opponent’s goal,” the Advertiser report noted.

“But Elmore’s defenders worked hard to hold the Maroons to only two goals from 10 scoring shots while the alertness and experience of Sandhurst’s backmen, with Trahair outstanding, checked Elmore from scoring at all.”

But the Advertiser reporter was impressed with Elmore’s fourth term display as he wrote:

“Elmore pleased by the resolute manner in which it finished the game. They tried to make up their deficiency in the last quarter, but were nullified by the superiority of Sandhurst’s defenders over their forwards.”

Koch and Murnane booted two goals each for Elmore while Sandhurst’s only multiple goalkicker was Herbert, also with two.

Apart from Trahair Sandhurst’s best players on the day were named as McGregor, Bolger, Fawcett, Ford and McHugh while in the Elmore list of better players were McNamara, Jack, J. Hayes, Koch and G. Roulston.

Rd. 2 final scores: Sandhurst 10.15 (75) def. Elmore 5.4 (34), Golden Square 17.10 (112) def. Sth. Bendigo 6.4 (40) and Eaglehawk 16.6 (102) def. Rochester 11.16 (82).

Gate takings, Upper Reserve £64, Eaglehawk     £32 but a poor one at Elmore: just £14.

Ladder: Eaglehawk 2 wins-0 losses, 8 prem. points; Sandhurst 2-0, 8; Golden Square 1-1, 4; Rochester 1-1, 4; Elmore 0-2, 0; South Bendigo 0-2, 0.

Leading goalkickers: F. Hicks (Eh) 8, C. Rohde (GS), R. Sharp (Roch.) and H. Herbert (Sh) all on 7.

Looking further ahead in old Addies for the ’46 season and by the end of June Elmore was still winless and in the BFL cellar.

All that after such a promising start back in mid-May.

The Bloods were 12 premiership points behind fifth-placed Rochester which was on 3 wins-4 losses and 12 premiership points.

The Top Four was: Sandhurst 5 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw, 22 prem. points; E’hawk 4-2-1, 18; Golden Square 4-3, 16 and Sth. Bendigo 4-3, 16.

One of the few highlights for the Elmore club in season ’46 was skipper Bob Dawson’s win in the BFL fairest and best medal.

Back then it was the Arthur Cook medal --- becoming the Michelsen Medal in 1952 --- and Dawson took it home.