Former AFL stars who landed in the Bendigo FNL
There’s never been a shortage of stories about former Bendigo and central Victorian footballers who made the transition from local leagues to the AFL.
Today I want to look back at some of those who made the reverse journey back up the Calder Freeway to central Victoria.
Here’s a few of them.
Ray Byrne (Golden Square, South Bendigo): after 219 games with Carlton, Collingwood and Geelong --- including a staggering 22 finals --- Ray signed with the Bloods as an assistant coach.
That was in 1987. Ray desperately wanted to play at least one season at the same club with his twin brother, Phil.
Home ties called though, so after 17 games in the red and white Ray returned to the club of his formative years: Golden Square.
It was a sound decision. The Wade Street Bulldogs ended Northern United’s attempt at a fifth flag after four, consecutive BFL premierships with a 14-point grand final win over the Swallows in 1988.
Ray celebrated another premiership with the Square in 1989 as the Bulldogs downed South Bendigo, coached for the first season by ex-Essendon and Collingwood man Peter Bradbury.
Administrative positions were next in line for Ray as he worked for a decade at the Gippsland Power in the then TAC Cup before heading home to the Bendigo Pioneers.
Mick McGuane (Gisborne): the free-running Collingwood midfielder made his mark at the Gardiner Reserve coaching Gisborne to the 2002 and 2003 BFNL premierships.
A powerhouse in the Riddell FNL the Gardiner Reserve Bulldogs had entered the league only in 2000.
After a reasonable couple of debut seasons McGuane stepped up the dedication and resolve of his Gisborne players.
Their home ground advantage became such a formidable fortress for visiting clubs to climb that it became known in 2004 in the central Victorian press as the ‘Graveyard’.
The Graveyard was the setting for substantial winning streaks against most clubs, even longtime successful BFNL clubs such as Eaglehawk and Sandhurst.
McGuane assembled a super senior list and with players such as eventual Michelsen medallists Simon Elsum, Matt Fitzgerald (2) and Luke Saunders they were extremely difficult to beat.
Add in ace goalkicker Steven ‘Revenue’ Reaper and the Dogs became the league’s pacesetters.
McGuane’s only blemish came in 2004 when the Dogs went down to Sandhurst in a crackerjack grand final: 10.15 (75) to the Dragons 15.14 (104).
John Rombotis (Kang. Flat): the ex-Fitzroy, Port Adelaide and Richmond half-forward flanker didn’t arrive at Dower Park until mid-summer 2007.
As the Roos new senior coach he brought with him as assistant senior coach Marty Warry, who had kicked Fitzroy’s last-ever goal in the AFL, and former Richmond and Essendon ‘bad boy’ Ty Zantuck.
While Warry and Zantuck snagged a few goals in attack during an ordinary season for the Roos Rombotis was frequently sidelined through injury.
The Roos couldn’t muster a single win in the 2007 season, finishing 10th and in the BFNL cellar: 12 premiership points behind 9th-placed Kyneton and 20 premiership points behind North Ballarat City.
Nevertheless in Rd. 17 that season I saw the Green and Whites have their best quarter of the season.
With Zantuck slotting two of his five goals for the day and Warry nailing three of his four the Roos added 7.1 in the second term against Sandhurst.
A bit of a reluctant interviewee for the obligatory post-match coaching comments, Rombotis was quite animated that late August afternoon 16 years ago.
Shane Robertson (Castlemaine): a tough-as-nails defender with Carlton during his 80 VFL/AFL matches including the 1987 premiership season, ‘Robbo’ brought a hard-nosed approach to the Camp Reserve.
The Maine played off with Maryborough in the 1999 grand final.
They made amends for eventual second place that afternoon (beaten by 31 points) by snatching the 2000 flag by two, straight kicks from Kangaroo Flat.
Eddie McGuire the Maine patron that season was delighted with the result.
Never mind the Roos’ atrocious third quarter when they kicked 2.11, Robertson had taken the Magpies from a Rd. 1 loss at Dower Park to 19 straight wins, including finals successes: a remarkable achievement at major league level.
But then despite Robbo’s best efforts the Maine sunk back into the pack in 2001 and 2002, finishing sixth both seasons.
By late August 2002 Robertson was gone from the Camp Reserve as he headed off for a new start in the Central Highlands F.L.
Damian Drum (BFNL chairman): after his 63 games with Geelong (1982-89) and 53 as Fremantle senior coach (1999-2001) Drummie also coached then VFL side Bendigo Pioneers for one season.
At that stage he was National Party MLC for the northern Victorian region in the state parliament and succeeded Central Goldfields Shire CEO Mark Johnston as BFNL chairman in the mid-2000s.
He served during some interesting times in the BFNL. In December 2009 presiding over the league’s a.g.m. he announced the league had a $102,604 surplus meaning the 10 affiliated clubs would receive an increased didvidend.
And of course in 2009 Drum’s board welcomed new club Strathfieldsaye Storm into the league, as well as staring down a third, concerted effort by Ballarat Football and Netball League to ‘poach’ Gisborne Football and Netball Club into its ranks.
Additionally, Drum confirmed the BFNL would form part of an integrated working party chaired by former Essendon CEO Peter Jackson and including representatives of the Bendigo Bombers, Bendigo and Adelaide Bank and the City of Greater Bendigo.
Its task --- to investigate the future viability of showpiece oval, the QEO.
He ended his parliamentary career which took in State and Canberra politics as National Party Whip in the Federal House of Representatives.
Still to come: ‘Fabulous’ Phil Carman (Kangaroo Flat), Peter Bradbury and Peter Curran (both South Bendigo), Vinnie ‘The Cat’ Catoggio (Northern United), Andrew Wills (Eaglehawk) and Colin Rice (South Bendigo).
