News
BFNL REWIND - Square celebrates two grand final wins
News
BFNL REWIND - Square celebrates two grand final wins
Published on:
21 March 2025
Golden Square celebrated one of its golden eras back in June 2009 when the Bulldogs held a reunion of their 1988 and 1989 BFL premiership sides.
It was on the weekend of June 20-21, 2009 when the Dogs celebrated their Big Dance victories over Northern United and South Bendigo.
And although nobody knew about it during that winter 16 long seasons ago 2009 would be the initial premiership year in a five-season flag run for the Wade Street Bulldogs.
Those late Eighties seasons occurred in the period when Bendigo footy was known statewide as one of the premier leagues in regional and country Victoria and the Square Dogs were the envy of opposition clubs ---- not just in the BFL but in major leagues across Victoria.
Under the guidance of coach, the late Brian Walsh, and skipper Alan Patterson the Square denied Northern United a fifth-straight premiership in the 1988 decider ---- the Swallows had won 1984-87 inclusive --- before holding off South Bendigo 12 months later in the 1989 Big Dance.
"When Brian took over he brought a new passion to our club plus a professionalism which had been lacking," Patto recalled.
"The camaraderie which our group had back then was something special."
Patterson, the Square's No. 1 ruckman, conceded that the Bulldogs had a number of "older guys" but the remainder of the playing group was aged from 18 to 21.
Among the senior players Patto included himself along with former AFL player Ray Byrne, plus Rob Smith and Craig Dowsett.
"And then the rest of the guys were aged between 18 and 21 and as I recall only three of the side was married at the time so we players spent a lot of time together."
Patterson emphasised that the bond which the team had back in the late Eighties had continued "and we've been a close group for the past 20 years."
Most experts, including yours truly, had tipped United to win the 1988 premiership and make it five-in-a-row, but the Square was clearly the better side on the day.
On the back of standout games from midfielders Dean Strauch and Christian Lister, a winning ruckman in Patto and a top contribution from key forward Russell Parkes, Square led at every change to upset the Swallows by 14 points.
It was a low-scoring grannie but the Dogs had four more scoring shots than the Swallows.
"Yes, it was a hard-fought win that day," Patterson recalled. "We weren't favourites but we had the younger legs."
"Out at Square we had been starved of success and we had the hunger to win that flag -- and we did."
The following season the tipping odds were reversed with Golden Square favoured to win against a South Bendigo side coached by former Essendon and Collingwood midfielder Peter Bradbury.
The opening term in the 1989 Big Dance has gone down in memory as one of the most remarkable in BFNL history.
A wiry, 17-year-old Wayne Campbell announced himself to the footy world by nailing four goals from his wing in the opening term.
That astounding Campbell burst gave the Dogs a substantial 35-point lead at the first change.
The Bloods made a gallant fightback in the second half --- landing four goals to Square's two --- but the Bulldogs' first quarter blitz set up the 32-point victory.
Campbell won the 1989 Nalder Medal before embarking on his AFL career with Richmond where he played 297 games, nailed 172 goals and skippered the Tigers from 2001 to 2004.
Patterson had some enduring memories from that second-in-a-row flag.
"I remember Ray Byrne really got us going early on in that '89 grand final and then Wayne topped it off.
""He'd come straight out of the juniors and played the second half of that '89 season in the seniors. It was a fantastic effort.
"And it was a great win because we all knew South was a very good side and to prove it they went on to win the flags in 1990 and 1991."
The Bloods denied the Bulldogs a third straight flag in 1990 with a 22-point win in the Big Dance.
Patto also played in Square's six-point loss to Castlemaine in the 1992 grand final --- one of the best BFNL grand finals in recent memory.
"Our little dynasty back in the late Eighties is remembered fondly by the players and the club's long-time supporters," the big ruckman recalled.
"Square means a lot to us. We've got players coming back for the reunion from as far away as Queensland, Sydney, Geelong, Warrnambool, Swan Hill, Wodonga and Melbourne," Patterson said.
After the Friday night start to the reunion the players re-grouped at Wade Street on Saturday for the Dogs 10th round clash with Kangaroo Flat.
Looking back -- grand final scores and best players:
1988: Golden Square 5.4 7.5 9.11 10.13 (73)
Northern United 3.1 4.6 5.8 8.11 (59)
Goals --- G. Square: T. Cannon 3, P. McConville 2, R.Byrne, R. Parkes, P. McCormick, R. McConville, C. Lister. Northern United: D. Trickey 2, E. Shiels, A. Southcombe, D. Brooks, M. Osborne, G. Geary, G. Foran.
Best --- Golden Square: D. Strauch (Nalder Medal), C. Lister, A. Patterson, A. LethIean, R. Parkes, C. Dowsett. D. Harris, R. Byrne. Nthn. Utd.: I. Marlow, E. Shiels, D. Trickey, G. Mountjoy, R. Muir, M. Osborne.
1989: Golden Square 8.5 12.7 12.9 14.13 (97)
South Bendigo 3.0 7.1 9.8 11.13 (79)
Goals --- Golden Square: W. Campbell 4, D. Tresize 2, L. Williams 2, R. McConville 2, R. Parkes, D. Kulbars, D. Harris, C. Lister. South Bendigo: P. Bradbury 3, B. Fawcett 3, P. Tyack 2, P. Hinck 2, D. Farrell.
Best --- Golden Square: W. Campbell (Nalder Medal), P. McConville, D. Harris, P. McEvoy, C. Lefoe, A. Jones, P. Walsh, R. Parkes, R. Byrne. South Bendigo: B. Fawcett, S. Allender, D. Griffin, M. Higgins, P. Carroll, P. Tyack, P. Hinck.
Closer to the mid-2020s Golden Square saluted again in the 2023 Big Dance with a one-goal victory over Sandhurst in one of the great grannies since 1992.
Coach Christian Carter and skipper Jack Geary led the Wade Street Dogs to a thrilling single kick victory over the Dragons with four-goal-to-two final quarter burst.
Final scores: Square 10.11 (71) def. Sandhurst 9.11 (65). Major goalkickers -- Square: Liam Barrett 3, Joel Brett 2. Hurst: Matt Thornton 3, Andrew Collins 2.
Best -- Golden Square: Jack Geary (Nalder Medal, his third), Ricky Monti, Tom Strauch, Matt Compston, Ryan Hartley, Tom Toma. Sandhurst: Noah Walsh, Sam Conforti, Hamish Hosking, Jake McLean, Isaac Ruff and Nicholas Stagg.
The Dogs had a mini-move out of players after the grannie with Brett and Liam Duguid heading off to the Shepparton Bears and Liam Barrett moving to Moama as assistant coach.
And there were massive off-field moves in October-November with premiership-winning coach Christian Carter stood down followed by the resignation of club president Ian Symons shortly after.
