Bendigo Advertiser, Monday, September 13, 2010 27

LVFL 2010 GRAND FINAL

A dream debut
WINNERS
LUKE WEST
WHEN Troy Auld was
appointed the new coach
of Bridgewater in October
last year, he backed his
ability to deliver the
club a long-awaited
premiership.
On Saturday, he well and
truly delivered in only his
first year, overseeing the
Mean Machines 115-point
thrashing of Calivil United
in the Loddon Valley
Football League grand final
at Backhaus Oval.
Auld comes from a strong
footballing family and has
always been a footy fanatic,
perhaps best exemplified
by his work in establishing
popular website Central Vic
Footy three years ago.
Now hes a senior
premiership coach the
first at Bridgewater since
David Collins in 1991.
This is definitely one of
the sweetest victories Ive
been involved in, 30-year-
old Auld said.
Obviously, when you
take on a coaching job its a
very big step, and I suppose
when I took on this job I
was backing myself in to get
them a flag.
So to do so in my first
year is obviously something
that sits pretty high in my
sporting achievements.
Having said that, Ive
had brilliant support this
year from Deon Jones
as assistant coach and
Gary Walters as football
manager.
Saturdays result was
never in doubt after
Bridgewater made a
barnstorming start to the
game, leading 11.1 to 1.0 at
quarter-time.
That was definitely the
LEADERS: Bridgewater coach Troy Auld and captain David Coghlan with the cup.
best quarter of footy weve
played for the year, Auld
said.
Kurt Ashman was
the standout player for
Bridgewater, kicking 10
goals, including six in the
first quarter.
In what was an even
team effort, others in the
best for the Mean Machine
were half-back flanker
Zeb Broadbent, hard-at-it
wingman Deon Jones,
midfielder Adam Auld,
who was brilliant with his
clearance work, rebounding
defender Darren Clutton
and Alexander Pollock, who
kicked two goals.
The guys were really up
and about all day, and this
result is testament to all the
hard work they have put in
this year, Auld said.
Maxted gracious in
defeat for Demons
LOSERS
OUTCLASSED in every
facet of the game.
That was Calivil United
coach Ross Maxteds
summary of Saturdays
Loddon Valley Football
League grand final after his
Demons were thrashed by
115 points by Bridgewater
at Backhaus Oval.
Bridgewater came out of
the blocks at a 100 miles an
hour, and once they got their
tail up, away they went,
Maxted said.
Anything they did turned
to gold.
The Demons playing in
their ninth consecutive grand
final, although they have now
lost the past two were never
in the contest.
Bridgewater already had
seven goals on the board by
the time Calivil United kicked
its first, and by quarter-time
the stunned Demons were 61
points down.
All our fundamentals
went out the door, Maxted
said.
Our zone was breaking
down, our pressure around
the contest wasnt there,
we werent sticking tackles,
and then it just festers and
BRIDGEWATER builds.
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total The Demons appeared
flat-footed, lethargic and void
Centre clearances 8 4 2 6 20
Stoppage clearances 2 2 8 2 14
Inside 50s 15 8 17 17 57
Marks inside 50 10 4 2 7 23
Minutes in front 29 29 28 29 115
CALIVIL UNITED
1st 2nd 3rd 4th Total
Centre clearances 4 6 1 5 16
Stoppage clearances 4 4 11 5 24
Inside 50s 8 10 8 8 34
Marks inside 50 0 3 1 1 5
Minutes in front 0 0 0 0 0
HORROR DAY: Calivil Uniteds Nic Balic (No.41), Lloyd Maxted
and Heath Richardson (No.16) at the final siren.
of any confidence against the
slick Bridgewater unit.
Bridgewater controlled
the midfield, they controlled
the backline and controlled
their forward line we were
outclassed in every facet of
the game, Maxted said.
Full credit to Bridgewater,
they are well-coached and
well-drilled with a super
playing group that is at the
right age.
The Demons exceeded
many expectations this year
by reaching Saturdays grand
final.
They sat outside the top
three for 14 of the 18 home
and away rounds, before
playing three finals in tough
conditions to get through to
the grand final a feat the
Demons have now achieved
every year since 2002.
Weve injected a lot of
young kids, and there was
nothing from the outset to
suggest wed get back here
again, Maxted said.
So to get to where we
have, probably through pure
guts and determination as
much as anything, Im really
proud of the boys.
On a forgettable day
for the Demons, they
named Henry Miller, Todd
Gallagher, Maxted, Aaron
Demeo, Glen Scholtes and
Heath Richardson in their
best players.
LUKE WEST

Double celebration for Bridgewater

MINOR GRADES
FOR the first time since 1985,
Bridgewater is the Loddon
Valley Football Leagues reserves
premier.
The Mean Machine defeated
Newbridge by 12 points in
Saturdays grand final at Backhaus
Oval, 11.9 (75) to 9.9 (63).
It was an entertaining contest,
with the game still in the balance
entering time-on of the final
quarter.
After leading by 11 points at
half-time, Bridgewater threatened
to break the game open during
the third quarter when a goal to
Alexander Collins put the Mean
Machine ahead by 19 points.
However, the Maroons staged
a revival, with three goals in
succession to Daniel Holloway and
the dangerous Mark Holland (two)
cutting the Bridgewater lead back
to just two points at three quarter-
time, 8.8 to 8.6.
The Maroons had all the
momentum entering the final term,
but it was the Mean Machine that
wrested back control of the contest
early as it took advantage of some
poor Newbridge discipline.
NO.1 AFTER 25 YEARS: Bridgewaters reserves celebrate their first flag since 1985.
Bridgewaters Nick Bell and
Grant Hall kicked the first two goals
of the last quarter both courtesy
of 50m penalties to give the Mean
Machine a handy break.
The Maroons cut the deficit
back to six points following a
goal to Jordan Pawsey, before
Bridgewaters Justin Williams
kicked the sealer to secure the
Mean Machines first reserves flag
since it beat YCW by 88 points in
1985.
Cameron Hayes, Alexander
Collins (four goals), Williams,
Matthew Collins, Thomas Collins
Picture: JIM ALDERSEY
and Craig Burn were the best for
Bridgewater, which was coached
by Tim Ferguson.
The Maroons were well led
by Holland (six goals), Corey
Warne, Anthony West, Pawsey,
Bodee Scullie (VCFL Medal) and
Alexander Hamilton.
For the second season in a row,
the Marong under-17s have gone
through the season undefeated.
The Panthers won their 36th
game in a row on Saturday,
defeating Bears Lagoon-Serpentine
by 60 points in the grand final, 13.10
(88) to 4.4 (28).
The Panthers were well in control
of the game at half-time when they
led by 38 points, 7.6 to 1.4.
They then added 6.4 to 3.0
after the main break to celebrate
back-to-back premierships, having
also defeated Bridgewater by 26
points in last years grand final.
The VCFL Medal for best on
ground was awarded to Marongs
Bradley Evans.
Also in the best for the Panthers
were Cohen Kekich (three goals),
Callum Williamson, LVFL leading
goalkicker Bryce Stevenson (three
goals), Jake Cardinal and Samuel
Alexander.
The premiership coach was Nick
Patching.
The Bears, who were chasing
their first under-17 flag since 1982,
were well led by Rhys Bottoms,
Darcy Wilson, Luke McKenzie, Jake
Lewis, William McMahon and league
medallist Jacob Greenwood.