Eaglehawk do it again

by RICHARD JONES

THE 2008 BFL season kicked off on Saturday 5 April with the one-off grand final rematch: Eaglehawk v Gisborne.

The game, played at Eaglehawk's Canterbury Park in front of a record home crowd, was another thriller just like the season decider six months earlier.

The 2007 grand final was won by the Hawks by two points.

In the 2008 opener Eaglehawk bounced back from a 32-point deficit early in the second quarter to snatch a four point victory. Scores were all locked up at three-quarter time on 84 points apiece before the home side bounced out to a 16-point lead with just under two minutes left to play.

Gisborne is nothing if not resilient. Four times the premiers in the last six years, the Bulldogs booted two quick goals to reduce the margin to four points.

Less than 40 seconds remained on the clock. Again Gisborne won the centre take-out but a telling Eaglehawk clearance across half-back iced the clock for the Hawks.

Final scores: Eaglehawk 20.7 (127) Gisborne 17.21 (123).

The season proper begins on 19 April. All eyes will be on Jonathan Brown's little brother, Matt, who has left South Warrnambool and signed with 2007's winless club, Kangaroo Flat.

Round 1: Golden Square v Kangaroo Flat, Castlemaine v Gisborne, Kyneton v Eaglehawk, South Bendigo v Maryborough (QEO, night). Bye: Sandhurst.

15 April 2008

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