THERE were many highs across Brendan Hartney’s footy playing career of 223 matches for Sandhurst and more than 20 representing the Bendigo Football Netball League.
Among the greatest for the league legend was being captain of the Bendigo FNL team which beat Ovens and Murray in the Victoria Country championships semi-final at Lavington in 1989.
It was the first time Bendigo had won in O and M territory near the border.
A team coached by the late Neville Strauch and led by Hartney scored a 16-point win on a muddy and wet Lavington ground.
Later in the season and Bendigo defeated Geelong in the championships decider at Queen Elizabeth Oval in Bendigo.
“The semi-final against O and M in ’89 was one of the best wins to be part of,” Hartney recalled in the lead-up to the inter-league rivalry being renewed on May 23 at the QEO.
“That was as good a win as I have played in,” Hartney said.
“Bendigo had never beaten O and M up there.”
The Strauch-led inter-league campaign of ’88 until ’90 is a golden era for the Bendigo FNL.
After being runner-up to Geelong in ’88, Bendigo’s run a year later began with a win against Goulburn Valley in Shepparton, and then against O and M in Lavington.
“Belief in the team grew dramatically after the semi-final.”
Hartney said the catalyst for Bendigo’s success began three seasons earlier when Bendigo beat Ovens and Murray at the QEO by 34 points.
The team was coached by Denis Higgins, a premiership-winning coach with Eaglehawk who later took charge at South Bendigo.
“Denis was one of the best coaches I have had,” Hartney said.
“His passion for inter-league was incredible.
“O and M had won the championship the year before, so it was an enormous effort to beat them.
“The work Denis and the selectors put in and preparation on our opponents was amazing.”
By 1988 it was Neville Strauch who was coaching Bendigo.
“Neville was so thorough in everything he did. His research, attention to detail, and being able to have players want to play inter-league was amazing.”
The loss to Geelong in the ’88 grand final ignited a spark for Hartney and a talented squad to be number one a year later.
Bendigo’s run to the ’89 title was led by the likes of South Bendigo coach Peter Bradbury and gun rover Peter Tyack, Castlemaine’s Keirin Lourey and Lachy Butler, Sandhurst full-back, Eaglehawk’s Bert McIvor and Peter Crone, and Northern United’s Matt Allan and Rick Marklew.
The blue and gold beat O and M in a semi-final a year later, but Bendigo’s quest for back-to-back titles was thwarted by Latrobe Valley in Sale.
Most of Bendigo’s campaign across three years was away from home.
“The bus trips played a big part in team bonding, as did some training sessions in Castlemaine and Kyneton,” Hartney said.
“Neville’s goal was to involve all the league as much as possible.
“Opponents became team-mates for a few matches and all wanted success.”
A dual premiership player with Sandhurst and winner of the Michelsen Medal as league fairest and best in ’87 and ’89, Hartney said playing inter-league was something he aspired to do from a young age.
“Inter-league matches were like finals and there’s so many great memories from those days.”
The Hartney’s family involvement with Sandhurst FNC and the Bendigo FNL stretches back more than 80 years.
Another fierce rivalry is played out this Saturday when Sandhurst takes on South Bendigo in Kennington for the Graeme Wright Memorial Cup.
A big crowd is likely to include Brendan Hartney watching on.
