BRIDGEWATER charged to its 26th senior footy premiership in the Bendigo Bank Loddon Valley FNL as it dominated the second half of Saturday’s clash with Marong.
The margin was just four points at half-time of match which drew hundreds to Gadsden Finance Serpentine Reserve.
The Lachie Sharp-coached Bridgewater then unleashed a 12-goal blitz in the third quarter.
It was raining goals as the Mean Machine forwards Oscar McKinley and Mitch Patten dominated play against the James Flaherty-coached Marong.
Sharp had kicked a league record 148 goals in the home-and-away series, but on grand final day it was McKinley and Patten who tore the Panthers’ defence apart.
Runner-up to Marong the previous season there was no shortage of motivation for Bridgewater’s players.
The Mean Machine slammed on 12 goals in the third quarter to end Marong’s run at a fifth consecutive premiership.
Another seven goals in the last capped a 154-55 victory for Bridgewater.
McKinley’s tally of 11 goals earnt the AFL Victoria medal.
Recruited from Surfers Paradise, Patten capped his first season with the Mean Machine by kicking seven goals.
Jack Neylon and Sharp slotted two goals each as Nic Naughton and Darcy Wood were also on target.
Goalkickers for Marong were Corey Gregg, Cooper Hale, Declan Highgate, Lachlan Lee, Jack and Noah McCaig, Ryley Taylor and Matt Willox.
Bridgewater’s best were Oscar McKinley, Darcy Wood, Ben Derrick, Mitch Patten, Luke Ellings and Joseph Mayes.
Best for Marong were Brodie Hartland, Richard Tibbett, Jack McCaig, Matt Willox, Jimmy Gadsden and Zac Justice.
It was an unbeaten run by Bridgewater’s reserves team to premiership glory.
The Dylan Robinson and Jack Symons-coached Bridgewater took on Inglewood in the season decider.
It was 14-all at quarter-time before the Mean Machine slammed on five goals and kept the Blues to a major in the second term.
Bridgewater led 44-20 by half-time.
Another five goals as it kept Inglewood to a tally of two majors meant Bridgewater led by seven goals going into the final term.
Both teams added 2.1 in the last quarter as Bridgewater’s players and fans celebrated a 89-47 victory.
Toby Naughton led Bridgewater’s attack on three goals as Connor Flynn, Alex Pollock, Harry Symons and Tyson Taylor added two each.
The Mean Machine also had Jeremy Campbell, Ollie Muggleton and Josh Roberts on target.
Inglewood’s leading goalkickers were Tarran Kilcullen and Jayden Leach on two as Deklen Gorrie and Callum March added a goal.
The AFL Victoria medal for best afield went to Bridgewater’s Harry Symons.
Others to play key roles in Bridgewater’s victory were Alex Pollock, Hamish Terry, Ollie Muggleton, Darcy Ferguson and Tyson Taylor.
Inglewood’s best were Andrew Bennett, Cameron Martin, Sam Gorrie, Tynan Hywood, Deklen Gorrie and Jayden Leach.
Leg one in a premiership trifecta by Bridgewater began in the under-18s.
Bridgewater’s young guns faced a Maiden Gully YCW Eagles team which went 15-1 in the home-and-away series.
The Eagles had beaten Bridgewater in the second semi-final by 33 points.
Maiden Gully YCW Eagles soared to a 31-4 lead by quarter-time of the grand final.
The Richard Potter and Nick Hobbs-coached Bridgewater fought back brilliantly in the second quarter.
As the Mean Machine scored 4.3 it kept the Eagles to a tally of 1.2.
By half-time the Eagles led 39-31.
Bridgewater’s intensity at the contest did not let up.
The Mean Machine hit the front in the third as it scored three goals and kept Maiden Gully YCW to a major.
Inspired by the play of Toby Waters who earnt the AFL Victoria medal as best afield it was Bridgewater which finished with plenty of run.
The Mean Machine scored four goals in the last to complete a 79-59 victory.
Logan Moss led Bridgewater’s attack on three goals as Harry Arnett and Ollie Clapp kicked two each.
Other goalkickers for the Mean Machine were Jett Craig, Campbell and Toby Fraser, and Dylan Goddard.
The Eagles’ leading goalkickers were Liam Budge, Lincoln Hancock and Kyan Stuchbree on two each as Ollie Bowman, Preston Risicato and Zac Turner added a goal.
Best for Bridgewater were Toby Waters, Will Lacy, Dylan Goddard, Kaelin Vroom, Campbell Fraser and Kolby Shay.
Harry Healey, Tahlan Brook, Zac Turner, Preston Risicato, Liam Budge and Kyan Stuchbree were best for the Eagles.
Bridgewater’s premiership-winning teams in the 2026 season:
Seniors:
Tom Broadbent, Harry Conway, Andy Collins, Bailey Cossar, Ben Derrick, Jacob Ellings, Luke Ellings, Tyler Estrada, Charlie Gibson, Josh Martyn, Joseph Mayes, Oscar McKinley, Jack Merrin, Jack Milligan, Pat Murphy, Nic Naughton, Jack Neylon, Mitch Patten, Lachie Sharp, Jack Symons, Oliver Watt, Darcy Wood.
Coach: Lachie Sharp.
Assistant coach: Mark Lindsay.
Reserves:
Jay Bowen, Jeremy Campbell, Ryley Commons, Darcy Ferguson, Connor Flynn, Joel Green, Jake Higgins, Charlton Hindle, Brad Holt, Declan Maher, Jack McKinley, Ollie Muggleton, James Naughton, Toby Naughton, Alex Pollock, Josh Roberts, Harry Symons, Tyson Taylor, Hamish Terry, Jackson Wild, Cale Woodhatch, Eli Woodhatch.
Coach: Dylan Robinson.
Assistant coach: Jack Symons.
Under-18s:
Harry Arnett, Lachie Bray, Ollie Clapp, Jett Craig, Darcy Cullen, Campbell Fraser, Toby Fraser, Dylan Goddard, Tom Harrison, Rusty Hobbs, Will Lacy, Angus Lawson, Logan Moss, Xavier Potter, Archie Powell, Cooper Ross, Kolby Shay, Will Smith, Kaelin Vroom, Toby Waters, Ryan Wilson, Tate Woodhatch.
Coaches: Richard Potter and Nick Hobbs.