The bulletproof sides that pulsed with an invincible aura, struck fear into the opposition and had fans begging for seconds?
Among the conversation would be Tatura’s 1995 senior football side.
The Bulldogs celebrate their 30-year premiership reunion on Saturday when hosting Echuca, the same side they pummelled 23.13 (151) to 10.15 (75) in a grand old day at Deakin Reserve.
It broke a 42-year drought — and looking at the list, it’s not hard to see why.
Tatura boasted a stack of ex-VFL/AFL talent, including Ty Esler (Richmond), Mick Gayfer (Collingwood), Alistair Burke (Hawthorn), David Robertson (Essendon and Collingwood), Gary Stevens (Sydney) and playing coach Paul Hawke (Sydney and Collingwood).
Meanwhile, local stars — Paul and John Serra, Travis and Steve Ryan, to name a few — complemented the Bulldogs’ dazzling team to perfection.
The 76-point thrashing of Echuca was the rubber stamp on an all-enveloping, season-long Bulldogs blitzkreig, and five minutes into the final, Tatura had one hand on the cup.
The first scoring action saw Burke baulk past his marker before sending a raking inside 50 kick that was clunked and dispatched from 40m by Steve Ryan.
Some two hours later, the premiership flag was hoisted high above Deakin Reserve and a tide of red, white and blue spilled out onto the field below.
In that crowd was someone who could appreciate Tatura’s dominance, long-time club man John Ryan.
“I reckon Tat’s ‘95 side is probably one of the best GVL sides I’ve seen,” he said.
“An outstanding side, talent all over it — it was a very, very, very good side.
“I don’t know what the win ratio was, but they just dominated the finals.
“They were the odds-on favourite to win, and when it came time for that, they just dominated the finals.”
It wasn’t just the Bulldogs’ seniors who capped their year that day.
Tatura’s A-grade netball side went back-to-back after clinching the 1994 premiership the year prior, beating Rochester by six goals thanks to a whirlwind third term.
Cate Stevens won best-on-court merits — matching her brother Gary’s effort on the footy field — while GVL Hall of Fame legend Gaye Eaton also starred in the win.
“It was brilliant — of course it was — and we beat Rochester which is always good, (our) arch rivals,” Eaton said.
“We had some really, really good players ... and quite a few of them are still around the club which is great.
“We also had Ty Esler win the league medal and I did too — so it was a clean sweep.
“It was huge, huge celebrations; it went for quite a few days from memory.”
Gus Underwood has been following the GVL scene for 65 years for McPherson Media Group as a journalist and recalls some great GVL grand final triumphs.
He agrees Tatura’s drought-breaking 1995 side could have been the best of the best.
Tatura’s 1995 side was certainly up with the very best teams to win the flag in my time following and reporting on the GVL.
The Bulldogs were the powerhouse side of the 1990s and its 1995 side boasted such stars as ex-VFL players in Paul Hawke, who coached the team, Mick Gayfer, David Robinson and sky scraper ruckman Ty Esler.
They were complemented by a host of talented locals led by hard nut Gary Stevens, the Serra brothers John and Paul, goal-kicking sensation Travis Ryan, Steve Ryan, Brett Warburton, Alistair Burke and Ray Doolan Jr who beat a good Echuca side by nearly 13 goals in the decider that year.
The unbeatable Kyabram premiership sides of 2016, ’17 and ’19 under local legend Paul Newman were loaded with stars and its 1975 side under Peter Lyon beat a powerhouse Euroa side in what was an underrated feat.
Tongala’s two premiership sides in the early 1980s were also powerful units with the likes of Des Campbell, Mick Souter, Barry Nexhip, Trouter Harrison, Mick Lovison, John Cortese and the Jones brothers, Tony and John, and was also up there with the best of them.
The all-conquering Tom Hafey-coached Shepparton teams of the 1960s may not have the marquee players some premiership sides have had down the years, but were well disciplined units that played as a team to get the desired results.
Echuca over the past three seasons with its strong team ethic has also achieved desired results.
Last year’s Murray Bombers’ winning side set a GVL record for the largest winning margin in a grand final with a 96-point flogging of Shepparton and eclipsing Tatura’s 1995 previous record of 76 points.
City (now Shepparton) United had former AFL stars Jock Spencer and John Brady in its side which shocked arch rival Shepparton in the 1967 grand final.
Euroa’s 1971 side under legendary coach Dick O’Bree was also a highly talented side which debuted in the GVL that year and brushed all its rivals aside with its skill and power.
Lemnos (Shepparton Swans) in 1959 and 1960, Mooroopna in 1982 and 1983 and Seymour’s hat-trick in the early 2000s were also won by very talented sides.
There is no-one around these days left to recount first-hand the halcyon days of Rushworth in the 1930s when basically its teams of woodcutters were unbeatable and won five flags in six years and was runner-up in the other year, but facts can’t be ignored.
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