The retirement of former coach’s Ray Marshall, David Ross, Jack D’Arcy and the great terry Long created a void in the club’s bank of experienced players.
However, former local Gary McKenzie did not hesitate when offered the job of coaching Avoca.
Although the seniors finished fifth, several young players staked a claim for a permanent place in the team, including Geoff and Peter Drummond, Gary Coghlan, Peter Blair, Jack Wardlaw, John Jess and Wayne & David Veitch.
In the Under 15’s a pint sized 12 year old kid named David Edwards was starting to turn heads.
Interestingly, it was these and other young locals who would form the nucleus that would soon project the Bulldogs into on the club’s most successful era’s ever.
However, 1976 was still a case of experience winning through, with 28 year old Brian Coghlan taking out the club’s Best & Fairest award from Geoff Drummond, who was also the club’s leading goal kicker with 40 goals.
Brian and Geoff also represented Avoca in the Lexton league side, together with George Wardlaw and Allan Wallace.
Brian finished runner up in the Lexton league Best & fairest voting, five votes behind Lexton’s Julian Kaye, who polled seven first votes for 21 votes.
It was some consolation for Brian to become the first Avoca player to win the Maffescioni trophy.
Ron Verlin won the Reserves Club Best & Fairest from Greg Morley.
The Reserves were unlucky to be eliminated in the fist semi final, losing to Navarre by six points.
RESERVES FIRST SEMI FINAL
Avoca 4.7.31 to Navarre 5.7.37
Avoca Goals: Tony Clancy 2, Tony Wines 1, Ron Evans 1.
Avoca Best: Tony Wines, Keith Johnson, Ron Verlin, Daryl Stewart, Phil McKechnie, Michael Barker.
It was a marvelous season for Phil McKechinie in the Under 15’s.
During the season he played with Ballarat in the Victorian Schoolboys Championships and won Avoca Under 15’s Best & fairest award.
He came within three votes of winning the Lexton league equivalent, beaten by Landsborough’s Andrew Murphy.
Avoca Under 15’s played off in the Grand Final, but were no match for Landsborough, going down by 75 points, which was a very disappointing loss as the Bulldogs were considered to be favourites.
UNDER 15 GRAND FINAL
Avoca
|
1.5
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1.6
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1.10
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2.11.23
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Landsborough
|
3.2
|
8.6
|
12.7
|
15.8.98
|
Avoca Goals: Lloyd Astbury 1, Wallace Constable 1.
Avoca Best: Daryl Wardlaw, Rowan Astbury, Darren Curtis, Phil McKechnie
Mick Matthews was voted Best Clubman.
The senior grand final between Lexton and Natte-Bealiba, was one of the most sensational ever.
With the scores level, a Lexton player marked the ball 60 metres from goal on an acute angle.
The siren then sounded and the cool Lexton player proceeded to kick true for a thrilling six point victory.
go to 1977