It happened more than three decades ago.
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But a documentary more than seven years in the making on the infamous 1990 Bloodbath grand final between Lavington and Wodonga will finally screen at Albury Regent Cinema on Wednesday night.
Despite occurring 33 years ago, the Bloodbath grand final is still arguably the most talked about incident in Ovens and Murray history.
Footage of the shocking scenes that unfolded at Albury Sportsground on September 23, 1990 has received tens of thousands of views on YouTube.
History says Lavington won the fights and Wodonga the flag.
As expected, the fallout in the aftermath was huge.
Fifteen players received a total of 68 matches in suspensions.
Lavington players were hit with a total of 46 weeks with the Bulldogs copping 22.
Both clubs were also slapped with a hefty fine of $5000.
Melbourne based filmmaker Josh Moore is the mastermind behind the 30-minute documentary.
Moore revealed he initially started compiling interviews with players from both clubs alongside Wodonga coach Jeff Gieschen, umpires and spectators more than seven years ago.
![Wodonga coach Jeff Gieschen holds the premiership trophy aloft after the most talked about grand final in Ovens and Murray history, the 1990 decider between Wodonga and Lavington. Wodonga coach Jeff Gieschen holds the premiership trophy aloft after the most talked about grand final in Ovens and Murray history, the 1990 decider between Wodonga and Lavington.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/8793a114-4678-4358-b2dd-fa454c9fc3c1.jpg/r0_0_345_344_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I've lost count of the amount of hours I've spent putting this all together but I started more than seven years ago," Moore said.
"When I initially heard about the Bloodbath, I contacted Wodonga Football Club who put me in contact with Bruce Calder.
"I then got chatting with Jeff Gieschen who was the first person I interviewed because he lives in Melbourne and so do I.
"I was instantly fascinated by the story and after interviewing Jeff travelled to Albury a few times to interview other players from Lavington.
"I then interviewed a few Wodonga players and it all snowballed fairly quickly from there.
"It seemed every player I interviewed would suggest another player who they thought would also be good to talk to.
"I think there are 14 or 15 different interviews in the documentary with most players more than happy to share their memories of what unfolded that day.
"One person that I contacted that declined to be interviewed was Wodonga captain Ernie Whitehead.
![The fallout from the all in brawls during the 1990 grand final were huge with fifteen players receiving a total of 68 matches in suspensions.
The fallout from the all in brawls during the 1990 grand final were huge with fifteen players receiving a total of 68 matches in suspensions.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/347f22eb-9ac1-498d-b958-eb25113b73e0.jpg/r674_47_2289_653_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"I even did a job with Billy Stanlake who is the son of Warren Stanlake.
"I was trying to get hold of Warren because legend has it that he kicked the football into the Botanical gardens so the umpires couldn't recommence the game without the football."
After interviewing more than a dozen people, Moore said how raw the emotion still remained for the players involved had been a real eye opener.
"Across the board, even though the event happened more than three decades ago, it surprised me how raw the emotion still is," he said.
"Not just a handful of players but almost universally everybody that was involved.
"You just get the feeling that it is etched in their minds that it happened a couple of weeks ago, not 30-years ago.
"There is also some animosity that came out in the interviews that also surprised me.
"Some deep-seated feelings that still linger and after all this time still haven't been able to heal."
![Wodonga's two big men in Brett Allen and Steve Murphy belt at the club song after the premiership victory over Lavington. Wodonga's two big men in Brett Allen and Steve Murphy belt at the club song after the premiership victory over Lavington.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/4a93a73c-6b25-46b7-9051-02ab132f2f1f.jpg/r33_0_1454_1241_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Lavington legend and renowned enforcer Ray Mack was one player that was interviewed for the documentary.
Mack said he would attend the premier of the documentary on Wednesday night with mixed emotions.
"I'll go along for a look but I think it has the potential to be an awkward night with players from both sides being there," Mack said.
"I'm taking Mum (Daisy Mack) along because she was interviewed as well.
"I say awkward because I don't think any of the players involved in what happened that day is anything they are super proud of."
Mack revealed he was also a bit apprehensive about attending the premier because he had forgotten what he had said while being interviewed seven years ago.
"I've got no idea what I said and I'm just hoping there is nothing politically incorrect because you can't be too careful these days," he said.
"I'm not sure if the camera was still on but I was asked if Terry Burgess won the game for the Bulldogs.
"I said 'Yeah he did.' But I also said 'Terry was lying on the ground during the fights and I don't even know if he got hit. I think he might have been dogging it a bit and somebody should have given him a bit of a kick to see if he was injured or not.'
"Obviously he was seriously hurt during the fight and I hope what I said about Terry doesn't feature on the documentary but if it does, it was just trying to be lighthearted about the situation."
![Wodonga's Brett Allen was one of several players to receive facial injuries during the all in brawl. Wodonga's Brett Allen was one of several players to receive facial injuries during the all in brawl.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/asdkjfewiKKD/aecdd4b6-f38e-4bad-85b1-67d9a37283db.jpg/r0_0_1450_1996_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Mack said people were still fascinated by the Bloodbath grand final even though it was for the wrong reasons.
"I think the fascination stems from whether it was premeditated or not," Mack said.
"A lot of people involved still won't talk about it.
"I know from Lavington that Warren Stanlake didn't want to be interviewed.
"But in contrast Peter Copley got interviewed and has a bit to say and takes a swipe at Gieschen.
"I've been asked hundreds of times whether it was premeditated by either side and I honestly believe it wasn't.
"It was what happened in the reserves grand final between the same two sides which had emotions running high.
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"Andrew Docker got carted into our rooms on a stretcher and the same happened in the Wodonga rooms with Richard Bence.
"Both players were in a bad way and the best way I can describe it was both sides were emotional powder kegs running out onto the ground.
"Paul Lappin got cleaned up early and that was the spark that lit the explosion out on the ground.
"They rest is history."
Limited tickets for the premier at 6.30pm on Wednesday are still available and can be purchased at https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/bloodbath-documentary-premiere-screening-tickets-642656782737
Otherwise people can contact Moore on email josh@nimblepictures.com.au
Any profits from the screening will be donated back to the two football clubs.
Moore said he was still in negotiations with Prime TV to also screen the documentary locally.
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