A behind just moments before the final siren has seen East Geelong snap a 17-year GDFNL premiership drought in the most dramatic of fashions.
Despite Andrew Steele’s running shot at goal from 20 metres out missing to the left, as the goal umpire waved his flag, the siren sounded to signal a one-point Eagles win over Werribee Centrals, 8.11 (59) to 8.10 (58)
Elated Eagles coach Ned Aulsebrook says he didn’t hear the siren following the attempt by Steele, who had been forced off the field following a head clash that hospitalised teammate Jack Doyle earlier in the quarter.
Instead, he was focused on his whiteboard where he was making plans for extra time.
“We were done if it was extra time,” Aulsebrook, who also has two premierships as a player at Barwon Heads, admitted.
“We had guys cramping, ‘Doyser’ (Jack Doyle) going down hurt us, down a rotation.
“We needed to pull the trigger on Ben Mulvahil going into the middle of the ground, which hurts us because we used him as our second ruck.
“And when we need to pull the trigger on him going through the middle of the ground, It really impacts his body and his ability to get through the game.
“But we needed him in the second and third quarters. “
“We just needed a big body in there, so he was going ruck, mid, ruck, mid, and he was completely cooked in the last quarter.
“He didn’t play the last 10 minutes. If it went to extra time, I reckon, yeah, we were done.”
Trailing by 11 points at three-quarter time, East Geelong kicked the only two goals of the final term.
However, they didn’t come until time-on, firstly from Sam Purdy and the second of the day from Steele, who was awarded the best-on-ground medal.
“He’s had a big month,” Aulsebrook said.
“I know he wasn’t happy with his performance in the finals last year, and I know how much it means to him to get the job done today.
“He’ll be so, so happy with himself and how he performed today. And I’m so proud of him and what he’s done for us at East Geelong.
“He’s played a lot of footy before coming across and hadn’t played in a senior final.”
Pride was Aulsebrook’s overriding emotion.
“Pride for the young lads who put in a lot of work and have been at the club for a long time,” he said.
“And then pride for guys like John McIntyre who has toiled away for a long time.
“Pride for Jayden Fanning. He’s played his last game of footy, and he’s won a grand final by a point.
“I’m proud of guys like Jude Payne who just work and work and work and missed out last year on his grand final, and he’s worked his way into the side.
“I’m proud of Jack Doyle who put his body on the line today and is currently in hospital with a massive head knock and potentially a fractured eye socket.,
“He was best on ground in a reserves grand final last year, and for him to work through that, I’m proud of him.
“I’m proud of Ben Flintoff, who’s played years of reserves football and then had one of the all-time months where he just hasn’t done a thing wrong.
“We gave him one of the biggest jobs on the ground to try and shut down Tyler Crennan’s influence on a wing, and he did that, and then his last quarter with the ball in hand was also exceptional.
Cam Saliba kicked two goals for the Centurions, whose best included Connor Linehan-Cunningham, Daryl Chesterman and team of the year member Tate Camilleri.
Werribee Centrals 3.5, 5.8, 8.8, 8.10 (58)
East Geelong 2.3, 5.5, 6.9, 8.11 (59)
Goals: Werribee Centrals – C. Saliba 2, D. Chesterman, K. Kur, B. Houlihan, C. Linehan-Cunningham, B. Linehan-Cunningham, B. Carlton
East Geelong – A. Steele 2, S. Purdy 2, Z. Smith, J. Ollis, C. Ezard, B. Mulvahil
Best: Werribee Centrals – C. Linehan-Cunningham, D. Chesterman, T. Camilleri, M. Murdock, J. Sutton, H. Kilby
East Geelong – A. Steele, J. Fanning, B. Crombie, S. Purdy, W. Hough, B. Flintoff
Belmont Lions have claimed the reserves premiership with a comfortable 57-point win over Bell Post Hill.
The Lions got the jump on the Panthers, kicking five goals to one in the opening quarter to race to a 26-point lead.
Sam Jones kicked five goals in a best-on-ground performance, while Jesse Stapleton and Bailey Trevorrow contributed two apiece.
Jake Reeves, Charlie Steel and senior co-coach Brent Vermeulen were also important for the Lions.
Tyler Edwards finished with two goals for Bell Post Hill, and along with Sam Harmer and Lachie Verschuren, was among the Panthers’ best players.
Belmont Lions 5.3, 8.4, 11.10, 14.14 (98)
Bell Post Hill 1.1, 3.1, 4.3, 6.5 (41)
Goals: Belmont Lions – S. Jones 5, J. Stapleton 2, B. Trevorrow 2, J. Reeves, D. Evans, L. MacDonald
Bell Post Hill – T. Edwards 2, T. Stone, W. Vassiliou, L. Meyrich, N. Bartolo
Best: Belmont Lions – S. Jones, J. Reeves, B. Trevorrow, C. Steel, B. Vermeulen, A. Hann
Bell Post Hill – S. Harmer, L. Verschuren, H. Martin, T. Edwards, W. Vassiliou, H. McIntyre
