St Mary’s has overcome a lengthy quarter-time delay and a determined South Barwon to grab its eighth GFNL premiership with a 20-point win at GMHBA Stadium, sending off co-coach Ben Boseley in style.
After the Swans cut the margin to seven points early in the final quarter, the Saints kicked four of the last six goals to claim victory, 15.11 (101) to 12.9. (81), and secure flags in consecutive years for the first time since the formation of the competition in 1979.
The most important of those goals followed a crucial tackle by power forward Lachie Peck.
With an eight-point lead at the eight-minute mark, South Barwon star Todd White had the ball just inside the centre square, ready to send his team inside forward 50, but he couldn’t get his kick away before Peck gobbled him up.
The passage of play that followed saw Frank Fopiani medallist Fletcher Hughes mark 50m out from the Saints’ goal, with the young ruckman going back and calmly slotting a major that turned the momentum back his team’s way.
When the experienced Chris Jansen converted a set shot a couple of minutes later, St Mary’s had done what it had done all year against South Barwon – put them at arm’s length.
“It was pretty good,” co-coach Luke Rayner said of the tackle.
“Just so rapt for Pecky… it’s been obviously well advertised in terms of his journey over the last couple of years, and he’s a St Mary’s lad through and through, obviously, with the Peck family.
“And just so rapt for him that he could come out here and have a real presence, and that was a big moment.
“And grand finals, ultimately, they do come down to big moments, and that was one for us.”
In humid conditions, St Mary’s kicked the first goal of the contest inside the opening two minutes thanks to Elijah Wales, in what was the only major in a dour opening 20 minutes.
However, the contest went up a notch during time on of the opening quarter, with five goals kicked in a nine-minute period, which also saw a nasty collision between Saints talisman Paddy Dowling and South veteran Andrew Boseley.
Boseley came off the worst, suffering a suspected fractured eye socket, which saw him hospitalised.
With an ambulance called, quarter time – at which point the Swans led by two points – was extended, and both teams retreated to their changerooms before returning 15 minutes later.
South twice extended their lead to seven points with goals from livewire forward Lachie Noble, but Saints star Sam Bourke responded both times, including one after a towering chest mark.
Consecutive behinds put St Mary’s back in front, and the lead grew to 23 points at the main break thanks to goals from Jack Willson, Bailey Cockerill and Dowling.
South Barwon started better in the third quarter, with Paddy Kelly’s move into the midfield sparking the Swans.
The Swans got within 10 points after a set-shot conversion from Max Mawson followed a Noble goal.
However, St Mary’s again had the answers, with an impressive solo effort from Jesse Travaglini, who toe-poked the ball to himself before kicking truly from 35m, to spark a three-goal burst that pushed the margin to 27 points.
But when it looked like the Swans were on the canvas, consecutive goals from Taylor Mulraney and Hamish Sinnott kept them in the contest at the final change.
Mathieson Medal runner-up Doyle Madigan breathed further life into the contest with a classy finish from a stoppage early in the final term, but they couldn’t snatch back the lead.
“Hats off to ‘Neeldy’ (coach Mark Neeld) and all the South Barwon boys – you know what you’re going to get,” Rayner said.
“It’s always going to be a tight game, a contested game, and for our guys to respond probably each and every time that they got close enough was really, really pleasing because they just kept giving us that breathing room that we needed.”
Hughes, who returned after two finals appearances with VFL club Port Melbourne, was simply outstanding in his ruck battle with Swans star Ben Kellett.
Dowling bounced back from the collision with Boseley to kick three goals; Charlie Lang and Hamish Bourke battled hard behind the ball, while Josh Sanders should be satisfied with the way he limited the influence of gun South Barwon youngster Zach Stevens.
Noble, who finished with four goals, was South Barwon’s best, while Doyle Madigan was a four-quarter performer in its third grand final loss in four seasons.
However, like their three losses to the Saints during the home-and-away season, the Swans didn’t have enough talent to avoid a fourth defeat.
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St Mary’s 3.0, 8.8, 11.9, 15.11 (101)
South Barwon 3.2, 5.3, 9.7, 12.9 (81)
Goals: St Mary’s – E. Wales 3, P. Dowling 3, S. Bourke 2, J. Travaglini 2, F. Hughes, H. McMahon, C. Jansen, B. Cockerill, J. Willson
South Barwon – L. Noble 4, M. Mawson 2, D. Madigan, T. Mulraney, Z. Stevens, L. Page, H. Sinnott, M. Caldow
