The full array of football emotions was on display as North Shore snapped a 22-game losing streak with a thrilling 14-point victory over Lara at Bisinella Oval.
Players, coaches and supporters were moved to tears as the Seagulls, who were on the brink of going into recess just weeks out from the season starting, held off a second-half surge from the Cats to regain the Paddy Cahir Cup.
The 15.18 (108) to 13.16 (94) victory was the club’s first at senior level since beating St Albans in Round 4 last year and comes just a week after suffering a 242-point hiding at the hands of Geelong West.
For coach Mark Hounslow, whose extensive resume includes coaching roles at VFL and Talent League level, it was one of his best days in football.
“It’s right up there, I tell you,” he told K rock Football after the game.
“I mentioned to the boys after the game in the rooms that last year, winning a premiership with Balwyn in a two-point classic against East Ringwood, and this was right up there.
“I was just trying to remain calm and let everyone on the bench just keep their heads and stay in the moment and make sure we made good decisions and remain composed.
“I was asking the players to do that, and I wanted to ensure that we were like that off the ground as well.
“When that siren went, the emotions just take over, and that’s what footy is, isn’t it?”
Trailing by one point when Lara young gun Tom Gunther kicked his third goal of the contest early in the second quarter, North Shore went on to completely dominate the remainder of the term.
They kicked 5.9, including a three-goal burst late in the quarter to take a 38-point buffer into the main break.
And when Harry Purcell goaled on the run following the first centre bounce of the third quarter, the Seagulls appeared to have the four points in their keeping.
However, some key positional moves, including the introduction of young tall Cooper McKane into the ruck and Gunther taking on a midfield role, resulted in a momentum shift in Lara’s favour.
Star Cat Darby Henderson, who went into the match having had 147 more disposals than the next best player in the competition, also started to influence the contest after being nullified somewhat by Seagull Brad Trengenza.
They cut the margin to 21 points by three-quarter time, which became 15 points when giant debutant Levi King, who has been given the honour of wearing the No.14 which once adorned the back of Mitch Day, rolled one through early in the final term.
However, North Shore gave themselves some breathing room with goals to Will Milsome, who passed a fitness test on a hamstring issue before the game and then picked up an ankle injury, and the lively Declan Clark.
That was quickly followed by Cam Edwards’ third of the afternoon, and Gunther’s fourth came seven minutes later to cut the margin back to 11 points.
The experience Harry Purcell kicked his third of the afternoon to restore an almost three-goal buffer just before time-on.
However, Lara threatened to commit grand larceny when Declan Goodwin and then Henderson produced classy finishes to make the margin three points.
However, Andrew Taylor converted a set shot from around 35 after being taken high in a ruck contest, with Ethan Huxtable – the son of 2001 Mathieson medallist Chris – sealing the contest with a quick snap in the goal square.
Inspirational Seagulls skipper Jacob Sammut, who rucked tirelessly for most of the afternoon, admits he feared the worst when the Cats cut the margin to less than a kick.
“Definitely, you get them thoughts throughout your head,” he said.
“You think, ‘Oh no! They’re coming’. And they made a really good charge and credit to them. They played a heck of a game as well.
“But our boys just stuck strong. In defence, when they had to spoil, they came over and spoiled the ball.
“And in the middle we just repeat stoppage, repeat stoppage, and then we knew we could break them on the outside, and get the ball forward to our bigs, who played their role today and kicked a few, which was great.”
Clark, Milsome and Purcell each kicked three goals as North Shore topped 100 points for the first time since Round 18, 2022.
Gunther kicked four goals and Edwards three for Lara, in what was comfortably the Cats’ highest score of the season.
North Shore hosts Colac to start the second half of the season, with Lara taking on a resurgent South Barwon at McDonald Reserve.
In today’s other games;
– South Barwon maintained touch with the top five with a nine-point win over St Mary’s at McDonald Reserve.
– Newtown & Chilwell went a long way to punching their finals ticket with an 11-point win over Colac at Central Reserve, handing the Tigers their first loss at home in 2025.
– Ladder leader St Joseph’s rallied from 23 points down at half-time to beat Bell Park by 23 points at Hamlyn Park.
– Veteran Sam Scott kicked five goals as Leopold retained the Mick Thompson Cup in beating St Albans by 61 points at St Albans Reserve.
The round concludes tomorrow with a clash between Geelong West and Grovedale at West Oval.
X: @krockfootball
