By: Daniel Cencic
THE wait is over at Terrara Road.
Vermont has returned to the top of the mountain after eight seasons, defeating South Croydon by 35 points at Bayswater Oval on Saturday afternoon.
It is Vermont’s 20th senior EFL premiership and its first since 2009.
Vermont celebrates its first senior flag since 2009. PICTURE: Davis Harrigan Photography.
The Eagles raced out of the blocks early, leading by 32 points at quarter time and 58 at the main-break, before blowing the margin out to a game-high 70 points at the 18-minute-mark of the third quarter.
A Max King-led revival for South Croydon thereafter saw the Dogs pile on five consecutive goals from the 20-minute-mark of the third term to the 21-minute-mark of the last – with four of those belonging to King – cutting the margin to an unassailable 39 points as the Eagles weren’t to be denied.
Vermont’s dominant tone was set early by former SANFL spearhead Andrew Ainger, who slotted four of his five majors in the opening term and finished best afield, winning the Cliff Tomkins Blue Ribbon Medal.
For Vermont captain Lachie Johns, today’s premiership triumph has seen a long build-up, bringing with it a distinct sense of relief and atonement with the club playing off in three senior deciders since 2009, including its 18-point loss to South Croydon in the 2017 senior grand final.
“It’s a pretty nice feeling and we’ve been working at it for a fair few years now and then we got so close so many times and to finally get over the line is great,” Johns said.
“We’ve put some good games together prior to this.”
The Eagles experienced a mid-season form-slump which saw three losses in five weeks from rounds 10 to 14, falling to South Croydon by 18 points, Blackburn by 10 points and Doncaster by 38 points, all after starting the season 9-0.
Johns’ men didn’t look back after that point of the season, answering the critics winning five-straight on their way to the Bendigo Bank Division 1 grand final off the back of frank discussions surrounding the form-slump.
“We sat down and had a few deep and meaningful conversations about what was going on because I guess you get lured into a false sense of security when you win all those games early and our pressure was a thing that probably dropped off a bit,” Johns said.
“We analysed that and decided that was the thing we needed to pick up again and I think our last six weeks has been unreal with our tackling pressure – it’s gone through the roof and it’s been the difference.”
A stirring reminder from a club-great in the rooms prior to the match reinforced how much a flag would mean to the playing group today, especially to Johns, who played his junior football at Vermont.
“Brad Cullen, our midfield coach, came into the rooms and had a chat to us before the game and he just said to us how big a feeling it is to win a premiership at this club and it’s something you’ll remember for the rest of your lives,” Johns said.
“We put that to the boys before the game again.
“I’m just rapt for the boys and the coaches, and all the supporters – eight years is a bit of a drought and to finally break that, I’m looking forward to tonight.”
Johns also paid tribute to his former captain, Tim Johnson, whom he succeeded in March this year.
Question marks remained all week over whether Johnson would play in today’s senior grand final, after he was initially listed as an emergency on Thursday night and in the club’s reserves grand final line-up.
“It was great that he (Tim) got in today – he was a super captain for the last few years and he’s been really helpful with the transition into me being captain and how many countless dinners we’ve been going out for and just discussing tactics, how to develop as a leader, what I’m doing well and what I’m doing not too well,” Johns said.
“He’s been super and I couldn’t thank him enough.”
The premiership victory comes in senior coach Harmit Singh’s second year at the helm, adding to an already successful coaching CV having guided Gippsland Football League club Morwell to back-to-back premierships in 2013 and 2014, as well as coaching Northcote Park in the Northern Football Netball League to consecutive finals appearances in 2015 and 2016.
The senior flag capped off a successful 2018 campaign across all three grades at the Eagles, with the under-19s playing off in a preliminary final and the reserves defeating South Croydon prior to today’s main event by 68 points.
Vermont 6.2 11.5 14.6 15.11 (101)
South Croydon 1.0 2.1 6.2 10.6 (66)
Goals:
Vermont: Ainger 5, L. Wale-Buxton 2, T. Schneider, B. Eddy, L. McComb, J. Best, Parker, C. Purdy, K. McConnon, L. Johns 1
South Croydon: Max King 6, J. Cass 2, Michael King, N. Molnar 1
Best:
Vermont: Ainger, L. Wale-Buxton, R. McComb, A. Parker, C. Purdy, M. Willcocks
South Croydon: D.King, J. Tucker, L. Cox, R. Mallison, N. Evans, Max King
Cliff Tomkins Blue Ribbon Medal (best on ground): Andrew Ainger (Vermont)