By David Nagel
FOR the players, supporters and officials of the Cranbourne Football Club, Saturday’s final siren was like waiting for your first kiss.
You know it’s going to happen, you know it will be nice, but until you go through the experience, you really don’t know how sweet it will be.
Cranbourne had to wait 12 months longer than expected for that first kiss … but the long wait made the ultimate experience all the more enjoyable when it won the Casey Cardinia Football League premiership against Narre Warren.
As expected, the final siren was greeted with wild celebrations, there were tears of happiness as a 16-year-old premiership drought was broken.
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:THE VICTORS
Out on the ground amid all the fanfare, Cranbourne coach Doug Koop was elated at what his team had achieved … and he tried to express his feelings.
“Relief – these boys have etched themselves into club history today, the first team to go undefeated for this club and that will never ever change,” Koop said.
“It’s a phenomenal reward for all the hard work – total satisfaction.
“Narre are a fantastic side, they showed today why they’ve won four flags. We were tested to the max today – we stood up, gritted our teeth, it was a superlative win, I’m ecstatic.”
Captain Marc Holt was almost in tears as he described his journey.
“Relief, I don’t know what to say, after years of sticking with it, for years we were winning two or three games a year, finally it’s all paid off,” he said.
“Doug Koop’s come in and we have risen and risen, it’s just utter relief, an unbelievable feeling.
“Narre weren’t going to lay down today, our boys stood up.
“I want to say it feels like the end of the journey, but it’s not, it’s still going.”
For Leigh Holt, it was all about the feeling within the team.
“Mate, it’s indescribable. This is 15 years in the making, to win my first with my brother (Marc) and all the boys I’ve grown up with, it’s a fantastic feeling.
“We got pushed, we’re a tight unit and it just made us push that bit harder, the closeness makes it so special.”
Gun player Justin Berry couldn’t hold back the emotions. He wiped tears away, but more appeared. His disastrous grand final record was on the improve.
“Very emotional, an amazing feeling mate, I’ve never won a grand final. Eight losing ones and now I’ve finally got one, it’s just relief,” Berry said.
“It’s time to drink.”
Scoring an important last quarter goal in a premiership was the perfect way for 36-year-old Troy Datson to bow out of senior football.
“It’s the best feeling ever mate, my first senior flag in 19 years,” Datson said.
“That’s it for me now, seniors anyway, how can you go on after this?
“Geez, Narre was good, they weren’t here to lose. I shit myself when they got a run on in the third quarter. Good side. Great side.
“We just had the extra legs at the end.”
VCFL best on ground medallist Curtis Barker knew the experience of Narre Warren would be a factor on the day.
“They’ve been here before, they know what they’re doing, they asked the question and made us pull out something special, it’s a real credit to the guys,” Barker said.
“Just stoked, it’s been a long year; you know with what happened last year – it’s just great that all that hard work has paid off.”
Cranbourne president Gerry Kelly couldn’t believe what was happening.
“I could hardly walk off the ground, my legs turned to jelly, I’m overcome with emotion right now, this is just so bloody important to us,” Kelly said.
“This group of guys have stuck together for so long, they’ve worked and worked and worked, now they’re premiers, we’re the champions.
“Full credit to the culture of Narre Warren, they never give up, they scared the shit out of us today.”
@BT Sub Sport Gaz:THE VANQUISHED
Narre Warren captain Michael Collins was obviously disappointed … but very proud of his boys.
“We had a red-hot crack, but just didn’t come home with the goods. I’m pretty proud that we got in front after being so far down early, that’s true spirit,” Collins said.
“Once we were up, I thought ‘here we go’, but they steadied and got their composure back.
“We’ve got six blokes under 18 here today, that’s good to see, the future is exciting.”
Classy forward Nick Scanlon kicked five goals and kept the Magpies in the game when all appeared lost in the second quarter – and he was full of praise for both teams.
“They were the undefeated side and it shows why they’re such a good side,” Scanlon said.
“They played the better footy when it really counted, we had more scoring shots but we were outplayed by the better side.
“Our blokes were great, I’m real proud, to be in front in the last quarter means we had a real crack.
“We’ve got an average age of just over 20, we’re gonna be up there for another half dozen years, I reckon.”
