ADAM Dowie claimed a slice of history, becoming the first coach to win Hampden league premierships at three different clubs when Koroit toppled his former side Warrnambool in Saturday’s grand final.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Dowie, a three-time Warrnambool premiership player, was at the Blues’ helm when their run of seven consecutive grand final appearances started in 2008. But on Saturday he was the man who conjured a Koroit premiership against the odds that denied his great mate and former assistant Scott Carter a hat-trick of premierships with the Blues.
Amid the euphoria in Koroit’s change rooms on Saturday night, Dowie felt for Carter, who was his right-hand man when the Blues won the 2010 flag.
“Tilty’s done a brilliant job. I am really proud of what he’s been able to do,” Dowie said.
On a personal level, Dowie and Carter are now one-apiece in head-to-head grand finals after Carter led the Blues to an upset win in 2013.
Dowie’s excitement about the 16-point triumph centred on his players, rather than his record of four senior Hampden league premierships — two with Terang Mortlake in 2004-05, one with Warrnambool in 2010 and now Koroit in 2014.
His record includes a fifth premiership as coach with Nirranda in the Warrnambool and District league. As a player, he won five senior flags, three with the Blues and two in the district league, plus reserves flags with Warrnambool in 1993 and Terang Mortlake in 2003.
“As a coach it’s more rewarding,” he said.
Dowie said he would take more pleasure watching the happiness of his players over the celebrations than from his own point of view.
“I am still probably a little bit shocked to be honest,” he said.
“It’s a bit of disbelief I must admit. I’ve coached some memorable ones but not probably too many more than that. The players were just terrific. I am still actually pinching myself about it.”
Dowie and his coaching group, including John Cook, Mathew Buck and Andrew Paton, had a massive job to turn around the Saints’ 12-goal loss to Warrnambool in the second semi-final. Part of the process included giving each player a USB stick containing footage of their work, or lack of it, at the stoppages. Another part was making several positional and personnel changes. The Saints put a big emphasis on pressure.
“We felt the midfield battle was really important,” Dowie said. “I think we won that, obviously with Ben Goodall playing so well, with Joe (McLaren) going through there and Jayden Brennan and Tempy (Isaac Templeton).
“We tagged Brendan Moore early on and Josh Walters as the game went on. We knew if we could get it into our forward line, I think our forward line matches up pretty well with their defence.”
Dowie said fate had played a role too, especially after last year when the Saints were favourites against the Blues, but suffered a 37-point loss.
“Some things are just bounce of the ball and it was just meant to be and they (our players) deserved it,” he said.
Dowie said he was proud to be at a club like Koroit.
“I am privileged to be working for the Koroit footy club, so for me it is great but I am here with a job to do and that’s to keep building the footy club,” he said.
“For Koroit footy-netball club to do what they’ve done, and not just this year but over a long period of time, is quite amazing.
“It is only a little town. It’s probably one of the smallest towns in the Hampden league and for them to do what they’ve done, and I am just a small part of it, they are a fantastic club.”
Dowie’s three-quarter- time address was poignant.
“Last week we spoke about two pains in life — pain of discipline or pain of regret,” Dowie said.
“Pain of discipline to do what they needed to keep doing for another 30 minutes and an hour after the game that’ll be gone, but compare that with the pain of regret which hangs around forever.
“I said ‘which one are you going to take?. You’ve got to absolutely keep running’.”
They did and so will Dowie, having already been re-appointed for next season.
Captain Isaac Templeton praised his younger teammates.
“It’s amazing really. I was proud of everyone, a massive turnaround in two weeks,” the 29-year-old said.
“I said to Ben Goodall and the older blokes ‘we need to pick up and if we pick it up all the young lads will come with us’.”
They did.