Port Fairy and Koroit will meet in the Hampden league senior football grand final at the Reid Oval on Saturday. We look at what will be a huge occasion for the close-town rivals.
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MOMENTUM
Both teams will take a head full of steam into grand final day. After a loss to Cobden in round 17, the Seagulls beat Portland by 20 goals the following week. They had a hard-fought nine-point qualifying final win over South Warrnambool before a 17-point win in the second semi-final against Koroit.
The Saints have bounced back from that loss, defeating Cobden 11.24.90 to 6.9.45 in the preliminary final at Reid Oval last Saturday.
KEY PLAYERS
Port Fairy coach Brett Evans has plenty of star power to call on, led by Daniel Nicholson, Matthew Sully, Jackson Holmer and Sandy Robinson. Many things need to go right to beat a team as settled, experienced and talented as Koroit. While the Saints have proved great teams win flags, football history is littered with brilliant individual performances that have inspired famous victories.
For Koroit, its backline is an underrated but highly impressive unit. Led by Dallas Mooney, the back six set up so many cohesive forward thrusts for the Saints while smothering the opposition forwards.
X-FACTOR
For Port Fairy, it could be how well the Seagulls have managed the two weeks since they last played. There has been incredible hype about their pending grand final appearance and the players would no doubt have spent some time looking at the clock wishing the big day would arrive in a hurry.
The old adage ‘bad kicking is bad football’ is shaping as a very apt one for Koroit. In their last two games, the Saints’ kicking for goal has been ordinary. They kicked 7.19 in the second semi-final and 11.24 in the preliminary final. Coach Chris McLaren will be hoping his team’s radar is on come Saturday.
FOREIGN LEGION
Interesting to note how the AFL Victoria player points system has impacted Port Fairy and Koroit.
In the second semi-final between the two clubs, Port Fairy used 40 of the 45 points allocated to it while Koroit used 39 of its 40. In contrast, Cobden’s player points count for its preliminary final team was just 23. Both club’s have a high number of players who did not come through their Sunday juniors.
DROUGHT BREAKER?
Port Fairy will attempt to break a 59-year premiership drought when it comes up against neighbouring Koroit.
The Seagulls first and only Hampden league senior football premiership was won in 1958 when it defeated Colac by two points.
While Port Fairy went into 2017 considered a flag contender, it was a different story back in 1958. Former South Melbourne player John Elder started the season as coach but soon quit with Maurie Hearn filling the gap as non-playing coach until Richmond full-back Alan Cations arrived mid-season and led the club to premiership glory. Port Fairy finished fourth before winning the first semi-final and preliminary finals en route to the grand final.
FOUR-PEAT?
Koroit is aiming to become only the second team in Hampden league history to win four premierships in a row. If they are successful, they will join the Grant Thomas-coached Warrnambool teams from 1986-89. There are seven players who have played in the 2014-16 Koroit teams that are also likely to play on Saturday. They are Taylor Mulraney, Ethyn Zimmer, Dallas Mooney, Ben Goodall, Joe McLaren, Jeremy Hausler and Isaac Templeton. Goodall also played in Koroit’s 2003, 2007 and 2009 grand final winning teams, giving him six premiership medals, the most by any Koroit player. He also played in losing grand finals in 2001 and 2013. Adam Dowie, who coached Koroit’s 2014-16 wins, played in Warrnambool’s 1988-89 flags.
BATTLE OF 1971
The only time Koroit and Port Fairy have met in a grand final was in 1971.
Port Fairy finished second and got to the grand final first. Koroit, who was coached by Les Cameron, came from fourth place and caused an upset on grand final day, defeating the Seagulls by 20 points to claim its first Hampden premiership.
BIG OCCASIONS
The 1971 grand final was one of six times Port Fairy has been runners-up during its time in the Hampden league. The others were in 1956, 1972, 1983, 1997 and 2005. As well as its eight premierships, Koroit has lost grand finals in 2000, 2001 and 2013.
One of the most famous finals clashes between Port Fairy and Koroit was in 2005.
On that occasion, Brad Sholl was coaching the Seagulls and Jason Mifsud the Saints. It was a preliminary final at Reid Oval which Port Fairy won by two points. Koroit defeated the Seagulls in last year’s preliminary final by five points.
HEAD TO HEAD 2017
Round 1
Port Fairy 18.12. 120 defeated Koroit 7.8. 50.
THE Seagulls bounced out of the blocks with a convincing win in front of a big crowd at Gardens Oval to gain the early tag of premiership favourites.
The stars shone brightly for Port Fairy with Daniel Nicholson kicking five goals and ruckman Sandy Robinson four.
A positive for Koroit was a solid first game in the red, black and white from former Terang Mortlake champion Damien O’Connor.
Round 12
Koroit 18.10.118 defeated Port Fairy 7.8.50.
The biggest home-and-away crowd of the season gathered at Victoria Park to see the home team flex its muscle against a neighbour that had no answers. A withering eight-goal to none second quarter from the Saints set up a telling victory.
Marcus Darmody was brilliant up forward with six goals for the winners while youngster Lochie Gunning was the best for the Seagulls.
Second semi-final
Port Fairy 11.12.78 defeated Koroit 7.19.61.
The Seagulls were coming off a qualifying final win over South Warrnambool but it was the Saints who made the early running to lead by 26 points at half-time. But the second half belonged to Port Fairy as they stormed home to book their place in the grand final.
Sandy Robinson put in a best-on-ground performance for the Seagulls while wingman Lachlan Rhook was the Saints best.