TODD McLean says playing in a premiership alongside his younger brother Alex Pulling is more special the second time around.
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Key defender McLean, 30, and wingman Pulling, 20, celebrated together moments after Koroit won the Hampden league flag on Saturday.
“It’s pretty special. We’ve done it once already in 2014 with Merrivale (in the Warrnambool and District league) but he actually didn’t get on the ground that game, he was the sub,” McLean said.
“For him to be a part of it this year, it’s a lot better.”
McLean joined his younger sibling at Victoria Park this season, slotting into the Saints’ steady back six.
“It took a lot of work in the pre-season to get my fitness back up and I’ve just really enjoyed my time out here at Koroit,” he said.
He said he happy to contribute but took more out of watching Pulling emerge as a regular senior player.
“It’s been good this year. I had the last couple of years off so I didn’t watch much footy and to watch him really cement his spot this year and be a part of it, it’s a credit to him for all the work he puts in,” McLean said.
Pulling missed out on a spot in the Saints’ 2017 premiership team.
He embraced the grand final stage 12 months later, content with his efforts in the 11-point win over Camperdown.
The Saints held an eight-point lead at half-time in a low-scoring game before the Magpies booted two goals to one in the third quarter to be a point clear at the final change.
Goals to Will Couch, Tim McIntyre and Damian O’Connor turned the momentum the Saints’ way, helping them collect a record fifth straight premiership.
“It was a hot contest early which is what you expected with a grand final but we just kept grinding and ended up getting the win,” Pulling said.
The brothers’ success came on the same day their sister Carly Pulling won back-to-back open netball flags with Koroit.
The Saints proved too good for Cobden 41-32.
The triple treat capped off a memorable sporting year for the family with Carly Pulling also playing alongside older sister and coach Louise Brown in the Big V basketball championship for the Warrnambool Mermaids earlier this month.
“It seems to always work like that for some reason, just playing heaps of sport as a family,” Alex Pulling said of their success.