That's the verdict of legendary mentor Adam Dowie, who steered the Bushfield-based club within three points of its maiden premiership on Saturday.

Dowie's side fell agonisingly short of its first Hampden league flag, slotting 8.12 (60) to Koroit's 9.9 (63).

But Dowie, a premiership coach with four different south-west clubs, revealed he was proud of his men post-match.

"With the start that Koroit had, for our players not to go into self-preservation mode and to stick to the areas we tried to focus on and to get so close, I'm really proud," he said.

"In a way, I said to them 'it's not the end, it's the beginning'.

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"It really hurts when you lose like that but I think that's going to make our whole group better."

Dowie said the close nature of the defeat would create more hunger for his group.

North Warrnambool Eagles trailed by 20 points at the main break but restricted Koroit to one goal in the third and final terms to storm home.

"If we had of turned up and Koroit won easy, you'd probably brush it under the carpet a bit," he said.

"But I think with the way it happened and how it happened, it'll give them purpose and incentive to work harder in pre-season.

"It's those little things that make the difference."

Dowie said he "loved" coaching the Eagles and is contracted for next season.

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