Bill Deery says it’s a dream come true to finally hold the premiership cup aloft.

Deery, 36, captured an elusive flag after the Blues triumphed by 31 points over a plucky Corryong at Cudgewa.

The veteran forward had previously played in six losing deciders since making his senior debut as a 16-year-old with Kiewa Sandy Creek.

He played in two losing grand finals at both Kiewa Sandy Creek and Wodonga Raiders reserves before also coaching Cudgewa to successive grand final losses in 2011-12.

An emotional Deery revealed he would now retire on the ultimate high.

“Twenty years is a long time and I couldn’t ask for a better bunch of blokes to finally win one with,” Deery said.

“At least I know what everyone’s talking about now.

“Never winning a flag was always in the back of my mind but I had faith in the boys that we could get the job done today.

“I’m a big believer that defence wins finals and I take my hat off to our back six.

“But that’s it for me — I’m done and dusted.

“I love my coaching but it’s been a pretty full-on year both personally and with football and it’s time to pull up stumps.”

Deery who booted four goals in the first half to establish a 20-point lead, said he felt for the players who missed out on playing in the biggest match of the season.

“There is another five or six players that missed out on playing today but they are a part of this as well,” he said.

“A couple of good mates, a couple of good kids coming through all missed.

“Unfortunately I’m employed to do a job and if I don’t do it the onus comes back on me.”

Deery — who created headlines mid-season when he questioned whether Corryong lacked leadership under coach Andrew Reid and would be better off under former coach Evan Nicholas — revealed it was a strategic move to try and unsettle the Demons.

“The reason why I said it, was nothing personal and just a few mind games and trying to psyche the opposition out,” he said.

“There were rumours about in-house fighting and I was just trying to stoke the fire.”