There were many highs and lows in the Hume Football League season, none better than Henty winning the grand final to break its 18-year drought. BRENT GODDE looks back at the season and finds 10 of its best moments.
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After having the best list for the past three years, Henty finally broke its premiership drought that stretched back to 1996. The Swampies overcame a nervous opening — where they kicked six consecutive behinds — to dominate the contest and score an emphatic 16.16 (112) to 10.7 (67) win. Co-coach Brent Piltz said it was a dream come true to lead his junior club to a drought breaking flag. Piltz, 35, played in the Swampies previous flag in 1996 as a lanky 17-year-old before embarking on a glittering Ovens and Murray career with North Albury and Myrtleford. “It’s fantastic and the best feeling,” Piltz said. “We were so close for two years in a row and had a good team that just couldn’t quite get over the line. “To finally get the job done is a huge relief and a good reward for effort.
An emotional Ryan Hon dedicates Henty’s drought breaking flag to his good mate James McQuillan. Hon, who dominated with five goals, is close friends with the Albury footballer who suffered life-changing spinal injuries this season. “James is always close to my heart when I run out on the footy field,” Hon said. “He has been a good mate for years and we played cricket together at Echuca cricket club. “We moved over from Echuca to Albury together to study at uni. “He is a really great guy and I’m behind him every step of the way.” Hon, 22, earned a recall for the decider despite only playing a quarter of football since round 14 with a knee injury. He has signed with Albury next year.
Lockhart made a massive statement of intent when it lured Riverina coaching legend Shane Lenon back to the club as non-playing coach in October. Lenon returns to the Demons after previously coaching the club from 1997 to 2000, and has one of the most enviable coaching records in country football. He has coached Collingullie-Ashmont- Kapooka for the past seven seasons, leading the Demons to three consecutive flags in 2008-10 in the Farrer league. CAK then crossed to the Riverina league and has made the grand final for the past three years including a historic first flag in the Riverina league this season. “Coaching is in the blood and I do love it,” Lenon said.
Brock-Burrum speedster Nico Sedgwick emerged as one of the recruits of the season after claiming the Azzi medal in his first season with the Saints. Sedgwick polled 24 votes to finish two clear of his co-coach Luke Brauer. Nothing separated the two Saints after round 19 before Sedgwick polled two votes in the final round for a thrilling win. After failing to poll in the first six rounds, Sedgwick enjoyed an outstanding finish to the season to earn votes in 11 of the Saints’ last 13 matches. Sedgwick said he was shocked by the win “I wasn’t expecting much at all, I haven’t played for the past two years and had a shoulder reconstruction last year, so I didn’t know how it would go,” he said.
High profile Howlong recruit Josh Dicketts enjoyed a solid home and away season for the Spiders after crossing from Albury. But the talented big man took his game to another level throughout the finals series. Dicketts kicked 11 goals in the first two weeks of the finals to almost single-handedly drag the Spiders into a preliminary final. He also booted four goals in the preliminary final but the Spiders proved no match for Rand-Walbundrie who made its first grand final since merging and first since Walbundrie won its most recent flag in 1989.
Rand-Walbundrie landed one of the most daring recruiting blitzes ever seen in the Hume league after snaring six players from North Eastern Australian Football League club Eastlake. The high-profile recruits didn’t disappoint with Dean Roulstone, Mark Kimball, Justin Mesman, Ben Maiden, Shaun Allan and Tim Gray instrumental in the Tigers making their first grand since 1989. And although the Canberra imports had matches they would rather forget in the decider, the good news for Tiger fans is they will be back again this season to try and make amends.
Daniel McAlister will become the Cats’ longest serving coach since joining the Hume league in 1970 after re-signing for a fifth consecutive season. McAlister, 35, who took over from Corey Munson at the end of 2010, has finished ninth, premiers and fourth twice in his first four seasons at the helm. “I’m pretty stoked and honoured to become Osborne’s longest-serving coach in the Hume league,” McAlister said. “It’s an exciting and talented young list and I’m just rapt to be part of their development for another season.”
Lockhart landed one of the recruits of the season after signing former North Melbourne player David Trotter. Trotter, 27, was drafted by North Melbourne in 2003 and spent four years on the Kangaroos’ list, playing seven matches. The former Lockhart junior committed to making the weekly trek from Melbourne in a major boost to the Demons’ finals aspirations. But sadly for Demons’ fans Trotter battled a chronic hamstring complaint all season after tearing his hamstring in all four matches he has attempted to play. Trotter hasn’t ruled out trying to play again.
Jindera cemented its standing as the powerhouse in Hume league netball after the Bulldogs clinched their fifth A-grade flag in seven seasons. The Bulldogs shot out of the blocks to lead by seven goals as they went on to trounce fierce rival Murray Magpies by 16 goals. Jindera goalkeeper Sharna Holland was best on court. Coach Bree Kirk, Felicity Hoodless and Alison Wightman declared the grand final victory their last hoorah as they bowed out on the ultimate high.
Matt McDonald was involved in a lengthy contract dispute with former club North Albury before being finally cleared to Jindera. North Albury negotiated a financial deal with the Bulldogs to release its star midfielder from his contract on the eve of the season and enable McDonald to play in the opening round against Holbrook. McDonald repaid the faith shown by the Bulldogs by winning the clubs best and fairest. The classy midfielder will make a surprise return to Ovens and Murray ranks with Wodonga Raiders next season.