IT was arguably the biggest moment of last year’s grand final.
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The moment Holbrook trump card Brett Doswell limped to the sidelines in the hands of the trainers with a leg injury after being tackled at the first bounce.
Psychologically deflating for the Brookers as it was uplifting for Brock-Burrum.
“I copped a knock on my leg in the first tackle of the game and I basically knew straight away it was all over for me,” Doswell said.
“It ended up being a nerve in my lower leg.
“I hurt my leg in the first semi-final against Osborne the fortnight previous and it just got gradually worse.
“It sort of flared right up in the warm-up before the grand final and then that was it when I got the knock.
“I came off in a fair bit of pain and I couldn’t even wiggle my toes, let alone run.
“The trainers gave me some painkillers but because it was more nerve related than muscle related it didn’t have much effect.”
A shattered Doswell took no further part in the match and was forced to watch from the sidelines as Brock-Burrum swamped a tiring Brookers line-up.
The Brookers clung to a one-point lead at the final change but the Saints finished full of running to kick eight of the last 11 goals to eventually run out 30-point winners.
Doswell signed as co-coach of Holbrook last season after being lured to the club by Brookers coach and former Wagga Tigers and Wodonga teammate Jarrod Twitt.
The classy midfielder was expected to dominate in the Hume league but admitted he initially struggled to adapt to the lower level.
“It actually took me quite a while to adapt to the different style of footy,” he said.
“It was also my first coaching job, which I probably focused too much on at the start of the year instead of my own preparation and trying to get a kick.
“It probably took me half a season to work out a bit of a balance between both and then my form started to pick up again.”
Doswell ended up enjoying an outstanding season to finish runner-up in the club’s best and fairest behind Twitt.
He is co-coach alongside Twitt again this season and will coach the Brookers outright next year.
The Victorian Country and Ovens and Murray representative also said he was keen to represent the Hume league in next week’s showdown against Picola North-West at Tocumwal.