Spotswood’s Tom Langlands wraps up Albion’s James Stephens.
BY MICHAEL ESPOSITO
VICTORY is that much sweeter when you’re not expected to triumph.
And Spotswood’s playing coach Chris O’Keefe made this patently clear when he marched on stage after his side’s breathtaking 35-point grand final victory against Albion.
“Everybody wrote us off at the start of the year, didn’t they? But we got it, so we’re going to enjoy this tonight,” remarked a jubilant O’Keefe in his acceptance speech.
This time last year Spotswood was heavily backed to roll Albion in the grand final, but the Cats prevailed. This year, the Cats were clear favourites, given their minor premiership and recent victories against Spotswood.
But this Spotswood side was unshakeable in its belief, and unyielding in its desperation. Torin Baker, who was knocked out in the previous week’s preliminary final against Altona, was in doubt to play on Saturday but in fact played the game of his life, winning the Herb Pascarl medal for best on ground.
The final score suggested a dominant performance, but the Woodsmen had to summon all their intestinal fortitude to crack Albion, and it wasn’t until midway through the fourth quarter that they managed to shatter Albion’s resolve, with Rohan Couch and Michael Cassidy, who kicked a crucial goal when the game was in the balance, booting the last two goals to seal Spotswood’s fourth grand final victory in five years.
The Cats started the game the way they started last year’s grand final – in complete command.
Star backman John Haldane started in the forward, and it seemed like an inspired move as he marked strongly and kicked the opening goal, before silky midfielder Marcus Smith slotted a classic rover’s goal.
Signs were ominous for Spotswood early, its forward entries were too focused on Jason Cloke, who was being double-teamed.
At the other end Shaydon Bloomfield was lively but off-target. The Cats will no doubt rue their inaccuracy in the first quarter, where they kicked eight points and let Spotswood off the hook.
The pendulum slowly began to swing in the second quarter.
Spotswood began to starve Albion of time and space, negating the Cats’ ability to break the lines and rely on foot skills. It was a battle of attrition, and Spotswood was starting to gain the ascendancy.
Cameron Sharp booted Spotswood’s first goal of the game, but the dazzling Todd Finco, who played a mighty game, produced a goal from thin air to keep Albion’s two-goal buffer halfway through the second term.
But three goals in a row to Spotswood gave the Woodsmen a well-deserved five-point lead.
Bloomfield’s quest for 100 goals in a season was the sub-plot of the third quarter. He booted two goals in the first four minutes to take his tally to 99 and give Albion back the lead, and kicked his 100th on the siren after a 20-minute period of Spotswood dominance.
Albion spent the majority of the quarter trying to break a ferocious, unified press that Spotswood had executed to perfection. But the execution in front of goal was far from perfect.
Three gettable shots went begging before the Woodsmen finally capitalised on their ascendancy and got out to a 15-point lead.
Bloomfield’s 100th goal was scripted to perfection, and a stream of fans ran on the ground to congratulate the star forward as players went into their last huddle of the year to listen to “now or never” coaching speeches.
Three straight goals to Spotswood blew the margin out to 27 points. Daniel Morris pegged one back for Albion in the 21st minute, but when a sensational mark by Bloomfield only resulted in a behind, any chance of a late rally was gone. Spotswood had defied the doubters.
