By Adam McNicol

 

JUST over one month ago, Euroa residents woke to find their town had run dry. Due to the drought, the community had been relying on tanker loads of water. When the truck didn't arrive on May 4, the locals got nothing when they turned on their taps in the morning.

 

After countless apologies from Goulburn Valley Water, fresh supplies were delivered and Euroa's 2800 people happily took a shower. At that stage, only grey water trucked in from a treatment plant was keeping the turf on the local football club's picturesque home ground alive. Rain was desperately needed.

 

How quickly things can change. Fast-forward to June and Euroa is surrounded by lush green fields. Large pools of water line the roads in and out of the town and sections of the football ground resemble the middle of a Four'n Twenty.

For the moment, Euroa's water shortage is over. Now, many of the locals have turned their attention to breaking another important drought.

 

The Magpies' most recent senior premiership came in 1990. Since then, they have usually been whipping boys. That all has changed in the past two years, yet a heartbreaking loss means the wait for a flag continues.

 

In the lead-up to the 2005 season, both Euroa and nearby arch-rival Seymour embarked on recruiting drives in Melbourne. They were inspired by Mansfield, whose 2004 premiership team included former Carlton player Trent Hotton and was coached by ex-Geelong forward David Mensch.

 

Euroa, located just off the Hume Freeway, 150 kilometres north of Melbourne, signed a host of players from the Diamond Valley league and the VFL's Northern Bullants, including Kangaroos premiership player Shane Clayton.

 

Local policeman David Gleeson, who was already the club's non-playing coach, played a key role in the recruiting process.

Seymour also targeted the Bullants, signing assistant coach Steve Daniel and a number of star players.

 

Amid constant grumbles from other clubs about how much the ring-ins from the city were being paid, Euroa and Seymour played off in the 2005 grand final. Deep into the last quarter, Euroa led by 15 points. But with a stunning late burst, the Lions snatched the flag.

 

"It was devastating and we still feel that," said Euroa president Xavier Thomson, a larger-than-life figure, who played in the Magpies' first GVFL flag in 1971. "We've just had to put it in the backs of our minds."

 

Thanks to the prudent financial management of club secretary Greg Blatchford, the Magpies kept most of their 2005 team together last season and were tipped to again figure prominently in September. But the scars from the lost grand final troubled the players and coaches. They failed to adapt to the added attention from opposition teams, lost a number of close games and missed the finals. Seymour, led by mercurial Melbourne-based full-forward Saad Saad, went on to win back-to-back flags.

This year, Euroa is out to regain respect. With the core of its grand final side intact, the club hopes to win its way back into the finals, despite an inconsistent start to 2007.

 

Last weekend, Euroa hosted bottom side Tatura. Driving rain fell as the senior match started, with the temperature barely in double figures. The warmest place to stand was near the barbecue, where the club president's brothers, Tony and Chris, were cooking their famous $5 steak sandwiches; replete with scotch fillet, bacon, egg and onion.

 

After the clouds cleared for the second half, the Magpies made a mockery of the heavy going and won by 127 points. The inside-50 count was 72 to 18. Scott Grainger, a full-forward recruited from the Bullants, finished with 10 goals.

 

"There's no way known we could be competitive unless we bring players up from Melbourne," said Thomson, who also acknowledged the club has lost some fringe players to neighbouring district league clubs Violet Town and Longwood.

 

"Four years ago, we were on the bottom of the ladder, so we just had to bring a nucleus of players up. Luckily, we've got this great bunch of boys that come up. Shane Clayton is almost a legend here already. The kids look up to him. We're so proud he came to Euroa. And it wasn't for money. He said he just wanted to play with his brothers. That's how good a bloke he is."

 

Although his team was winning easily for most of the afternoon, Gleeson stood on the sidelines for the entire match, maintaining a steely glare and intently chewing gum.

 

Gleeson's shift to Melbourne for work means he can no longer travel to Euroa two nights a week for training. On Tuesday nights, joint captain Scott Watson looks after the locals, while Gleeson travels up the freeway every Thursday.

 

The same commitment to travel is not required of the 13 Melbourne-based players in his senior team. They train on Tuesday nights at Arden Street Oval and on Thursdays go through their paces with suburban amateur club Banyule.

 

Managing such a disjointed playing group has not been easy. Gleeson threatened to quit the club after Euroa threw away a big lead and lost to Benalla in round four. The defeat came only a week after the Magpies had conceded 29 goals to the highly rated Shepparton Swans in a 100-point drubbing.

 

"It was very disappointing to be five goals in front and lose by five goals," Gleeson said. "Some people said I used it for motivation, but that's how I felt at the time. I was just worried that I'd become too familiar with the guys and they weren't giving me their best."

 

Since then, the Magpies have rebounded to cement a place in the top six, behind league leader Shepparton United, the Swans and Seymour.

 

"The talent's probably not at the same level as previous years, but the endeavour and the enthusiasm of the young kids coming up is fantastic," Clayton said. "That makes it even more enjoyable."

 

Yesterday, the Magpies travelled to Seymour. The flags flying at the Lions' home ground were a reminder of where Euroa went wrong and why the club keeps going.

Article first appeared: The Age June 10, 2007