From the Herald Sun
THEY say winners are grinners, but you couldn't wipe the smile from Ardmona president Dwayne Young's face despite his club's 125-point thrashing. Football's greatest underdogs, winless in last year's disastrous season by an average 237 points, were collared by battle-hardened rivals Stanhope in yesterday's Kyabram District season-opener.

Victoria's never-say-die team surrendered a dream start, booting the game's first three goals before buckling to the might of their experienced foes.

But the Cats have held off more imposing adversaries than premiership contenders, Stanhope.

They have withstood fiery appeals by opposition officials seeking the club to fold.

"The response and the support from supporters today has been overwhelming," Young said. "I've been blown away. We're on the way up and today has played a big part in the club's push to success."

Before the match, Young was forced to make two trips into town to restock tuckshop supplies, as canteen volunteers struggled to keep up with the droves of famished supporters.

A succession of cars lined the Ardmona Recreation Reserve boundary line, beeping their horns to all of the Cats' nine goals, a feat which took the team three rounds to reach last season. With team mascot, Bush Cat, entertaining the kids, it appeared the club had returned to its family-friendly origins.

The Goulburn Valley town side donned heritage guernseys in an initiative coach Gavin Gledhill says recognised the club's fertile future and resilient recovery from last season's capitulation.

In true country football fashion, barrel-chested full-forward Serkan Kala swallowed two sausages with onion, stacked in bread at half-time. His weary teammates were quick to share beers at game's end.

Admittedly, club members didn't expect an Ardmona victory. They didn't have to. They were already winners.

By Jonno Nash

Article first appeared Sunday Herald Sun April 06, 2013