Leader News|
MARC Holt has taken the term "captain's goal'' to new heights at Cranbourne in the past two years.
Cranny's skipper brought up his second successive century of goals in the 72-point victory over Doveton on Saturday, going down in his club's history as the only player to do so.
Holt kicked seven goals in the final round, bringing his tally to 101 from 18 games.
The Eagles may have been away from home, but Holt was still mobbed by a few excited ground invaders and his teammates after bringing up the century during the third term.
"It was a fantastic feeling to get mobbed by the boys and celebrate a good win on top of kicking the ton," Holt said.
"We were a bit light on for support away from home, but it was still good fun."
Cranbourne coach Doug Koop lauded his captain, a player he says is one of the best he has coached.
"Holty plays with incredible desire and when he sets his mind to achieve something, he gives it his absolute all,'' Koop said.
"You couldn't possibly ask for anything more from your captain."
After getting off to a strong start, Cranbourne, enjoying the return of key position players Troy Tharle and Stuart Morrish, found its run in the midfield and delivered the ball well to Holt, who had five goals halfway through the third term when the opportunity for the century arrived.
"Bezza (Justin Berry) hit me up on the lead," Holt said.
"I was about 40 metres out and luckily, I had one of the best shots at goal I've probably had for two months."
While last year he kicked more goals, there's a strong case that Holt has been as equally or even more impressive in 2013 compared to his 2012, 157-goal bonanza.
Holt said that after injuring his ankle during a best-on-ground performance in the MPNFL interleague game, he had barely been able to train for almost two months.
"The ankle is just starting to come good now," he said.
"It was tough to run and jump, let alone train."
Koop said that realistically, any other player would have sat out for a month with the injury Holt had.
"To achieve what he has this year, on about one leg and a half, shows the true quality of the man to go out there and lead from the front, week in and week out," Koop said.
Michael Theoridis also chipped in with four goals.
For Doveton, Jarrad Boumann was the main target, kicking three.
Cranbourne finished second on the ladder and will play Beaconsfield in the qualifying final this week.
Doveton finished sixth.
Seven hundred and thirty nine days - that's how long it had been since Hampton Park won a game in the Casey Cardinia Football League.
But, in the space of two hours, the pain and frustration of two years of heavy beatings was forgotten as the Redbacks triumphed over ROC by 28 points at Robert Booth Reserve.
It was the game for which Hampton Park had set itself.
The match, against a vulnerable ROC, was its last chance to break the longest losing streak in club history.
A loss would have meant the players faced the indignity of enduring another season without singing their club song.
Hampton Park president Chris Simpson said that after two years, the sound of that song had never sounded sweeter.
"The roof came off the clubrooms," Simpson said.
"Getting that win meant a great deal to a lot of people around the club.
"There was more than a few tears shed afterwards.
"It was an emotional day."
Simpson flagged the possibility of a "party that would last for days" when he spoke to the Leader about a potential Hampton Park victory two weeks ago.
True to his word, when Simpson spoke on Sunday afternoon he said the celebrations were still going and "would go for some time yet".
Hampton Park coach John Holden, coaching his last game for the Redbacks before handing over the reins, was sent off in true style.
The Redbacks dominated the first term, kicking seven goals to one.
Forward Glenn Rees led all goalkickers with four, while Mathew Adair kicked three.
Simpson said he was "absolutely rapt" for Holden, who had given his all for the club during a tough rebuilding phase.
"John Holden is the ultimate clubman," he said.
"Words won't do any justice to what he has done for this club.
"He really deserved a send-off like yesterday and he's done a great job developing these kids."
Narre Warren rewrote its record book on Saturday, completing the first unbeaten home-and-away season in club history.
The Magpies overran a gallant Pakenham to do what they had done all season - win comfortably - 16.19 (115) to 11.8 (74).
The Magpies completed their perfect season on top of the ladder with a percentage of 261.65, a feat Narre Warren coach Chris Toner did not see coming at the beginning of the year.
"The competition has certainly improved this season and our record is testament to a lot of hard work," Toner said.
"After the game, I congratulated the boys, but the mindset of the playing group was that the job is far from done.
"It's great to have finished 18-0, but what we want more than anything else is two more wins."
After overcoming Cranbourne in last year's grand final to reclaim their title as league champions, the Magpies have gone from strength to strength in 2013, sitting atop the ladder in seniors, reserves and Under 18s.
Playing at Toomuc Reserve for the first time this season, the Magpies were challenged early by the Lions, who trailed by just one point at quarter time and 10 points at half time.
Pakenham captain Dean Blake said his teammates went into the game confident and its performance was promising.
"We went in with a 'nothing to lose' attitude, believing anything could happen and we played good footy," Blake said.
"Narre eventually ran over the top of us, but we'll take a lot away from our last fortnight of footy.''
Toner said that while his men controlled the majority of the play, they wasted their chances in front of goal.
Full forward Kerem Baskaya was the chief perpetrator, kicking 3.8.
Leading by 16 points at the final change, Narre Warren took control of the contest in the final term, kicking six goals to three, securing its record-breaking win.
Toner said his side, which now enjoys the first week of the finals off, would get ruckman Steve Watson back in the first week of the finals and be "only one player" away from full strength in its finals campaign.
Keysborough finished its season with a 19-point loss to finalist Beaconsfield on Saturday at Holm Park Reserve, settling seventh on the ladder with six wins and 12 losses.
The Burras trailed at every change, but, as has become their trademark under coach Chris Bryan, never gave it up.
Veteran Davor Rajic kicked three goals to finish with 40 for the season and class act Tyson King was best.
The 15.11 (101) to 12.10 (82) win secured the all-important double chance and third spot on the ladder for the Eagles.
After taking over from Aussie Jones this season, Beaconsfield coach Clint Evans said finishing third was a terrific result.
"At the start of the year, almost no one predicted that we'd make finals after losing some of our senior players," Evans said.
"This young group has done a fantastic job to finish third but we don't want to finish now - we'll be hoping to go deep into finals."
Beaconsfield will play Cranbourne in a qualifying final this Saturday.
The winner will play Narre Warren in a semi-final, while the loser will play the winner of the elimination final between Berwick and Pakenham.
After beating Cranbourne three weeks ago, Evans said his group would go into its first final with confidence and belief.
"We'll go in confident, knowing that we can beat them, but we know finals is a totally different ball game and the real stuff starts on Saturday," he said.
"We've got a really young group that has been terrific to coach this year.
"They've really grown in stature and this finals campaign will hopefully fast-track their development and add to their experience."
Evans said ruckman Scott Meyer was best-afield against Keysborough.
He played in the ruck and moved forward to kick four goals.
Stalwart Daniel Mislicki continued his fine form in the midfield and Bendigo VFL-listed defender Daniel Battaglin did a fine job on the Keysborough power forwards.
It wasn't quite the season Tooradin-Dalmore had hoped for, but it did end on a high note.
The Seagulls finished off a disappointing season in the kind of fashion they had been expected to play with all year, beating Berwick in a 7-point thriller at Tooradin Recreation Reserve.
The home side put a dent into Berwick's confidence on the eve of finals and farewelled three retiring club veterans in fine style, winning 17. 14 (116) to 15.19 (109).
Tooradin coach Tom Hallinan said the win was a good reward for a month of improving, promising football.
"We got the chocolates because the want, endeavour and grit was at a level that makes us a very good football side," Hallinan said.
"We've had a pretty turbulent run this season, but what we've been able to do is begin the process of creating a new culture and new standards moving forward.
"A win like Saturday's shows what this club is capable of."
With the windy 'Tooradin doctor' giving a strong advantage to the highway end, Tooradin jumped out to an early five-goal lead at quarter time.
By half time, Berwick, playing for fourth spot on the ladder, roared back into the contest and took a nine-point lead.
The third term was perhaps Tooradin's best of the season.
With small forward Jake O'Donnel dominating with three goals for the term, the Seagulls slammed on nine goals to three to take a 26-point lead into the last change.
Berwick was not done with.
The Wickers, on the back of three goals each from James Phillips and Paul Vanschilt, kicked the first five goals of the last term and hit the lead.
Another close Seagulls loss again looked likely.
But Lachlan Gillespie, Hallinan and Rohan Hyde were all playing their last game of senior football for Tooradin and their young teammates made sure that they salauted with a win.
Trailing by one point with only a minute or two remaining, Tooradin forward Julian Suarez took a big pack mark against three opponents.
His goal sealed the win.
"It was a real emotional day for the club," Hallinan said.
"We had a lot of past players around and three guys including myself retiring.
"The feeling in the rooms afterwards was fantastic - the reason why you play football."
Talking to the Leader from Tooradin's 'mad Sunday' celebrations, Hallinan confirmed that he was looking forward to coaching on in 2014 and continuing to develop the young list.
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