Weekly Times | DENNINGTON’S drought-breaking Warrnambool and District league flag on Saturday showed the apple does not fall far from the tree in the Lewis family.
The Bulldogs exorcised their premiership demons — falling at the final hurdle four times over the past 27 years — with a 12.15 (87) to 12.7 (79) win over Merrivale.
Fittingly, the mantle of the club’s most recent premiership coach was passed on from father, Geoff Lewis, to son, playing coach Darcy.
“It was unbelievable,” Darcy, 32, said. “It was more the monkey is off the back.
“It was great for dad as well — he’s had that weight on his shoulders for a while.”
Kicking into a slight breeze, Dennington was jumped in the opening term with Merrivale opening up a six-goal lead by quarter time.
Darcy said it was his side’s worst term for the season but, calling on his past grand final loss in 2010, he knew they could chip away at the deficit.
“I kept harping on about the fact that there’s 120 minutes of football ... luckily for us there was another 90 minutes left,” he said.
“I always kept in mind the 2010 grand final — we gave Kolora-Noorat a six-goal headstart by quarter time as well and ended up losing by a goal.”
Geoff, however, wasn’t so confident.
“I wanted to dig a hole with no shovel — I felt sick in the guts,” Geoff, 58, said.
“When you’ve coached the last one and your son’s coach, and you see it all unravelling in front you, it was just terrible.”
Darcy said the efforts of Alex Pye, who received best-on-ground honours for his six second-half goals, and Luke Duncan, who took some “defining marks” late in the game in defence, were crucial.
It is believed Darcy and Geoff are the first father-son pair to coach Warrnambool and District league flags.
“It was more so relief for the club ... 27 years is a long time,” Darcy said.
