Queenscliff president Merv Godfrey had his head in his hands when Geelong Amateur booted three goals early in the final quarter of last weekend's Bellarine Football League grand final.

''I was thinking, 'Not again','' he recalled during a break from the celebrations on Thursday.

Godfrey's reaction is explained by his club's two previous results against Geelong Amateur. Late in the home-and-away season, Queenscliff had led the ''Ammos'' by 32 points at three-quarter-time, only for the game to end in a draw. The Coutas then had a similar fate three weeks ago when Geelong Amateur booted six goals to one in the last term of the second semi-final.

But Queenscliff, which was playing in its first senior grand final since 1977, refused to crumble again. With midfielder David Gibbs leading the way, the Coutas turned the tables by racing away late in the game.

After the siren confirmed their 39-point victory, the Torquay oval became a sea of red, white and blue as players and supporters celebrated the end of the club's 36-year premiership drought. ''It was one of the biggest crowds they've ever had for a Bellarine league grand final,'' Godfrey said. ''We had in the vicinity of 4000 supporters there ourselves. It was just crazy ... we celebrated on Saturday night, Sunday and Monday, but all the boys went back to work on Tuesday. I said to the vice-president that it won't seem real until we see that flag flying next year.''

ANOTHER LONG-AWAITED WIN

The 2009 bushfires took a heavy toll on Boolarra in Gippsland. While many locals focused on piecing their lives back together, their local footy club suffered as well. Boolarra's senior team won a grand total of five games in the 2009 and 2010 seasons.

After an off-season recruiting drive, the Demons aimed to this year make the finals for the first time since 2002. Some good wins early in the season, coupled with the signing of gun midfielder Jason MacFarlane from Morwell, lifted expectations even further.

Boolarra finished third on the ladder, but it received a reality check when it had a 21-point loss to Trafalgar in the second semi-final. The Demons recovered to make the grand final, although they were given little hope of turning the tables on Trafalgar. After all, the Bloods had won the previous two Mid Gippsland Football League flags. Yet Boolarra defied expectations by scoring a 29-point victory. It was the club's first senior premiership since 1997.

KALKEE MAKES IT FOUR

After losing star players Steve and Grant Schultz to Wimmera league club Warracknabeal Eagles, Kalkee was expected to fall down the ladder this year. Instead, the Red and Blues defied the odds by winning their fourth consecutive Horsham District League premiership.

Kalkee's victory was a major upset. Its opponent, Harrow-Balmoral, had only had one loss prior to the big game. The Kangaroos, who were desperate to avenge their grand final losses in 2009 and 2010, had also beaten Kalkee by 70 points in the second semi-final.

But the Red and Blues have an extraordinary ability to deliver when it matters most. With Josh Mibus and Tim Wade dominating in the middle of the ground, Kalkee turned a narrow deficit at the last change into a 24-point win.

Still, Kalkee's four-peat pales in comparison to the efforts of the Horsham Demons. Yesterday, the Demons were favourites to win their ninth consecutive flag when they took on the Warracknabeal Eagles.

Two other perennial grand finalists were on the podium again. Wandella won its fourth consecutive Golden Rivers Football League premiership, while Paul Spargo's Albury Tigers made it three on the trot in the Ovens and Murray league.

REDAN WINS ... AGAIN

Just 13 years ago, Redan was the laughing stock of the Ballarat league. But what a turnaround the club has enjoyed in the past decade. Last weekend, the Lions made it six BFL premierships in 10 seasons when they scored a two-point win over Sunbury in the grand final at Ballarat's Eastern Oval.

Redan was 22 points down midway through the final quarter, but three crucial goals from Ryan Waight ignited its comeback. The match was played before a big crowd that contributed to a record gate of more than $46,000.

CLEAN SWEEP IN NORTH-WEST

Ouyen United's players and supporters were nervous when they fronted up at the Woomelang Recreation Reserve for the last day of the Mallee league season. After all, the Demons had lost three of the previous four senior grand finals.

But it proved to be one of the greatest occasions in the club's history. Ouyen United not only beat the Sea Lake Nandaly Tigers in the main game (former St Kilda player Brett Knowles took home the medal for best on ground), it also won the reserves and under-16 premierships as well. ''It was absolutely amazing,'' Ouyen United president Tony Cua said. ''It's just been a real buzz.''

Elsewhere, a couple of other clubs dominated their respective grand final days. Waubra won the firsts, seconds and thirds in the Central Highlands league, while Lockington-Bamawm United did the same in the Heathcote District Football League.

THURGOONA'S WAIT GOES ON

Last Saturday's Tallangatta & District Football League grand final at Sandy Creek was supposed to be the day that Thurgoona celebrated its return from the dead. The Bulldogs, who failed to win a game in 2005, finished the home-and-away season on top. After a week off, they advanced to the decider with a big win over Mitta United in the second semi-final.

On the big day, however, Thurgoona ran into a resurgent Kiewa-Sandy Creek, which had fought its way into the grand final from fifth on the ladder. In a major boilover, the underdogs booted five goals to one in the first quarter, then overcame a second-half fightback from Thurgoona and won by 24 points.

Thurgoona is yet to win a senior premiership since the club was formed in 1988. ''I suppose we're like every team that gets knocked over in the grand final: we're pretty disappointed,'' Bulldogs president Tony Way said. ''But when you've been in footy a long time you see plenty of ups and downs, and that was one of the downs ... There was a bit of a silver lining because our twos won the flag. That was the first time we'd won an open-age premiership.''

TODAY'S GAMES

Mooroopna is aiming to defy its recent history when it takes on Echuca in this afternoon's Goulburn Valley league preliminary final at Deakin Reserve in Shepparton. The Cats have not qualified for a grand final since they won the premiership in 1986. Mooroopna's senior team, which features few big-name recruits like former Melbourne midfielder Adem Yze, has beaten Echuca twice this season.

The Geelong league grand final is also this afternoon. Originally pencilled in for yesterday, it was moved to avoid a clash with Geelong's AFL preliminary final against West Coast. Bell Park and South Barwon, which finished first and second on the ladder, are expected to put on a high-class contest. South Barwon is aiming to win its sixth senior premiership in seven years.

Adam McNicol was highly commended at last week's AFL media awards for his coverage of community football in The Sunday Age.

By Adam McNicol

Article first appeared The Sunday Age, September 25, 2011