Border Mail |
HOLBROOK’S stunning resurgence rolled on at Walbundrie on Saturday with a gutsy 10-point preliminary final win over Henty.
The Brookers will now meet emerging force Brock-Burrum in next week’s decider after a hard-fought 11.11 (77) to 10.7 (67) win in front of a healthy crowd.
It will be Holbrook’s second grand final in three years.
The Brookers are chasing their second premiership since winning their only Hume league flag in 2004, under Marc Duryea, after crossing from the Tallangatta league in 1999.
It was a bitterly disappointing end for the Swampies to exit the finals in straight sets after finishing second with a 16-2 record.
Holbrook faces the tough ask of becoming the first team to win the flag from outside the top two since Jindera in 2011 and 2008. Jindera is the only team to achieve the feat in a decade.
Holbrook co-coach Jarrod Twitt said the come-from-behind win was the Brooker’s best in his three years at the club.
“The last couple of wins have been fantastic,” Twitt said.
“Not only for the boys to build confidence but a good reward for the club.
“Our young kids not only handled and absorbed the pressure, but stood-up in that last quarter when the match was up for grabs.
“I have enormous belief in the group. These kids are not daunted by the task and embrace the challenge.
“The most satisfying thing is that these kids are locals with only three or four guys who haven’t either played juniors at the club or don’t have family ties.”
Henty suffered a double blow before the match with Azzi medallist Jamarl O’Sullivan (groin) and small forward Matt Tolsher (ankle) late withdrawals. They were replaced by Nathaniel Stroh and Peter Flood.
Holbrook dropped Andrew Mackinlay for Brad Thompson who missed the previous week with hamstring tightness.
The match started with the intriguing match-ups of Twitt being shadowed by Cam D’Amelio, Kade Brown going to the in-form Jim Grills and Brent Piltz at centre half back on Peter Winnett.
The first three quarters were an arm wrestle with the Swampies clinging to a three-point lead at the final change.
Piltz’s message to the Swampies at the huddle was simple — he urged his players to push through the pain.
“Pain is temporary while regrets last a lifetime,” Piltz said.
The stirring address had an immediate effect with Heath Ohlin and Shannon Terlich booting goals inside the first ten minutes as the Swampies opened up a handy 17-point buffer.
But Twitt’s young side showed maturity beyond its years to kick five of the last six goals — from James Breen, Lachlan Trethowan, Tom Keogh, James Hodges and Breen again — to put the issue beyond doubt.
Trethowan’s goal tucked up hard on the boundary from 40-metres was the highlight of the match and a goal of the year contender.
Twitt admitted the Brookers now faced a massive challenge against the Saints in the decider.
“We haven’t beaten Brock-Burrum this season and they played well in the second-semi final,” he said.
“It’s certainly going to be a tough ask and the guys understand the enormity of the challenge.
“But the last couple of games have really proven we deserve our chance.
“We believe we have got the game plan and the guys are filling their roles.
“If we can execute it again, I’m sure we will be thereabouts when that final siren sounds.”
