The Standard | HE’D waited more than a decade to play in a premiership with Dennington, but Luke Duncan was lost for words when it finally happened.
The key defender, 34, needed time to collect his thoughts in the aftermath of the Dogs’ 12.15 (87) to 12.7 (79) defeat of Merrivale at Reid Oval on Saturday.
When he finally strung words together, the magnitude of what the flag meant to him – and the Dennington community became clear.
Saturday was an afternoon to cherish, not just for him but for the hard-working volunteers behind the scenes who had persisted through 27 years without success.
“I can’t even put it into words, I don’t even know what to say. Today was bigger than us, today was about the community,” he said.
“We’ve been going since ‘06, we’ve been losing and losing and losing. We haven’t just lost grannies, we’ve lost prelims, semi-finals.”
Duncan was among the most instrumental figures in the grand final, in part because of what he did – particularly late, when he repeatedly repelled the Tigers’ late attacks – but also who he stopped.
The reliable workhorse, who cannot see out of his right eye due to a work accident in 1999, took the honours against Joe Woonton.
Woonton was effective creating goals for those around him early, as Merrivale rushed to a 7.2-to-0.2 lead. But Duncan held sway during the middle two terms when Dennington came from the clouds.
But disaster almost struck late in the final quarter. Duncan left his man to intercept a long kick forward but copped a horrid bounce. Woonton collected the loose ball and snapped over his shoulder to put the Tigers up 11.7 to 9.14.
The sides exchanged goals through Alex Pye and Josh Sobey before further majors to Grayden Russell and Pye gave Darcy Lewis’ side vital breathing space.
“I had him the other week. He’s one of the best players I’ve played on, he’s a massive workhorse,” Duncan said.
“(I kept telling myself) won’t get beaten, I won’t get beaten. I was worried about it because we’re pretty even and I just made sure all day he wasn’t going to get a kick.”
He was confident the Dogs would win even after Woonton booted his sole goal.
“I remember thinking that’s his only kick for the day and that’s his last one...I’m just too headstrong, he wasn’t going to get it.”
Duncan played juniors at North Warrnambool Eagles but the 1999 accident – a nail through his right eye – put his career on hold.
He returned in 2003 – against the advice of doctors – but contact in a match against Russells Creek again forced him to the sidelines.
“I had a patch on it and another 12 months off.”
He played in the 2006 and 2010 grand final defeats, although missed 2013 with a serious knee injury.
“We had no excuses today, no excuses,” he said.
“It’s not just us, it’s the whole community, the blokes who have been around for a long time.
“It would’ve been embarrassing (if we lost), it just wasn’t an option.”