WITH an awesome display of persistent physical pressure the Wayback Demons out ran, out tackled and out played the Mallee Park Peckers to win their 32nd premiership by 30 points, kicking 13-14 to the Peckers’ 9-8.
The Demons’ constant pressure caused the Peckers’ legendary ball handling skills and their ability to run and carry the ball with great leg speed to dissipate, constantly causing the Pecker players to fumble and stumble, as against their fast flowing style of football.
After the singing of the national anthem by school girl Lisa Goldsworthy, there was an anxious delay waiting for the siren as the body on body aggression took place, which resulted in a free kick to Waybacks which was hard to understand as both sides were equally guilty of this stupid overdone ritual while waiting for the siren to sound, which was delayed for a good two minutes.
Finally the siren sounded, the Demons took their free kick and the game was in motion, and Wade Stevens, from a free kick in front, hit the post for the first score of the game.
The Demons went forward four more times and failed to get the two flags waving, kicking four straight points.
After 14 minutes of the time honoured settling in period the Peckers, through Billyo Roderick and Ky Miller, found Devlin Wash who had the Peckers cheering for the first goal of the day.
The Peckers’ Harry Miller was dominating in the midfield and David Dudley kicked truly for the Peckers to gain them an eight-point lead, the biggest lead the Peckers would hold throughout the game.
The Demons’ Mathew Goodwin started to find the ball and the Demons rallied, with Hammond setting up Stevens to goal, followed by the first of Kane Williams’s seven goals.
The Demons had waisted chances to go in to quarter time with a bigger lead than three points when they could not make the most of a string of free kicks by missing easy shots on goal.
While the first quarter was very much an even contest there were the early signs the Peckers could not match up with the Michael Hegarty best and fairest medal winner in Adam Whittaker at full back and up the other end with Kane Williams at full forward, and the Peckers’ ability to take clean possession and run the ball was stalling.
These two key positions were won outright on the day; saving goals and kicking goals is the prime function of any game on any day and Whittaker and Williams did exactly that.
Throughout the second and third quarters, when the game was well in the balance with all players contributing, there were a few moments for the memory bank.
Mallee Park, through Phillip Dudley, kicked the first goal of the last quarter and the Demons reacted quickly with the move of Murray Kelsh into the centre becoming a decisive factor.
Kelsh had three early clearances, which resulted in the Demons going forward, only to see Ainsley Betts hold it up, but the young Demons had built the wall and the quick long ball down the corridor saw Kane Williams at full forward take three contested marks and kick three unanswered goals to kill off the Peckers’ late, brief rally and seal the fate of the Peckers, who had become bewildered as they saw the hard work and effort of the season turning into a season ending nightmare.
With the Demons leading by 26 points the premiership game over light was shining brightly.
The grand final still had its moments of good football in the remaining minutes when it became a goal for goal affair, with the Demons kicking three goals to the Peckers’ two.
The Demon supporters were waiting for the final siren of the season as the game went into time-on to applaud their heroes, for their courage and commitment to each other and the club.
For the Peckers it was a solemn moment as their players remained motionless where they stood when that final siren sounded and their season of valiant and entertaining football to win another premiership had failed.
The Demons’ Ben Sampson, who was glaringly overlooked in the Demons’ best player list, found plenty of the ball by kicking three important goals at critical times when the Peckers challenged, and was a major contributor in the Demons’ win.
Stuart Green, Sam McConnell, Steven Hammond and Rory Hunt held firm with unquestionable courage and continually applied persistent pressure on the opposition players; they tackled and tackled again and managed to find a good share of the ball.
The loss of Mathew Goodwin late in the second term would have caused concern amongst the Demons’ brain trust, causing the intensity to boilover and erupt with plenty of shoving and pushing related to the Goodwin injury, and the yellow card came out for a Pecker player, a decision hard to understand as nearly all players became involved.
The tireless ruck work of late inclusion Simon Turvey for Luke Westbury, who was out with a virus, wore the badge of courage as did all the Demons, as they have throughout this finals series; they have played with honesty, did the one-percenters and cared for their team-mates.
The Peckers’ courage was also present, and no more so than from Ainsley Betts, the one Pecker player that clearly won on the day. Harry Miller had an outstanding first half that kept his team in the game, but faded at times in the second half.
Ky Miller found room to run the ball, and despite normally being a good finisher, failed to make good use in his delivery.
Derrick Wanganeen, with pace, tried to get his team up and running, found plenty of the ball and made good use of it only to see the turn overs multiply further down field.
Joel Tessman and Michael Burgoyne could do no more as the Peckers’ had a number of continued turnovers caused by the relentless defence by the Demons.
The Peckers had their chances but were continually shut down and this was highlighted in the last quarter by the Demons’ Adam Whittaker. As he had done all game, he inspired his team-mates with a long searching run down the field from the last line of defence through the midfield to set up the high flying Kane Williams.
The overall strength at both ends of the ground proved to be too much for the Peckers and the Wayback Demons are without question true champions and worthy premiers for 2008.
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