Hawks come from the clouds for epic flag win

EAGLEHAWK has pulled off a comeback for the ages to be crowned BFNL senior football premiers for the first time in seven years.

The Hawks, co-coached by Travis Matheson and Clayton Holmes, piled on seven goals to two in the final quarter to turn a 22-point three-quarter time deficit into a 10 point win over red-hot favourites Sandhurst.

It was the Hawks’ first win this season over Sandhurst in four attempts and delivered their first premiership win since 2018.

Only two weeks earlier, the Dragons defeated the Hawks by 61 points in their second semi-final encounter at the QEO.

They again found themselves quickly under pressure, 34 points down late in the opening quarter, before ending it 28 behind.

The margin was 24 at half-time and 22 at three-quarter time, before the Hawks stormed home with a blistering final quarter with the winds at their back.

Their 28th premiership win might well have been their most exhilarating.

 

“It would be hard to top this one in the club’s history,” Hawks co-coach Travis Matheson said post-game.

“If you rewind six months, I don’t think many people had us in their top five, let alone winning a grand final.

“To get from where we were 12 months ago, being bundled out in an elimination final to premiers, is a huge achievement and amount of growth.”

It was an emotional moment for Matheson, coach of the Hawks since 2019; his arrival coinciding with their last grand final appearance.

Involved in six straight Central Murray league premierships with Kerang as a player and coach, this one will be difficult to surpass.

 

“The premierships I won at Kerang, we were expected to win and never had to come from a position like we did today, so I’m still pinching myself that this actually happened,” he said.

A big day for the Hawks included a clean sweep of the best on ground medals, with Bailey Ilsley claiming the Nalder Medal for a four-goal performance and on-baller Ben Thompson taking out the AFL Country Victoria Medal.

Ilsley was one of three Hawks forwards to finish with four goals, joined by young gun Jack O’Shannessy and co-coach Clayton Holmes.

It was a day of fluctuating fortunes for Holmes, whose three final quarter goals were pivotal.

He was earlier involved in incident at quarter time, which resulted in Dragons youngster Dayten Uerata being concussed and the Hawks forced to spend the first 22 minutes of the second quarter a man down after being yellow carded.

 

Uerata, who did not return to the field, spent the night at Bendigo Health.

Albeit kicking with the aid of a strong breeze, the Hawks did well to hang in and end the second quarter four points closer, to set the foundations for a big second half and their blistering final term.

Despite Sandhurst going in as short-priced favourites, after just two losses (both to Gisborne) during the season, the Hawks revelled in their underdog status.

“Eaglehawk is always known as the underdog,” co-coach Holmes said.

“Sandhurst is an elite team, but we knew if we performed to our best, we’d get the chocolates.”

Holmes lauded the Hawks’ brilliant on-ball brigade, led to perfection against the Dragons by ruckman Brayden Frost, Thompson and Joel Mullen, in particular late in the contest.

“We’re one-eyed but we think we’ve got the best midfield in the competition,” Holmes said.

“A Michelsen medallist (Billy Evans), the most improved player in the league (Ben Thompson), Joel Mullen and Joel Budarick, the list goes on.

 

“All the hard work is done by the time it gets down to us forwards.

“Getting the incredible supply from the midfield helps, which gave us one-on-ones and separation from our opponents, and we’ll always back ourselves in when that happens.”

In defence, Charlie Langford capped another stellar season with another quality performance.

For Sandhurst, none were better than Lachie Hood and Jacob Austin, both contributing two goals, while Lachlan Tardrew, Cooper Smith and Lachlan Wright were prominent.

The loss added to a mixed bag for Sandhurst over the past 10 grand finals.

The Dragons have advanced to the premiership decider on six occasions for two wins and four losses.

In the reserves, Golden Square kicked the final four goals of the game, across three quarters, to snatch a three-point win over Sandhurst in a low-scoring affair.

 

The Dragons led 29-16 at half-time, but a pair of second-half goals to Tanner Rayner, one in each quarter, was enough for the Bulldogs to claw past the Dragons for a nail-biting win.

Golden Square’s James Wilkinson won the Turner Medal as best afield.

Hot favourites Sandhurst claimed the under-18s premiership with a 28-point win over Golden Square.

Only nine points separated the two teams at half-time, before the Dragons put their foot down in a five-goal to two second half to go back-to-back.

The Rod Ashman Medal for best-on-ground was presented to Sandhurst’s Carter Reid.

Melvic Pambai, from Golden Square, earnt the AFL Victoria Medal.

Grand final results

Seniors: Eaglehawk 14.10 (94) defeated Sandhurst 12.12 (84).

Reserves: Golden Square 4.9 (33) defeated Sandhurst 4.6 (30).

Under-18s: Sandhurst 10.6 (66) defeated Golden Square 5.8 (38).