By Travis Parnaby
A relived Gerard FitzGerald beamed with pride as he told of his club’s journey to VFL power.
FitzGerald finally captured Victorian football’s greatest prize after a “long period of coaching in a great competition”.
Three times a bridesmaid, but never a bride – it was all to change for FitzGerald following North Ballarat’s stunning 45-point triumph over Port Melbourne at the Telstra Dome on Friday, September 26.
And in doing so, the highly successful Ballarat Football League club carved its name on the VFL honour roll for the first time.
“It was always going to be a tough journey to get to be premiers…You never lose sight of where you want to go,” he said.
“We knew we could enter into a very positive relationship with North Melbourne but we knew we had to have the cornerstone of the group here.
“The main theme of our build-up was that we can create history.
“This is our time.”
FitzGerald noted that he saw it was his club’s time during the lead-in to the big match.
“I’m very proud,” he said.
“Sometimes as coaches you try to take individual players down a certain path and sometimes they are just not ready to go with you.
“You can see in people’s eyes are certain belief.”
FitzGerald praised Norm Goss Medalist Josh Smith, who booted five goals.
“He gave us a target and helped our structure,” FitzGerald said.
“Whack it in their long and a man with a big presence was there.”
He also heaped praise on his assistant coaches and thanked AFL Victoria for its foresight in staging the VFL Grand Final at a superb venue like Telstra Dome.
“I’ve got a very good coaching group around me,” he said.
“That’s probably where I’m going with my coaching - teaching other young men to be coaches. They’ve done a lot of good work particularly one on one with the players.”
FitzGerald was relieved to have finally cracked a premiership in his fourth attempt.
“I wasn’t relishing going under for the fourth time,” FitzGerald said, adding that he valued the post-game congratulatory gesture by rival coach Gary Ayres.
“To me that is the essence of a sportsmen and someone that respects the game,” he said.
“That’s your toughest moment to walk over there and find your opposition.”
Last Modified on 13/01/2009 18:01