ROOSTERS TRIUMPH OVER BOROUGH IN VFL GF
BY JUSTIN COOPER
NORTH Ballarat won their first ever VFL premiership at Telstra Dome on Friday night, defeating ladder-leader Port Melbourne by 45 points infront of a 11,641 crowd in the 2008 VFL Grand Final.
The North Melbourne-aligned Roosters kicked four goals to three in the opening term, giving them an early six point lead at the first change.
A combined eight goals were kicked between the two sides in the second term, as the Roosters hung onto a slender four point advantage at the main break.
The boys in the white and black kicked another four goals to Port’s two in the third term as they took on a handy eighteen point advantage going into three quarter time.
The Roosters had all the momentum in the last term, which saw them slam on six goals to Port’s two, giving the club their first ever VFL flag.
The final scoreline reading North Ballarat 18.12 (120) to Port Melbourne 11.9 (75).
North Melbourne listed player Josh Smith (5 goals) won the Norm Goss Medal as best-a-field in the VFL decider while defender Shaune Moloney held Port goalkicker Adrian Bonaddio well, former Tiger Tom Roach and North Melbourne listed pair Andrew Swallow and Eddie Sansbury gave the Roosters plenty of drive through the middle.
It’s second tier VFL players in Michael Searl, Marc Greig, Matthew Sharkey and ruckman Orren Stephenson also must be credited for the damaging role they all created in stopping the Borough.
Port Melbourne’s John Baird (3 goals) and Sam Dwyer performed admirably for the night, as well as midfielders Chris Cain and Patrick Hassett.
Ruckman Dylan McLaren struggled to assert himself on the contest against North Ballarat’s Orren Stephenson while Port midfielders Toby Pinwill, Robin Nahas and Ryan McMahon also struggled to find the football to cause the damage they had done during the course of the season.
Still celebrating long and hard after victory, North Ballarat coach Gerard Fitzgerald reminisced about the achievement for his club.
“It is obviously great to get the monkey off the back but I’ve always said that you have to be in Grand Finals to win them and we set ourselves the task of getting them there and the boys were able to get the job done. I am so proud of them, and just extremely happy,” said the beaming Fitzgerald.
Fitzgerald, though, was quick to praise Port Melbourne’s season and it’s esteemed coach Gary Ayres, who while disappointed was still proud of his charges.
“Obviously very disappointed to lose the grand final but to come from where we were last year to make a grand final is very encouraging,” Ayres concluded.
The saying goes, ‘A team must earn a placing in the grand final, but then a team must earn to win the premiership.’ North Ballarat have certainly done that and it is now said to be that 2008 was the year of the Rooster.
Last Modified on 03/10/2008 16:37