Football
23 September, 2024
Ararat win back-to-back premierships
Ararat defeated Southern Mallee Thunder by nine points to become back-to-back Wimmera Football Netball League champions at Dimboola Recreation Reserve on Saturday in one of the most incredible grand finals you will ever witness.
The last quarter was extraordinary, with unbelievable goals kicked from all areas on the ground. The match went down to the wire, with Ararat kicking two goals in the last three minutes to win.
The Southern Mallee Thunder kicked with the breeze in the first quarter and scored the first three goals of the game through Bradley Lowe, Jackson Fisher, and Lou White before Ararat coach Tom Williamson kicked one late in the quarter. The margin was 14 points at quarter-time.
The Thunder went goalless in the second quarter as Ararat started to take control. Ben Taylor, Tom Williamson, Ethan Summers, and Jack Ganley kicked four goals to take a 12-point lead into halftime.
With the wind on their side in the third quarter, the Thunder kicked four behinds before they registered their first goal for the quarter, which came through Liam Nelson at the 14-minute mark.
Lowe kicked his second within a minute, and Zachary Robins kicked his first ten minutes later, with the Thunder scoring two late behinds to take a 10-point lead into three-quarter time.
The last quarter, however, was the best part of the game, keeping the crowd on their toes.
Tom Mills kicked his first goal of the game two minutes into the last quarter to bring the margin back to two points. Liam Nelson answered for the Thunder seven minutes later to extend the margin back to ten points.
Matthew Spalding capitalised from a turnover, receiving a handball from Henry Shea at the eleven-minute mark to bring the margin back to three points.
Coleman Schache got the clearance to bring the Thunder into forward fifty, but Ararat repelled and got it forward, where Ben Taylor produced a stunning goal, running around opponents and providing dummies, to put the Rats three points up.
The Thunder had their opportunities, albeit in challenging wind conditions, but couldn't convert, and when Matthew Spalding kicked his second, the margin was eight points, and Ararat looked to have one hand on the premiership cup.
Xavier Oakley then kicked an unbelievable goal 45m out from the boundary against the wind to bring the Thunder back within two points, and the game was on again.
The Thunder kept attacking, with Kieran Delahunty instrumental. Two minutes later, Billy Lloyd converted a running goal from the boundary to put the Thunder four points ahead.
The Thunder got a free kick in the centre for an infringement and drove the ball forward, but Ararat rebounded, and Ganley kicked a goal from fifty metres out to put Ararat back in front by two points.
Ganley was then knocked over, and a free kick was given. Corey Taylor took the kick 40 metres out. He failed to convert, and with the margin three points, the Thunder were still in the game with only a couple of minutes left.
In the final few minutes, both teams threw everything at it, with pressure creating turnovers, and Ararat kept the ball in their forward half.
Pat Toner then kicked one of the most unbelievable goals you will ever see, snapping from the boundary line thirty minutes out to seal the game for the Rats, giving them a nine-point lead with less than two seconds left.
Jack Ganley, Matthew Spalding, Ben Taylor and Tom Williamson all kicked two goals apiece for Ararat, whilst Bradley Lowe, Liam Nelson and Zachary Robins also kicked two apiece for the Thunder.
Matthew Spalding was awarded best on the ground, Henry Shea was named the best under-21 player, and Ethan Summers, Ben Taylor, Cody Lindsay, and Patrick Toner were the other best players for Ararat.
Sam White was brilliant for the Thunder alongside Billy Lloyd, Xavier Oakley, Simon Clugston, Lou White and Zachary Robins.
For Ararat co-coach Tom Williamson, it tops off an incredible year in which he won the goalkicking, Toohey medal, and premiership as a player and coach in one season.
Tom Williamson said the last quarter was incredible.
"I've never been a part of anything like that. It was incredible," Williamson said.
"There are so many emotions at the moment. We had goals from 45m from the boundary line into the wind. It's a whole different thing.
"There were two other unbelievable goals, with one from Pat Toner, and I am proud the boys stuck it out to the end."
"I told them before the game that breaking the Thunder would take four quarters as they are a great side, and that's what it took."
Tom Mills said they believed they would come back from the ten-point deficit at half-time.
"You could see how the first half played out, and no one wouldn't have had faith in it," Mills said.
"It was getting dicey with four minutes to go, but the boys had willpower in the end, and it went down to who wanted it more and who would stand up in the moments and when we were a goal down late, we always believed, and we got ourselves over the line.
"It's incredible to go back-to-back. The club has a proud history, and the mateship we have in this group is unbelievable. Everyone is an Ararat bloke, and everyone is willing to do it together."