THERE was plenty of emotion in Kilmore’s five-point victory over Kinglake in Sunday’s elimination final at Main Street Recreation Reserve at Thomastown, with the club ending a 24-year run of outs in finals, and extending coach Paul Derrick’s tenure by another week.
Never mind the fact that Kinglake doubled the Blues’ scoring shots. Never mind the fact that there was just seven goals scored across the afternoon, this was a tough, gritty result which encapsulated everything Kilmore was about all year—a fast start, a tricky patch in the middle, before finishing with the discipline the club needed when it mattered most.
The first goal went Kilmore’s way, an opportunists goal from Lachlan Chesher in the goalsquare, before Mitchell O’Dwyer would have his moment, a sensational snap over his shoulder off a crumb to give the Blues the fast start they wanted.
They would have to navigate intense Kinglake pressure, as the Lakers started to hit the scoreboard, but they would only score four behinds for their efforts, with Kilmore leading 13-4 at the first change.
The second quarter, for a large part, was a tricky watch, with both teams settling for long kicks to contests. That didn’t bother Kilmore too much, as it was content with its lead, but the back six for the Blues also held up strongly, not giving Kinglake easy opportunities.
As a result, Kinglake would end the half with nine behinds to its name, while Kilmore would take the quarter again, thanks to a late goal from Brian Lawrence, giving it a 21-9 lead.
Kinglake got on the front foot to start the second half, kicking the opening goal to close to within a kick, but Kilmore had a response out of nowhere, with some Ethan Derrick brilliance setting up O’Dwyer for his second goal of the afternoon.
This was Kilmore’s only goal of the quarter, with Kinglake scoring three more behinds to set up a finish which saw the margin just eight points, 27-19.
Hero of the previous week, Jaden Smith, bobbed up for a critical goal to increase the margin to 13 points early in the last term, and Kilmore looked home when the rain arrived.
However, Kinglake wasn’t done yet, and a late goal made things somewhat nervous for the Blues faithful.
Regardless, it was hard to see where the Lakers were going to get their winner from, such was the discipline the defensive unit played with, and so it was when the siren went, the Blues were five points to the good in their 5.4 (34) to 2.17 (29) victory, completing a first finals win since 2001 and progressing to a meeting with Ivanhoe on Sunday.
It was difficult to pinpoint a standout in such a scrappy game, but Liam Monaghan excelled playing behind the footy, while Smith had another good outing. Grant Paxton, Jake Beattie, Chesher and Benjamin Barton completed the best players list.
A jubilant Paul Derrick spoke highly about his players’ will to constantly battle against the tide.
“It’s crazy. The credit has to go to the players. I think everyone did their roles that they were asked. They have been getting better over the last six weeks. It’s unbelievable for the club,” he said.
“The seven blokes in the back six have been fantastic all year. They look after each other, they make sure each other is going as good as they can. When Kinglake had nine points at half time, I told them that only one shot could have really gone through, the rest are coming from the boundary or long range. We didn’t feel they were on top.
“The last quarter was anyone’s game, and that’s the way it’s always been for some reason every time we play this side. It’s all about moments of courage.
“The club is in a fantastic spot, and everyone should be proud on and off the field.”
Derrick paid tribute to both Kilmore and Kinglake for making finals, despite the challenges that go with recruitment against clubs closer to the city.
“We are the only two teams in the competition where it is a little harder to recruit, as we are far out of the city to recruit players, although everyone who is here wants to be here,” he said.
Derrick said it was a sudden flick of the switch which has allowed Kilmore to attack the back end of the season with a surge.
“Our aim was always finals. About five or six weeks ago, I felt we were in nowhere land, seventh or eighth on the ladder. What we tried to do hadn’t worked, but we were never going to know as we had the players out, but since then, there’s been a flip. Blokes buy in, they are starting to realise the way they play is really good footy when they nail it,” he said.
As for next week? Derrick said Kilmore just needed to play their best to give itself the best chance of winning.
“They are a good team, Ivanhoe. But we just have to play our footy. If both teams play their best, we will see what happens, but if we play our best, it gives us the best chance. We’ll go out with the same attitude, hard, tough, man on man,” he said.
