Grand finals can be so unforgiving and no two are ever the same, but the contrast for players and clubs between winning and losing is vast.
Win and there is an immediate bond that compels players to organise reunions and relive the moment for a lifetime, lose and it becomes no more than an opportunity lost and at best a brief discussion if ever the game might be brought up.
The pressure of participating in a Grand Final is enormous, but what a privilege it is for players to have earned that pressure over the period of a season.
A great analogy once told to me by a coach was "Imagine I placed a board in the middle of the oval, ten metres long and just thirty centimetres wide and asked you and your teammates to walk across it, seems easy enough and if you did happen to slip off, well you are safe as the board is on the ground, but imagine now I place that same board between two ten story buildings and asked you to walk across it, the task remains the same, but the consequences of a mistake or lack of concentration can be disastrous - welcome to Grand Finals!"
Fish Creek and Yinnar, first and second on the MGFNL ladder after the home and away season were deserving of their place in the 2024 Grand Final, and despite Fish Creek being warm favourites the very wet conditions promised that the contest might well be tighter and tougher, even with the Magpies missing one of their inspirational leaders in Nathan Rowley with a knee injury.
Early, there were no real surprises as the intensity and attack on the football was fierce, Yinnar getting their first major through Flynn Schill and taking the early initiative making a statement by continued pressure that helped get their second through Kane Grinstead-Jones.
The heavy rain and hail, caused even greater problems early for the Kangaroos as the game became a real street fight, Yinnar leading at the first break 2-3-15 to Fish Creek yet to score, a rare feat by the Magpies, to keep the reigning premiers scoreless for a quarter.
It's hard to keep a champ down however and it was Darcy Berryman that got the first score, a goal for Fishy.
The Kangaroos excitement short lived as Yinnar bounced back, a great piece of play started by a look-away Flynn Schillhandball that ended with a nice conversion by Kane Grinstead-Jones, his second kept some space between the two sides.
Fish Creek coach Jarrod Walker fell to the pressure, an indiscretion seeing him leave the field and highlighting the frustration felt by his side, as they struggled to stay in touch.
Kane Grinstead Jones continued to be a handful for the opposition; his set up of team-mate Josh Bugeja to goal had his team and supporters up and about.
It was only a rare indiscretion by Yinnar that led to a fifty metre penalty for Fish Creek to goal after the half time siren, Darcy Berryman's second, that had his side stay in touch just ten points behind.
McGannon for the Kangaroos, got the first goal of the third quarter and all of a sudden it was "game on" in the 2024 Grand Final.
Yinnar's forward fifty pressure opened the door for Will Robertson to respond quickly, before Fish Creek's Blaine Coates also converted nicely as the game's momentum seesawed between the two sides, the Magpies leading by just three points at the last break.
Jarrod Walker, Fish Creek coach "Huge game, the conditions made it a real slog but it meant two extremely willing teams could go toe to toe. It was a hot footy all day and to yinnars credit they played the ground really well but Tough hard footy are what grand finals are made of.”
Ben Cheffirs put in a contender for goal of the year against the run of play early in the last quarter that put his Magpie's side nine points in front.
Fish Creek needed a winner, and quick, as time was starting to slip away, Roland Di Biase responded accordingly, his goal pulled the margin back to just three and when Thomas Vuillerman goaled, Fish Creek hit the lead for the first time in the afternoon at the twelve minute mark of the last quarter.
A courageous clash deep into the last personified the commitment of both sides, one point the margin favouring the Kangaroos, seven minutes to go, the arm wrestle continued for the entirety of the final quarter, Fish Creek clinging on and winning by just two points in one of the league's great grand finals.
Sam McCulloch, Yinnar coach "Absolutely shattered. Could not fault any of the boys efforts. Gave it everything we had and felt like were on top for a fair part of the game but didn’t capitalise. Full credit to Fish creek who certainly made the most of their opportunities and took their key moments in the game. Some skill errors and decisions didn’t go our way and momentum certainly shifted at different stages throughout the day. Proud of the group throughout the season and was certainly an achievement to give ourselves the opportunity to win a premiership. But inevitably there’s only one winner and we will have to get back to work and come back bigger and better next year."
No doubt they will be, and hopefully it continues to be in the MGFNL.
Jarrod Walker, Fish Creek coach "Super proud of our group, when the going gets tough the tough gets going. Massive thanks to the league, it’s a great league to be a part of, also hats off the umpires, did a great job.”
The legend of Fish Creek not only continues, but grows.
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