Premiers: Lockington-Bamawm United celebrate with the premiership cup after their 20-point win over Mount Pleasant on Saturday. Photo: Steve Huntley
After a wait of more than 1000 days, the Heathcote District Football League has finally crowned a new premier with Lockington-Bamawm United writing its name into the history books after a hard-fought 20-point win over Mount Pleasant on Saturday afternoon.
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It was a glorious day in gorgeous sunshine at Strauch Reserve for LBU, as they claimed their first premiership since 2014 with a 13.11 (89) to 10.9 (69) win over Mounts.
After leading for almost the entire game, LBU fought off a Mount Pleasant comeback in the final term that saw the margin get to as low as three points, before three late goals sealed a memorable victory.
The win is a deserved reward for the Cats, capping off two years of domination that saw them finish on top of the ladder in 2021 and 2022, losing just two games over that span.
“What more could you ask for,” Cats coach Brodie Collins said on the field after the game.
“Well done to the boys, they hung it out there. It’s a great feeling.
“I think it is great, especially coming back after that first final loss, it shows plenty of character and you get that from playing for years through the juniors.
“Unfortunately there is always a winner and always a loser, but lucky for us we were on the top of this one.”
Jubilation: Tony McMahon celebrates after booting a goal in the grand final on Saturday, one of his three majors on the day. Photo: Steve Huntley
Jarod Bacon was the star down forward for the Cats, putting in a performance that earned him player-of-the-match honours as he booted five majors on the day.
The LBU co-captain was instrumental, kicking the first and last goals of the game, as well as a crucial goal with the contest in the balance in the fourth term.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the group of boys,” Bacon said.
“The pressure up the ground was phenomenal. The boys were putting in, it was all those one percenters that we talk about and they got it done. They kept getting the ball forward and we did the rest.
“There is always going to be ebbs and flows in a game but the way that we just kept rolling with it and kept putting the pressure on, we put them under the pump the whole day. We just had to make the most of the opportunities when it came forward.”
With the game on the line late in the fourth term and his side up by just three points, Bacon stepped up when his side needed him most.
In the thick of a contest, his kick went towards the top of the square before tacking the most fortuitous of bounces to instead skip through for a goal.
“To be honest, I just threw it on to the boot,” Bacon said.
“By that stage my head was spinning, and I couldn’t see straight anyway.
“I got tackled four or five times in a row and I thought ‘I just have to get it on the boot and hope’ and in the end it got through, it was bloody exciting.”
The stage was set ahead of the first bounce with a huge crowd out at Huntly ready to witness the first grand final in three years, with conditions perfect for football.
LBU got off to a cracking start, with a first-quarter blitz seeing them boot the opening five goals of the day and open up a handy lead.
It took 26 minutes, but Mount Pleasant finally got their first goal of the game through talisman forward Ben Weightman, and another quick goal from Dean Tydell brought them back into the contest as Mounts cut the margin down 20 points at quarter time.
LBU started the second term off strongly but they could not capitalise on their ascendency, with two goals apiece in the quarter seeing the margin stay the same at half-time.
Ben Fulford kicked the opening goal of the second half — one of his three majors of the day — extending LBU’s lead once again.
But Mount Pleasant would not go away. Travis Baird intercepted a kick while standing on the mark in Mounts’ attacking 50, quickly snapping home to answer right back.
Game time: LBU players burst through the banner ahead of their grand final clash against Mount Pleasant. Photo: Steve Huntley
Tony McMahon goaled for LBU, but just like in the first term, two quick goals to Mounts before the end of the term from Zebb Murrell and Adam Baird saw them trail by 15 points at the final change, with the contest delicately poised entering the last quarter.
Mounts had plenty of momentum early on and they made the most of it, with goals from Billy Mahony and Baird reducing the margin to just four points.
Marcus Angove’s great snap sailed through the big sticks to give LBU their first goal of the last term 18 minutes into the quarter.
But the contest was far from over.
Mounts responded yet again, with Baird’s fourth of the afternoon reducing his side’s deficit to just three points with 22 minutes played.
But Bacon’s miraculous snap, followed up by McMahon’s third of the afternoon and capped off by Bacon’s fifth sealed the win for LBU.
The LBU faithful erupted with joy when the final siren sounded, with fans streaming on to the field to celebrate with the players after the match.
Angove, Tyler Phillips and Lachlan Atherton all had great games through the middle for LBU, with Nathan Bacon and Trent Bacon also putting in stellar efforts across half forward and half back.
