CASEY CARDINIA FOOTBALL NETBALL LEAGUE
THE VICTORS
BEACONSFIELD’s transformation from a cellar-dweller after Round 2 to the finely tuned premiership-winning outfit that appeared on Saturday made the joy of victory that just little bit sweeter.
The Gazette’s DAVID NAGEL caught up with some of the key players in a buzzing change room after the match, starting with veteran half forward Kris Fletcher.
“It’s great, it’s great, I’m just really happy for the young blokes, Brandon White, Tommy Jok, Nick McPherson, there’s three or four of them that are under-19 players and two of them are under 17s. Over time they’ll understand what this all means but for us older blokes we are just going to savour the moment.”
Beaconsfield full-back Daniel Battaglin said the responsibility of playing on Cranbourne champion Marc Holt had weighed heavily on him in the lead up to the big dance.
“I’m lost for words; this is the best thing ever,” Battaglin said.
“You watch him (Holt) last week, he kicks eight, and he’s got the best dukes going around, I just had to compete with him and the boys down the ground helped me out with the delivery… I’m over the moon.
“All week I was nervous, a little bit confident, a mixture really, he’s a champion so I’m just relived and really happy that we got over the line.”
Battaglin said the emergence of young defender Brandon White had really helped with the set-up down back.
“Young Whitey is one of the best kids going around, his head’s switched on, everything he does, it’s just all about the footy and all about the team,” he said.
“I love the kid, love him, and every time I’m in trouble he just seems to be there to help out… I love the kid.
“I missed out at Beacy in 2010, and it’s good to have one finally. I’ve been playing for Beacy since I was 11-years-old, now I’m 27, and it’s the best group to share it with, apart from Scotty, we’ve probably got no champions, we’re just hard workers who deserve what we’ve got today.
Exciting half forward Taylor Joyce was almost lost for words.
“This is unreal; who would have thought at the start of the season… it just doesn’t happen like this does it? Just go as hard as you can, do whatever you can, because when it turns out like this, unreal, just unreal… I can’t believe it… this feeling is just unbelievable.”
Midfielder Tyson Mitchem, who played in a losing grand final for Noble Park in the Eastern Football league last year, said this was a stark contrast.
“Last year was the worst feeling ever, and then today, one of the best feelings, all of my mates for the last 10 years play at this club, and I’ve enjoyed the year so much,” Mitchem said.
“Honestly I still can’t believe it, the year we had, it still hasn’t sunk in and it won’t for a while… just very proud of the boys and what we’ve been able to achieve. We were lacking run and speed earlier in the year, then the youngsters came in and provided that and it just changed the way we played in the last 10 games. It was the ultimate team effort in the end. Unbelievable, just an unbelievable feeling really.”
