By Russell Bennett
THERE is a much-loved and often-used saying: “A week is a long time in football.”
Well, a year is much longer.
This time last year, the Emerald senior football side was languishing at the bottom of the ladder – struggling to even find the players to cover for injuries.
But 12 months on, they are on top of the hills as the 2011 YVMDFNL Division Two premiers.
Football manager Graham Steer put the remarkable transformation down to the return to the club of some favourite sons, and the rock-solid culture they helped foster.
“We’ve changed our coaching staff and brought some older players into the club,” Steer said.
“But we’ve only ever chased local players.”
Steer pointed to a lack of experience over recent years as one of the factors behind the side’s struggles.
“There was one game where our oldest player in the senior side was 21 years old,” he said.
“We really needed to get that experience in there.”
And experience is exactly what they got. Former Emerald player Josh Taylor returned to his home club after a higher-profile stint at Springvale. He coached Emerald this season, while also earning his way into the backline of the league’s team of the year.
Ryan Simpson – older brother of Carlton’s Kade – also returned and acted as a player-assistant coach.
“Both are great, experienced footballers towards the end of their 20s,” Steer said.
Caillin Porter, captain of the decade at Lilydale, also came back to the Bombers with his brother.
“There are three sets of brothers, which is fantastic, but they’re all locals and that’s the key,” Steer said.
“I’ve always maintained that if you can get the locals together you’ll win a flag, no matter what.
“It just happens because they play harder for each other and they really gel together as a team.
“Some of these blokes are really great footballers – they can go off and get paid big dollars down the line – but they enjoy it more now they’re back with their mates.”
Steer said the club unity also extended into its netball sides.
“We’ve got our netballers involved up here, too, and they finished on top of the ladder,” he said.
“We’ve just had netball courts built up here, so now we’re all in the one spot we can all work together and it’s been fantastic. Everyone helps each other out.
“The boys go up and watch the girls’ netball – the reserves meet at the net-ball and cheer them on before they come down.
“I haven’t seen any other team do that.”
It would be almost understandable for the players to get caught up in all the sentiments of mateship and camaraderie and take their eyes off the prize. Forget about it.
“They’re the most serious bunch of blokes I’ve ever met in my life,” says Steer with a laugh.
“They come in on Thursday nights at training and they all drink Coke and energy drinks – they drink us out of house and home.
“You’d think they’d all want a beer, but no, they’re dead serious about it and they’re dead serious about winning.”
The Emerald seniors defeated Seville by 21 points in the division two grand final in glorious sunshine in Gembrook on the weekend, capping off a glorious season for the club.
Before the opening bounce, Emerald’s A Grade netballers also tasted the sweetness of grand final success – knocking off Powelltown by two goals in a thriller.
In addition to Josh Taylor’s individual award, a host of other Emerald players also received individual accolades for their fantastic seasons.
A Grade netballer Megan White-road was highest goalscorer in division two, as was B Grade netballer Kylie Delmarco.
Samantha Collier was named division two A Grade’s best and fairest, and a spectacular grab from footballer Matt Cox was adjudged mark of the year.
A coveted division one spot now beckons for the Bombers next year when they’ll kick-start new rivalries with nearby Monbulk, Gembrook and Woori Yallock.
