Harris answers the call
BIG LAST QUARTER LANDS VICTORY
WITH his side 13 points in arrears at half-time, Modewarre coach Leigh Klug looked Jordan Harris square in the face and demanded he lift.
What transpired was an inspiring second half from the first-year Modewarre player, who carried his team to a heart-stopping, come-frombehind win over Torquay in the BFL reserves grand final.
The Warriors charged home at McCartney Oval, erasing bitter memories of last year’s extra-time grand final loss to the Tigers, to win a thriller by four points.
Down by 17 points at quarter-time, 13 at the half and 19 at the final break, the Warriors kicked three unanswered goals to claw to a victory.
“It’s amazing. I just had this underlying belief in the group,” Klug said.
“We’ve had it all year. We’ve just been so tight. Even though the scoreboard wasn’t showing it, I just knew that we were going to take it right to the line.
“It’s surreal, because you think, ‘Can we actually dare to dream?’ and we did.”
Down at the main break,
P. Bourke 2, L. Anderson 2, R. Armstrong, J. Harris
B. Henderson 2, C. Pettina, C. Sharp, A. Nesbitt, D. Thornton, J. Nelson
L. Anderson, G. Swarbrick, J. Harris, R. Armstrong, M. Harper, M. Overman
A. Nesbitt, C. Pettina, M. Robb, T. Carty, J. Fitzpatrick, J. Reither Klug put the acid on Harris after a quiet opening half.
Harris answered the call, winning the medal for best-onground.
“It was half-time when I looked him in the eyes and told him to switch on,” he said.
“He was coming on and off, and he was just jogging around and I said to him, ‘This game is in your hands’. I questioned him and I said, ‘Do you want it?’ He never really gave me an answer but he gave me effort (in the second half).
“He didn’t need to talk, he just showed me.”
Harris knew he was not providing enough for his team, but willed his way into the contest and the Warriors charged home from their three-quarter time deficit.
“I just wanted to get the best out of myself, because I would’ve felt guilty if we didn’t get up,” he said.
“I thought, ‘It’s a grand final, I need to give it all I’ve got’. There were definitely other players who deserved the official award more than me.
“It could’ve gone to anyone, really.”
Leigh Anderson could easily have walked away with the medal, along with George orge Swarbrick. For Torquay, uay, Aaron Nesbitt was judged the Tigers’ best.
Harris, who won a reserves rves flag with Hampden Football ball League club Terang last st year, was elated to go back- to-back personally.
“I feel pretty happy,” he e said. “I didn’t think we had d it in us to come back and d win, but somehow we did. I can’t really describe it, to be honest. It’s so good.”
In a gripping final quarter, rter, Modewarre had a host t of chances to put the Tigers away with a goal late in the match, but booted four successive behinds.
Torquay then charged forward and had the ball in its attacking 50 for the final minute, heaping pressure on the Warriors.
Despite the pressure, Klug was confident his side could hold on.
“We’ve been very concentrated on our back press and our back structure,” he said.
“Our back press was exactly where we needed it to be, which is always a good position for us to be in. So, even though you’re worried, we’re in a good position to be able to work it (the ball) out again.”