HERCULION EFFORT
Sharks out to take down most dominant team in footy
THE Southport Sharks will have to beat the most dominant senior men’s team out of any second-tier or third-tier competition in Australia if they are to win a second consecutive NEAFL premiership
The Sharks have made it to the premiership decider again as they attempt to become the first non-AFL club to win back-to-back flags.
Brisbane won the league in 2012 and 2013.
The Lions have been the clear frontrunners all through this NEAFL season, winning 19 straight games with a percentage of 225.3.
It’s the best record of any team competing in a secondtier or third-tier league, such as the VFL, WAFL, SANFL and TSL.
Sharks leader Ryan Davis said Brisbane were the exception in a season that has brought each club, bar the Lions, closer in quality.
Davis knows first-hand what it is like dominating in football, being part of an AFL club and how hard it is to win consecutive premierships.
The 30-year-old played 35 AFL games between stints at West Coast and Gold Coast, found success with Southport last season.
He was also part of a Swan Districts side who won the 2010 WAFL competition, only to fall off the cliff and finish second last a year later despite improving their list.
Davis and Southport coach Stephen Daniel have spoken about his experience with Swan Districts and employed safeguards around stopping the Sharks falling into the same trap this season.
“We improved our list (at Swan Districts) a fair bit after we won (the league),” Davis said. “We had around 18 or 19 guys who had been on an (AFL) list.
“(Coach) Greg Harding inherited a few egos and guys thinking we have won the flag and have a better team so we will go again.
WE WERE COMPLETE UNDERDOGS LAST YEAR … THIS YEAR WE HAVE BEEN PUSHED JUST ABOUT EVERY GAME SOUTHPORT’S RYAN DAVIS
“The way we were allowed to police ourselves wasn’t good for the group.
“We didn’t want to work hard to get out of it either.
“We went to a couple of prelims and semi-finals after that but we were never able to get back to the big dance.
“I played in grand finals all through my junior career, went to grand finals in 2007, played in one in 08 with Swan Districts, won in 2010.
“I thought this was what footy was, just playing in finals. I didn’t get near one again until I came here (to Southport).
“I was thinking they come around easily but I realised you need a lot of luck, dedication and hard work to go your way to make it happen.”
Davis said the Sharks had faced new challenges in becoming the hunted in 2019.
“We were complete underdogs last year,” Davis said. “No one would have looked at our vision, or how we played our game or how to stop us.
“We would have got a free hit to get up and rolling to test our system.
“This year we have been pushed just about every game.
“We haven’t been afforded those easier games to get ourselves set into a good rhythm of continuity and consistency in our game plan because guys know how to play us.”