Gulls soar over Stars in 2003 flag
In 2002, Warragul were looking on track to breaking their 18 year premiership drought, only to fall short by a couple of goals to ROC in a heartbreaking loss. Then, 2003 rolled around.
Warragul were looking to make another charge towards September and had retained and built on their talented list, one that was a mix of experience and youth, led by captain and coach, Ash Green.
“We were really fortunate to have the players we did,” Green said. “Players like Ryan Flack, Justin Cant and Nick Edney just to name a few, they were a really talented group that season,” he said.
Green himself could have been the most talented of the lot, however. At just 16 he found himself being selected by Essendon with the 19th pick in the 1989 VFL/AFL draft before moving on to Brisbane until 1993, before playing state football in South Australia.
In 1998, he decided to return to his home club of Warragul, before taking the reigns as coach from Steve Hodge in 2001. When Nick Edney and goal kicking machine Paul Whelan had joined Warragul after winning the 1999 EDFL flag with Neerim South, it further bolstered the Gulls side. Add the likes of Xavier Gargan and brothers Robert and Danny Murphy, the side was primed and ready for another tilt at the flag.
As the year progressed, it was clear Warragul was once again one of the premier sides in the then West Gippsland competition.
Their biggest rival was a surprise to some, however. The then little township of Garfield, who were battling the Gulls for top spot were looking to be a thorn in the Gulls’ premiership aspirations.
A thorn they would be. The two teams would meet three times in the next five weeks.
After Warragul came away 15-point victors just two weeks prior, they headed into a qualifying final against the Stars, and were severely beaten by them. Leaving Green to face some harsh realities.
“We were pretty much labelled soft,” he said. “That certainly stung losing that game to them, it meant we lost our double chance and were playing in an elimination final. To our guys credit though, we ate humble pie and came out next week and got on with it,” he added.
The next weekend, led by an inspirational final term from Bradley Nott, Warragul sent ROC tumbling out of the finals, giving themselves a chance to avenge the previous week’s loss against Garfield.
Green said he remembers the week leading into the grand final match, knowing some of his troops were dealing with lingering injuries.
“We had a few sore boys that week but being a finals game, they all got themselves up and ready to go. When it comes to finals, you have to put the injury niggles to the back of your mind and get on with the job,” he said.
“We had Steve Carey, our chairman of selectors who also happened to be at Essendon help us a lot, I remember watching a motivational video with him and a few others that week, that really got us going,” he said.
“I remember saying to the boys, there are no guarantees you’ll be back here playing in another grand final, let alone with this group,” he said.
The word galvanised comes to mind when a stirring speech is uttered before a big grand final and galvanised Warragul were.
In difficult and trying conditions all afternoon, they managed to keep Garfield under wraps early, taking a seven-point lead into the first change. Green knew how quickly things could change however, especially with some of the selections he’d made at the table just a few days earlier.
“We probably had some boys playing in that game who shouldn’t have been. Justin Cant had hurt a hamstring and he still put his hand up to play, while many others were carrying things that under normal circumstances would probably see them miss,” he said.
As the game rolled on Warragul managed to hold their lead, taking a 10-point buffer into the main break.
Then, the Stars got on a roll.
They pegged back the lead with three straight majors to see the Gulls leading by just six points, who were ruing many missed opportunities in front of goal.
This was it for Warragul, all the hard work throughout the year had led to this moment and they needed someone to step up to the plate. Enter Nick Edney and Robert Murphy.
The duo had shined all afternoon, but when Edney ran down Garfield gun Lincoln Withers, which then resulted in a 50 metre penalty, it was arguably the biggest moment in the match. Kicking true, he gave his side a much needed 12-point buffer.
As the Stars looked to switch the play across the ground, Robert Murphy shot across and intercepted the ball finding Paul Whelan 40 metres out. He calmly went back and slotted home his fourth for the afternoon, all but sealing the win for Warragul as time ticked away.
When the siren went, Green said he felt a wave of relief wash over him.
“Relief really, that’s what I felt as the siren went. I was fortunate enough to play some AFL, but then to come home and have success, to watch Gary Olssen play alongside his nephew in Nick Edney and to see the joy and excitement on so many people’s faces, I won’t forget that,” he said.
“To do it against Garfield too, we had a really healthy rivalry with them, the Soumilas and Marsh brothers, we played hard, but we respected each other, we’d always have a beer after the match together,” he added.
Robert Murphy was named best on ground that afternoon, stamping his claim as one of the best players across the competition that season, while experienced heads Ryan Flack, Justin Cant and Gary Olssen were praised for their leadership across the ground alongside Green.
Plenty of sacrifices were made by many that year, which Green said really goes to show the culture and bond the team had in 2003.
“A lot of those guys turned down good money elsewhere to stick around because they knew we had a good chance at it, which is a huge credit to them,” he said.
Green said that the side on that day had some stories, none more notable than that of Peter McKenna.
“Peter hadn’t played seniors all year, maybe one game actually, but when we lost Paul Wallin the week of the grand final, Peter was called up. He ended up playing in a premiership, but he was ready, and stayed ready throughout the whole season that was the key,” he said.
Now, Ash Green’s coaching career continues at Pakenham where he has been at the helm for the past three years after stints with the Gippsland Power and Vic Country teams. He said a big part of his coaching philosophy is helping his players to simply get the best out of themselves.
“Success isn’t just about making it at the top level, for some, it’s simply being able to play senior football at a club regularly, which is great. To have that structure and discipline in place like playing sport with a club can help in a multitude of ways in life. I’m making sure I enjoy it, because I know at some stage, you’ll get the tap on the shoulder and it will finish up, so I’m making sure I’m enjoying it now,” he said.
While Warragul are still hunting for the flag that has eluded them since 2003, new coach Dean Alger will be hoping his recruits can help bring the side the same success they saw back in the early 2000s, if community football gets the go ahead in the coming months.