By DAVID NAGEL
CRANBOURNE champion Marc Holt is craving team success after celebrating his 200th game with six goals in the Eagles’ 23-point victory over Berwick at Casey Fields.
Holt captained the Eagles to their drought-breaking premiership win in 2011, a day that looked set to spark the club into a long and sustained run of success.
But, as captain for the last three years, he has suffered the pain of grand final defeats despite kicking 157, 118 and 103 goals in those seasons.
“I can’t sit around with my mates in years to come and keep telling them about how many goals I’ve kicked, you just can’t excited about it because we lost those grand finals,” he said.
“They mean nothing, the 80 goals I kicked in 2011 are the best 80 goals I’ve ever kicked because they mean something and got us a premiership.”
Holt starred for the Eagles on Saturday, kicking five goals in the third quarter as the Eagles piled on 8.5 to 1.4 to take a five-goal lead to the final break.
The Wickers regained their composure, but a wildly inaccurate 1.8 to 1.1 final quarter saw Rhys Nisbet’s men go down to the Eagles for the second time this year.
Michael Boland was terrific in the ruck for the Eagles, who had Michael Theodoridis, with four goals, and Chace Struth also in red-hot form.
Ben Kearns was outstanding for the Wickers, kicking four goals with plenty of highlights.
Doveton earned the right to play in its first finals series since 2009 after a typically gutsy and determined nine-point triumph over Narre Warren at Robinson Reserve.
Ironically it was back in 2009 when the Doves last defeated the Magpies, the two clubs now set for a mouth-watering showdown in the elimination final at ROC in a few weeks’ time.
Big-name recruits Jake Dermott, Russell Gabriel and Sam Raru were superb for the Doves, while the under-rated Shaun Semmens and Simon Black were also impressive.
Kerem Baskaya took his tally to 59 for the season with a four-goal haul for the Magpies.
Hampton Park coach Matt O’Neil was quick to shift the focus after his team cracked its first win of the season with a runaway 31-point victory over ROC at Starling Road.
“Forget about me, I’m just rapt for the players and supporters and to see their faces after what some of them have been through makes it all worthwhile,” said O’Neil, who had to Google the club theme song midway through the final term.
The Redbacks trailed by 11 points at the final break, but five goals in a quarter to Nathan Carver, who ended the day with six, saw the Redbacks power home for victory.
Pakenham’s finals dreams are shattered after going down to Beaconsfield by 49 points at Holm Park Reserve.
The Eagles outscored the Lions in every quarter, with a 5.3 to 2.1 second term the defining stage of the contest.
Taylor Joyce kicked five, while Damien Johnston and Nick McPherson were also in good nick for the winners.
Tooradin had the bye.
