By Tyler Lewis
Gembrook Cockatoo has stylishly forced its way into the Outer East Premier Division after securing the Division One title last Friday.
The Brookers lost to their grand final opponent, Seville, just a fortnight before the decider, but an unaware eye would’ve been blissfully unaware as Brad Coller’s men appeared a class above the Blues.
After six minutes of between the arc football, the Brookers kicked the first – and what seemed to be a settler – through key forward Myles Wareham.
And while it seemed to be a settler, Coller was only calmed by the final siren sounding across Woori Yallock Recreation Reserve.
“I don’t think I felt settled all game until that siren went at the end,” he said.
“I think we had a buffer most of the day and that was due to our hard work over the day.
“Every time Seville came at us, we popped a couple more on and we had an answer every time.”
While youth can often be the downfall on grand final day for many sides, Coller is confident that youth was what steered his side to premiership glory.
“Our coaching staff have all played in flags at Gembrook, which helps, but really we only had four blokes that have won a senior premiership,” he revealed.
“We had to draw a lot on the coaching staff and the elder statesmen in the team.
“A lot of the young fellas have won a flag in the under-18’s or whatever, but it’s not quite the same.
“I think we played on energy and enthusiasm and the youth, apart from Spud (Michael Firrito), Volts (Damien Volta) and Liam Henzen, everyone is basically 22 and under.
“When you’ve got that youth, energy and enthusiasm, you get a lot of drive, they just don’t give up those kids, they just keep running.”
The lead up to the decider was intriguing.
Seville appealed the suspension to forward Rob Petracca and it made an extensive amount of noise.
Coller urged his group to find the balance between blocking it out and using it as motivation.
“Yeah there was a bit of carry on,” he said.
“They said they were going to use it as motivation, but we kept a bit of a lid on it and tried to block out that social media crap, because we thought they were using it as a tool to motivate them.
“We just wanted to play our style of footy, we know it worked through the year and we had to step up another gear on our intensity and attack on the ball.”
In the lead up to the game, Gembrook Cockatoo’s reserves side defeated Berwick Springs in a seven-point heart-stopper.
That Brookers outfit came from fourth on the ladder to hand Berwick Springs just its third loss of the season and Coller admitted seeing his club celebrate early on inspired his senior unit.
“I had massive faith in our twos, I thought they were more of a chance than we were,” he said.
“I think us watching that with the break between the two games, for us to watch the last couple of minutes and for them to win, that just gave us such a good feeling before we went out.
“It would’ve been a totally different story if they had have lost, because we would’ve then felt a lot more pressure, but with them getting the job done everyone took a breath and thought right they’ve set the way now.”
Michael ‘Spud’ Firrito was astronomical in the Brookers’ 14.11 (94) to 10.12 (72) win, booting four crucial goals.
A lot of speculation has surrounded his future and while there is no decision made just yet, Coller is content with either choice.
“I can’t speak highly enough of that man,” he said.
“He’s a champion footballer, but he’s an even better person – what he has done for our community, football club and individuals around the club… he’s got time for everyone.
“From the best player to the 66th player on our list, the supporters, their kids, he would’ve taken 100 photos on the weekend with people wanting one with him and the cup.
“He deserves everything he gets from the weekend and he’s had a great year.
“I spoke to him and Liam Henzen and said ‘I would love for you guys to keep going, but right now this is a perfect time for you to go thank you very much’.
“Neither of them are making the decision, I think Spud could sit in the forward pocket of Premier Division and still kick 30-40 goals.
“We’ll see… there’s no answer yet, but he’s got every right to soak it up and celebrate the next week or so before he starts thinking about it.”
SCOREBOARD
SEVILLE 1.4 5.5 7.8 10.12 (72)
GEMBROOK COCKATOO 3.3 6.6 10.9 14.11 (95)
Seville Goals: Michael Condello 4, Dylan Broadway, James Cecere, Jack Nolan, Jye Sciortino, jake Strachan, Josh Weightman. Best: Ryan Farrow, Michael Condello, Jake Strachan, Jye Sciortino, Joshua Weightman, Dylan Broadway.
Gembrook Cockatoo Goals: Michael Firrito 4, Matt Templeton 3, Myles Wareham 3, Colin Bastow, Matt Frazzetto, Aaron Firrito, Dante South. Best: Joshua Tilly, Aaron Firrito, Brayden Weller, Michael Firrito, Caleb Crestani, Dante South.
Gembrook Cockatoo premiership players: Matt Frazzetto, Konner Allcott, Michael Firrito, Myles Wareham, Damien Volta, Aaron Firrito, Lochlan Taylor, Caleb Crestani, Brayden Weller, Daniel Welsh, Matt Templeton, Nick Riordan, Dante South, Bryce Wareham, Frank Didonato, Josh Tilly (best afield), Jackson Pavanello, Dean Smith, Jay Verhagen, Liam Henzen, Colin Bastow, Michael Bourne.
Coach: Brad Coller
