There’s no doubt Rohan Brown was a disappointed man after his side fell short in its quest for the Central Highlands Football League’s greatest prize.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
But he remains proud of the effort of his charges, which went awfully close to landing the club’s first senior flag since 1996.
“I couldn't be more proud of our club and our group,” Brown said on Sunday afternoon.
“We were sort of down and out really early with a few things that didn't go our way, but that's footy.
We were sort of down and out really early with a few things that didn't go our way, but that's footy.
- Beaufort coach Rohan Brown
“We had every reason to roll over at half time I thought.”
While he won’t want to use it as an excuse, the Beaufort side’s chances were impacted by injury.
Tall defender Jarrod Trigg (cheekbone) and skipper Michael Foster (hamstring) were major losses during the game, but there were others hurt in what was a physical grand final.
Brown also reflected on what was arguably the most memorable moment from the decider.
With the Crows on fire after a third quarter that closed the deficit from a high of 38 points to just five at the final change, the Beaufort supporters were at fever pitch.
Sensing the moment, Brown delivered his address to the players up against the boundary line. And the crowd went wild.
“I just took them over there and it was just to really thank the whole community. It was unbelievable,” he said.
“The boys have even said to me 'thank you so much' because it's probably the closest they're going to get to ever feel like what it's like to play in the AFL.
“And that's the beauty of playing at such a great stadium because you can do that sort of stuff.”
Brown found it difficult to name his best players, but had no issues labelling early-season recruit Jarrod McCorkell as the standout Beaufort contributor on the ground.
He said McCorkell’s third term, when he racked up the clearances and kicked a goal, was “the best quarter of football I've seen from an individual”.
Brown also paid tribute to the successful Hepburn side that denied his team the space to play its usual frenetic game.
“They played a great game of footy because they suffocated us. They didn't let us run. They smothered us up straight away and as soon as they got the footy, they were off to the races,” he said.
“They kicked straight early and put us under massive pressure.
“All credit to Hepburn, they were a much better side on the day and they deserve every success they get. They're a great club.”
