East Point is at last a Ballarat Football League premier.
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The Kangaroos ended a 17-year wait to capture a premiership in an epic battle at Mars Stadium on Saturday – outlasting a brave Melton by two points.
The product of a merger between East Ballarat and Golden Point at the end of 2000, East Point appeared to have the grand final in its keeping when it took a 15-point lead 25 minutes into the last quarter.
However, when Melton goaled nine minutes later the Kangaroos faithful were suddenly on the edge of their seats.
Just moments later though the anxiety turned to ecstacy for East Point with the final score 15.7 (97) to 14.11 (95), leaving the Bloods to ponder what might have been.
East Point coach Jake Bridges said a dramatic moment early in the third quarter had been the turning point for the Kangaroos, which up to half-time were in trouble and doing anything but playing the brand which had taken them to the minor premiership and into the grand final.
The Kangaroos had cut a deficit of 29 points from the second quarter with goals to Daniel Semmens and Joel Ottavi in the opening three minutes.
It was after Ottavi’s snap that Melton gave up a free kick and without the ball going back to the centre Matt Johnston kicked another goal and suddenly for the first time all the momentum was with East Point.
In an unbelievable turn of events, the Roos went on to add a fifth goal of the term after just nine minutes and it was East Point by nine points.
The Roos went on to kick nine for the quarter.
It was to prove enough in the long run to deny Melton its first flag since 2005.
Melton was irrepressible early in the match – closing down East Point’s space with a strong tackling game and harder approach to stoppages and contests.
East Point simply did not have the answers and not for the first time in the finals fell for the trap of spraying the football in desperation to take ground.
The Kangaroos did manage to stem the tide in the second quarter, with Bridges pointing to effort and belief as the keys to the comeback and ultimately getting the win.
He said it was all about players standing up and little battles adding up.
Bridges, who is in second year as coach, said the effort simply was not there early.
He said just as in every game, he had looked to his players to respond positively to challenges and in this case they had done enough to win.
Ruckman Paul Koderenko and midfielder Matt Johnston were East Point’s most consistent over the four quarters and then it was the likes of Joel Ottavi (three goals), Jacob Brown and Daniel Semmens (three goals) who were instrumental in the third quarter revival.
Semmens became a real livewire through the centre and corridor, while Ottavi ignited as a target in attack and Brown switched from a largely defensive role to his more customary position forward to provide a physical presence.
Melton hardly had a passenger in the early stages, with ruckman Ben Archard showing no signs of a foot issue, and the Bloods’ runners in Matt Denham, Ryan Davis, Jaycob Hickey and Billy Crofts doing their share of damage.
MATCH DETAILS
EAST POINT
2.1 4.3 13.5 15.7 (97)
MELTON
6.2 7.7 10.8 14.11 (95)
GOALS - East Point: J. Ottavi 3, D. Semmens 3, M. Johnston 2, C. Bilney 2, B. Whittaker, R. Monument, M. Rotumah-Onus, J. Brown, J. Johnston. Melton: C. Griffiths 2, B. Kight 2, R. Walker, M. Denham, B. Crofts, R. Davis, T. Button, M. Orr, J. Hickey, B. Souter, B. Kennedy, L. Carter
BEST - East Point: M. Johnston, P. Koderenko, C. Bilney, D. Semmens, J. Brown, J. Ottavi. Melton: J. Hickey, R. Walker, B. Kennedy, L. Walker, J. Cotter, D. Walker
Roy Edwards Memorial Trophy: Paul Koderenko (East Point)
AFL Victoria Country Medal: Matt Johnston (East Point)