MPLR: Camberwell 3 def. Doncaster 2

Goals: James Vanden Driesen, Declan Kerr-Lawley, Logan Wells

Premiership match reports, there is nothing quite like them. Easy to write because talking about success is fantastic, hard to write because Grand Finals are emotional rollercoasters. Saturday rolled around and the weather turned it on, it felt really really ‘finalsy’ this week with the sun shining and the outer at the hockey centre filled with tangerine and royal blue.

I went for a walk pre game with Swan and he told me over and over ‘I just can’t see any way that we don’t win this, I keep trying to see them win and I just can’t do it’ Fair to say I didn’t share his unobstructed optimism. I had so much confidence in this team but my mind couldn’t quite shake the memory of the one and only time we played Doncaster this year, a huge 5-1 defeat. I didn’t think we would revisit that but it's hard to rid yourself of those demons when the stakes are so high.

Arriving at the ground is the ultimate medicine though, the whole group was there, Harry and Rod, Crid and Ash all there, all excited, all ready. The preparation for Grand Final is a bit different too, it's longer. We had our team talk as we always do and the plan was clear (as it always is from Crid) we wanted to take away their strength which is long balls from right half to left wing and make them go down our right side at all costs. If they were going to beat us today, they’d have to find a different way to do it

Warming up on pitch two if different too, but finally it was 6pm and it was go time. I will mention this again, and if you are every unfortunate enough to get an in person match report I’ll mention it again but the crowd for a MPLR game was like nothing I have ever experienced. It made the whole thing far more real, we understood what was required and as soon as the whistle went we got to work.

It started well, we took away that right side from them and managed to control the midfield. It didn’t take too long before Logan poked one home and we had the lead. What we have done really well this finals campaign (stand by for what we haven’t done well) was make sure once we got one up, we got two. This game was no different. Henry Lourey, one of a number of brilliant stories this year, made a huge tackle inside our attacking circle where the ball fell to James Van Den Driesen who calmly as ever finished it and we were 2-0 up.

The tension was just about to really take hold though and Doncaster got a rare fast attack and with a nice finish it was 2-1.

Remember when I told you I’d mention what we didn’t do well? Get cards, and lots of them. Each time when the other team were chasing the game and took their keeper off, we decided that yellow cards were the answer. So in sporting fashion we had two very kind players who shall remain nameless in this report get yellow cards. Left to fight out large parts of the last quarter two players down we held on. Our team defence has been huge all year and we all dug deep. Seven seconds left and we got a free hit, that was it. We had gone back to back in one of the all time premierships (at least in the view of this incredibly bias report) Incredible. I don’t think I have the words to accurately describe how great this season has been, from all 33 players who did their bit to our endless offield help it has truly been a team achievement.

Now, back to the crowd. We are often just off broadway, and rightfully so because we have our MPL and WPL teams are absolutely brilliant. But this year, perhaps for one night only we felt like the big show. The energy of those who came and watched gave us so much. The sound when we scored, the sound when they got a card and the sound when that siren went will live long in the memories of those who played. To have family, friends and partners there to celebrate with at the end just made the night even more special so thank you to anyone and everyone who turn up and showed out!

Harry Drakos and Rod Appleby. Two of the all time team managers, if these two don’t make you want to win a flag for them then no one will. Both of their sons played in the MPL side from early in the year but both Harry and Rod stuck with MPLR and looked after everything. They make it so so easy for us to play and ultimately achieve success.

Ash Tak, our physio. Ash put in countless hours with the MPL program this year but when their season was over, he continued to come to training and games to ensure we were fit. He performed some miracles in the finals too. Along with Roy Carey we are so lucky to have the caliber of medical staff that we do.

Cam Ridland (Crid) Words aren’t enough but I hope this years flag was. Cam puts in so much time preparing us gor games. He sends information on our opposition every single week with their plan and key players. It’s a level of preparation that I am sure no other MPLR side has and now in back to back years it has shown itself to be the difference. We can never really thank you enough for all your work Crid.

From me to the team. What a sensational year, my dad reminded me last weekend that I had reservations as to what we could achieve this year and with 10 players coming out of the premiership side from last year, can you really blame me? But there was no challenge to big, no player too inexperienced and no opposition too tough. This season brought so much fun and enjoyment and for an old boy it brought pride. Had we not have wont the premiership would we have been less special? I guess we will never know. Thanks for everything boys. For the last time.