Wesley Vale’s playing coach Daniel Freshney inspired one of the most memorable NWFA comebacks of recent years when he coaxed his team to beat the odds and win back-to-back premierships at Ulverstone on Saturday....
When captain Josh Holland led the Kangaroos onto the ground against the minor premier
Motton Preston, Wesley Vale had the odds stacked against it. It lost almost half the players from last year’s premiership team, included several who were unproven on the big stage and was overran to the tune of 54-points by Motton Preston in a semi-final a fortnight earlier.
Yet another complication faced Freshney at quarter time when Wesley Vale was down by 22-points after being comprehensively outplayed. Freshney reminded his players they were in the position he so desperately wanted to avoid.
"We had spoken several times during the week about stopping a repeat of the semi-final when Motton Preston held us scoreless to quarter time," Freshney said.
Freshney’s final message to his players was to keep possession of the ball and control the game.
The last 25 minutes belonged to Wesley Vale and Daniel Freshney, who took control of an impenetrable backline which restricted Motton Preston to just two points, while a goal to Josh Holland and Scott Jaffray’s fifth, saw their team home with a final score of 16.11 (107) to 12.10 (82).
For a physically and mentally exhausted Freshney the grand final win was a personal triumph.
"Although I took some players into the game who were untried at this level, every single one responded magnificently, " Freshney said. "It’s a win all the players can all be proud of."
Motton Preston coach Stuart Applebee said it was a game that was there to be won.
"After the easy sem-final win and outplaying Wesley Vale to quarter time, I think too many didn’t realise what’s required to win a grand final," Applebee said. “We stopped manning up and there wasn’t the desperation for four quarters."
There was at least some joy for Motton Preston, however, as earlier in the day it upset the minor premier Spreyton to win the reserves grand final by 30-points. A five goal to one final quarter handed the club its third premiership since 2005.
