Emmaus St. Leo’s ended a 14 year club wide flag drought, and in doing so, saw a group cement themselves into Animals folklore.
A finals series full of comebacks, was capped off by the ultimate comeback, seeing a 15 point half time deficit erased and replaced by a 10 point win at Garvey Oval.
Tom Birkett goalled twice, including the game winning goal in the last term to earn B.O.G honours, giving his direct opponent nightmares all day. Birkett showed late why he was the runaway winner of the Reserves Goalkicking award in 2019 as his superior off the ball movement and strength saw him shake his opponent, then out run him, before slamming home the major which put the Animals in front late in the contest.
Birkett’s movement caused issues all day, and provided space for the other forwards to move freely after quarter time, when forward 50 entries were more plentiful.
However at quarter time it was understandable to wonder if any of the forwards would be able to impact the contest.
Aquinas used a decent breeze to kick well clear at the major change, as they kicked 4 of the first 5 goals and were well in control. Harry Wines, a clear standout himself on the day, slammed home the Animals only goal of the term off the deck from the goalsquare, which at the time saw Aquinas pegged back a 5 point margin
That would spur the Bloods on, and they had their own Grand Final hero in Jaycob Baxter kick 3 first term majors to push a 19 point quarter time lead.
But the second quarter saw the Animals we’ve become used to seeing in 2019, and shrugged off a sluggish opening term to pull the lead from a game high 26 points to only 15 at the main break. Birkett slamming home his first would be the start of an Animal onslaught.
Aquinas kicked their sixth and last goal of the day at the 7 minute mark of the 3rd term, and the lead pushed back out to 13 points after the Animals had got the first of the quarter.
They would kick 3 more points for the rest of the game.
Jason Schinck kicked only his fourth goal of the season after some fantastic work by Harry Wines, and then Tom Birkett to keep the ball in play, then Emerson Lemkau kicked his first of the day and suddenly the Animals were humming.
When Lemkau kicked another to start the fourth, the strong contingent that made up “Animals Hill” began to believe the impossible was on the cards, and the seed was planted.
Multiple Aquinas forward 50 entries were repelled, with Fraser Walker and Michael Mazzeo continuing to hold strong down back, and the Animals rebound game featuring Adam Athorne, Darcy Burke, and Zac Durrant was feeding a midfield that was slicing and dicing in the last.
Harry Wines, Ethan Phillips, and Sean Howard would pepper the Aquinas backline with terrorising entries, and eventually the wall broke, with Alex Stokes bombing long, and Birkett working his way through the contest to slam home the eventual game winning goal.
By the time Zac Kearns outworked his direct opponent and two others to snap round his body and seal the game, “Animals Hill” was bouncing. Kearns’ “lap of honour” ensuring he hi-5ed everyone on the fence signalled that the contest would only end one way, and when the siren went mere moments later, pandemonium ensued.
Animals Hill stormed Garvey Oval, and the biggest party to hit Bennettswood began.
The game served as a final hurrah for long standing Animal and Co-Captain Adam Athorne as he hung up the boots a champion, doing so holding the cup aloft with good mate and fellow Co-Captain Steve Jones.
Outside of the 22 players that were successful on the day, 38 other men ran through the Reserves in 2019. 60 total players ranging from a singular game like President Alex Maunder who played admirably down back, Jordy Rodda who had an outstanding debut for the Animals in the first game of the year against Parkside before succumbing to a season ending ankle injury in the clash, 2 gamer Sean “Spider” Bourke who returned from Europe and played a vital part in a crucial win at home to Canterbury, charismatic Vice-Captain Nic “The General” Glanville who had his season ended by injury and served as runner during the Grand Final.
Adam Jopling, Charlie Simpson, and Tom Buick were the 3 changes from the Preliminary Final squad, with only one forced.
Charlie Simpson was unavailable for the clash, after playing a crucial role in the Prelim win. Simpson’s poise and agility proved too much to handle late in the deteriorating conditions. Tom Buick’s wing play and deep kicking was crucial in the Richmond win early, creating chances to see the Animals control the contest early. Adam Jopling was the last change made, and was a crucial part of a Reserves backline that was more than stout in the final 6 games and ensuing 2 previous finals.
All 3, plus the other 35 involved in 2019, will be more than ready in 2020 to defend the flag they so thoroughly deserved.
Premiership coach Tom Clarke, who took on the role after the start of the season, will pursue playing in 2020 with the Animals, but will go down amongst some storied Animals as a flag leader. His ability to handle the challenges of a large playing group, and balance with ensuring success will not be soon forgotten, especially down the stretch.
By his side, Kim Ledder helped provide expert assistance and proved why she is being scouted by multiple VFLW sides for their 2020 campaigns. Her tactical nous swung many a contest the way of the Animals.
Luke Paramanathan was also brought in late to help Clarke and Ledder in locking away success in 2019, and will be a crucial part of the defence of the flag in 2020.
Jonathan Greensides, one of the 60 players who featured in 2019, saw his campaign end in the Elimination Final when he once again was plagued by a troublesome shoulder. His willingness to help the squad out from the coaches box showed a selfless side many outside the club would be unaware of.
At the end of the night, a large contingent of past and present Animals congregated and belted out the club song one last time as a family, in the new clubrooms which were finally christened with their first flag, and potentially the first of many to come.
The importance of a flag to a club like Emmau St. Leo’s, no matter what side claims it, cannot be underestimated. Animals young and old, new and longstanding, came together both in Bundoora and back at Bennettswood to celebrate the achievement. It is the clubs 24th in history, but only the fourth this millennium and the first this decade, meaning the club only just avoided its first flagless decade.
But the positives don’t cease after October 18 when the club holds it’s presentation night, but the push for the Reserves to defend their flag in 2020 as well as the motivation for the Seniors to go one step further, and for the Women to achieve their first success in the history.
2020, Year of the Animal.