Day of the Dingo

By Paul Pickering
DINGLEY launched its Jubilee celebrations with the ultimate bang at Springvale Reserve on Saturday, casting Heatherton aside to secure the second premiership in the club’s history.
The Dingoes came from three points down at the last change to win the Division Two grand final by 20 points, exorcising the demons of a fourth-quarter fadeout against Springvale Districts in last year’s epic decider.
Dingley defied a four-goal gale to dominate the opening, and majors to Stephen Pitt (two goals) and Bret Lavars (two) within the first five minutes had the Dingo army in full voice.
Heatherton – the only team to beat Dingley this season – soon settled under the guidance of stars Matt Jamieson (four) and Brent Williams (two), who combined to slot four-straight in quick succession.
The Dingoes were sloppy going forward, but they managed to draw within five points at the first siren.
Dingley big man Chris Morgan took control of the contest in the second, using Heatherton’s Ryan Hendry as a step-ladder in the ruck contests and drawing the footy around the ground.
The towering co-skipper was one of the few players to show some polish in the blustery conditions, and the Dingoes looked destined to waste the wind advantage until veteran forward Brett Gniel (five) interjected.
Gniel slid into a mark at the intersection of the boundary line and the 50m arc, before fading the kick in on the breeze to give his side a two-goal lead.
Clinton Brooks’ dirty first half took a turn for the better when the versatile wingman was gifted a goal after being dumped by Heatherton’s Dave Hyams as he celebrated Gniel’s conversion.
The Dingoes went into half-time with a 14-point break.
Brooks and rugged midfielder Daniel Turcarelli both warmed to the task in the third, but Tonners’ vice-captain Glenn Krepp proved even more damaging on the outer wing.
Krepp was the catalyst for his side’s four-goal-to-one third term and the Tonners took a three-point lead into the last break.
In the Dingoes’ huddle, injured playing-coach Adam Quinn was keen to play down the six-goal turnaround that saw Dingley blow an 11-point advantage in the 2007 granny.
“We were in this position last year and we faltered,” Quinn bellowed at his charges.
“But this is a different team.”
And so it proved, as teenage rookie Robbie Mullen ignited the Dingoes with a brilliant snapped goal to wrench back the lead two minutes in.
A minute later it was Turcarelli – another welcome addition this season – who bombed a goal on the run from 45m.
Mullen wasn’t done yet either, launching spectacularly into a marking contest before roving his own ball to convert his second.
But when the Tonners drew within seven points on Jamieson’s fourth goal, it was the relentless Lavars brothers who refused to let it slip.
Just as Krepp burst out of defence to launch another dangerous forward foray, Bret Lavars effected a courageous run down – and copped a boot in the face for his troubles.
As Bret remonstrated with Krepp on the wing, Tony capitalised on the rebounding ball to drive in his second goal and break the Tonners’ spirits.
All that was left was for Gniel to provide to poetic final touches, snapping truly on his left boot – for his fifth goal – and celebrating wildly in front of the Dingo faithful behind the goals.
Fittingly, it was Gniel – who played in Dingley’s 1994 flag – who had the ball in his hands as the siren sounded.
As the beers flowed and the club song rang out – again inside the rooms, Quinn reflected on a near-perfect 2008 campaign.
“It’s just so rewarding,” he beamed. “All the work the boys have put in … it’s all worth it now.”
Quinn last year conceded that his charges had lacked composure in the grand final, but he walked away from the three-quarter-time huddle convinced of the Dingoes’ destiny this time around.
“I knew the desire was there. You could tell by looking in their eyes that they didn’t want to let it slip after what happened last year,” he explained.
“I think we had to win this – as a club – because you don’t want to lose two grand finals in a row.”
Quinn, a century goal-kicker in his first season with Dingley last year, is confident that the club has emerged from one of its darkest periods.
“For me, I haven’t witnessed the hard times for this club, but to see the smiles on all the older guys’ faces is amazing,” he said.
Quinn acknowledged the efforts of all his troops, but saved the highest praise for Morgan, the Lavars boys, Brooks, Turcarelli and centre-half-back Darren Andrews.
Tony Lavars was undeniably dogged and claimed the official best-on-ground medal, but his co-captain, Morgan, can consider himself a bit stiff to miss out.
Quinn knows the step up to Division One is a tough proposition, but he is confident his group can be competitive.
“We won’t be going up to make up the numbers, that’s for sure,” he vowed.
And who would dare doubt the resurgent Dingoes.