By DAVID NAGEL
CRANBOURNE has once again experienced the agony of grand final defeat after Beaconsfield ran away with a 54-point premiership victory at Edwin Flack Reserve on Saturday.
It is Beaconsfield’s first flag since 2004 and condemned Cranbourne to its third grand final loss in a row after tasting the ultimate success in 2011.
This was Beaconsfield’s 10th consecutive win, its ninth senior premiership and completed a fairytale form reversal after being defeated by a combined total of 186 points in the first two rounds of the season.
“I just didn’t know in the first half, we were nervous, just waiting again,” a relieved Beaconsfield coach Clint Evans said after the match.
“We missed a few shots early and their pressure was just right up, and we knew it would be, but we said it was a marathon, not a sprint, so we just kept on going.
“The last half of the second quarter I thought our pressure started to go up, and that’s when I thought if we were close enough at half time, we’d be a chance. And the third quarter, well, what can you say.”
Beaconsfield’s 6.1 to 0.1 third term was the true definition of a ‘premiership quarter’, breaking Cranbourne hearts with its trademark high pressure and intensity.
Beaconsfield had many good players on the day but its skipper, Daniel Mislicki, was outstanding, running hard on his way to five goals. ‘Slick’ was a clear and deserving winner of the AFL Vic Country Best on Ground Medallion.
“Unbelievable, it has still hasn’t sunk in and probably won’t sink in for a while,” Mislicki said after the match.
“The position we were in at the start of the year, that doesn’t matter now, we’ve done it, it was a tough game, I couldn’t even walk at the end but it’s all worth it now.
“I had three of these at 21, and I’m 31 now, we went through some dark times there for a while but this one is sweet, having to wait so long definitely makes it sweeter.”
And what of his best-on-ground five-goal performance?
“It wouldn’t have mattered if I didn’t get a kick, as long as we won the game, it’s an unbelievable feeling.
“They’re a great team, an unbelievable team, we knew they’d come back in the last quarter but we got the first clearance, we kicked the first goal and it was just a special feeling.
“We’re going to enjoy the next couple of days, that’s for sure.”
Beacy has had a terrific blend of youth and experience this season and youngsters Nick McPherson, Jayden Gee and Brandon White played significant roles in the victory, while club stalwart Damian Szwaja, full back Daniel Battaglin and champion ruckman Scott Meyer were other notable contributors.
For Evans, this is his third premiership with the club, backing up success as a player in 1999 and 2001.
“Footy’s been my life since I was a kid, so to play in two flags when I was 20 and 22 and now to do it again 13 years later, all at Beacy, it’s just a special feeling.”
