By David Nagel
The story of Tooradin-Dalmore’s drought-breaking premiership victory of 2022 will not be so much centred on the game itself.
Much like Collingwood did in 1990 – winning 89-41 over Essendon – on its way to ending a celebrated 32-year drought, the Seagulls were in total control from midway through the second quarter on their way to an eerily familiar scoreline of 13.10.88 to 6.6.42.
Notes for post-game interviews were first being scribed at the 17-minute mark of the second term, when Seagulls’ stalwart Julian Suarez kicked his third goal in six minutes.
Such was Tooradin’s ability to nullify the Bulldogs attacking weapons, the 41-13 scoreline looked unassailable…even for a Bulldogs outfit littered with star players.
Note 1: If Tooradin stopped now, could the Bulldogs catch them?
If the Seagulls did stop there, we would have had a thriller on our hands but seven glorious goals later the Seagulls were celebrating their first senior premiership in 25 years.
The margin never got closer than those 28 points.
The dominance of midfielders Brent Macaffer and Blake Grewar, the strength of Piva Wright, and long-raking kicks from defender Dylan Wilson, saw the ball live in the Seagulls forward line in that second term.
And once in, the Seagulls set up perfectly behind the ball and blocked any exits the Bulldogs may have had planned kicking into the breeze.
It was more a clinical dissection than a classic confrontation of the two best teams in the competition.
Wright, Luke McKenna and lucky-charm Brad Butler tag-teamed Bulldogs’ dangerman Cam Pedersen in the ruck, combining well, although Pedersen was still the Bulldogs most influential figure over four quarters.
Pedersen’s 60-metre bomb, 20 minutes into the third quarter, reeked of leadership as he tried to lift his team into the contest.
The Bulldogs needed three Cam Pedersen’s on the weekend.
He floated back, and took centre-bounce stoppage in the ruck, but was needed in other parts of the ground as well.
Note 2: Should Pedersen go forward, but if so, can the Bulldogs get it to him?
The Bulldogs forward line was completely blanketed and never really looked dangerous throughout this year’s finals series…with 19 goals in 12 quarters of footy, and two periods of extra-time, telling a chilling tale.
McKenna, Wilson, Adam Galea, Jordy Kelly, Brad Lenders, Adam Oxley and Cooper Shipp were superb for the Seagulls down back…a largely underrated crew that simply get the job done!
At the other end of the ground, what Phillip Island knew about Tooradin heading into the match…is what killed it!
The Gulls three leading goalkickers for the season, Stewart Scanlon (64), Julian Suarez (34) and Blake Grewar (32) combined for nine goals, which should have been higher except for an unusually inaccurate day from dead-eye Grewar in front of the big sticks.
He kicked two…but had the ball on a string and could quite easily have kicked six!
Suarez kicked five, and Scanlon and Grewar two each, with Grewar putting the final nail in the coffin with a right-foot snap at goal.
Tooradin-Dalmore coach Lachie Gillespie was a proud coach as he absorbed the atmosphere after the match.
“I’m super proud of every one of them,” he said.
“We tried to work really hard on the fact that we didn’t need to do anything outside of our normal game and just embrace that first quarter.
“We know they’re a champion team and they were going to come hard, they threw everything at us, that was their best chance, and we just thought we had to try to be better for longer.
“I’m rapt, but I’m more rapt because everyone is happy.
“We’ve won it, and that feels great, but our club is in a great position, with our 16s coming through, our 18s are great, our reserves won, the seniors won, and that puts us in a good position moving forward.”
Piva Wright won the AFL Victoria Medal for his strong display through the midfield and up forward.
GOAL BY GOAL TIMELINE
FIRST QUARTER
TIME PLAYER MARGIN
9min S Scanlon (Gulls) Gulls by 6
14min C Brown (Dogs) Dogs by 1
20min B Grewar (Gulls) Gulls by 6
24min S Robb (Gulls) Gulls by 12
Quarter time: Gulls 3.2.20 to Dogs 1.1.7
SECOND QUARTER
12min J Suarez (Gulls) Gulls by 22
14min J Suarez (Gulls) Gulls by 28
16min O Kane Gillard (Dogs) Gulls by 22
17min J Suarez (Gulls) Gulls by 28
Half time: Gulls 6.6.42 to Dogs 2.1.13
THIRD QUARTER
3min L Hill (Gulls) Gulls by 36
5min Je Patullo (Dogs) Gulls by 30
14min J Suarez (Gulls) Gulls by 34
17min J Suarez (Gulls) Gulls by 40
20min C Pedersen (Dogs) Gulls by 34
22min J Trezise (Gulls) Gulls by 40
24min Jo Patullo (Dogs) Gulls by 34
3/4 time: Gulls 10.7.67 to Dogs 5.4.34
FOURTH QUARTER
1min S Scanlon (Gulls) Gulls by 40
3min B Taylor (Dogs) Gulls by 34
11min P Wright (Gulls) Gulls by 41
14min B Grewar (Gulls) Gulls by 48
Full time: Gulls 13.10.88 to Dogs 6.6.42
GRAND FINAL SCORES
TOORADIN-DALMORE 3.2 6.6 10.7 13.10(88)
PHILLIP ISLAND 1.1 2.1 5.4 6.6(42)
Tooradin-Dalmore Goals: Julian Suarez 5, Blake Grewar 2, Stewart Scanlon 2, Lewis Hill, Steven Robb, James Trezise, Piva Wright. Best: Piva Wright, Brent Macaffer, Julian Suarez.
Phillip Island Goals: Cameron Brown, Orlando Kane Gillard, Jesse Patullo, Jordy Patullo, Cameron Pedersen, Billy Taylor. Best: Cameron Pedersen, Zak Vernon, Eli RIchards, Mark Griffin, Orlando Kane Gillard, Matt Jackson.
AFL Medal: Piva Wright (Tooradin-Dalmore).
