By David Nagel
Phillip Island 18-year-old Orlando Kane-Gillard lived out every boy’s sporting fantasy by kicking a goal after the siren – after six minutes and 45 seconds of the second period of extra time – to send the Bulldogs through to the WGFNC grand final against Tooradin-Dalmore.
SEPTEMBER, 2022
The script-writers for finals football had three years to dream up this one!
Phillip Island 18-year-old Orlando Kane-Gillard lived out every boy’s sporting fantasy on Saturday by kicking a goal after the siren – after six minutes and 45 seconds of the second period of extra time – to send the Bulldogs through to the WGFNC grand final against Tooradin-Dalmore.
Kane-Gillard kicked the winner against Warragul Industrials just metres away from where he missed the Bulldogs first shot at goal for the match, three minutes into the first term.
What transpired between those two kicks…well it will go down in footy folklore!
This was a preliminary final that was often dour, but always tight, with no more than 11 points separating the teams throughout the course of the afternoon.
This is how an unbelievable day at the Dalyston Recreation Reserve transpired.
FIRST QUARTER: Like last week the Dusties started Todd Beck loose behind the ball at centre bounces, who then worked his way back to his regular position on the wing. The Dusties had very strong numbers behind the ball, and looked well organised. Kane-Gillard misses a set shot from half forward, where he would later be the hero. Kane Oldham delivers the first of many big hits for the day, on Billy Taylor, while the Dusties’ forward pressure, which resulted in Anthony Bruhn’s goal at the 16-minute mark, was elite. Key match ups included Mark Bradley and Cam Pedersen in the ruck, while Kai McKenzie had the job on Mason McGarrity and Wilson McGillivray had the task of quelling Bulldogs’ dangerman Jack Taylor. The Dusties lead the inside-50 count by two.
SECOND QUARTER: Phillip Island adjusts, clogs up space and denies the Dusties the short-controlled kicks that worked well in the first term. Zak Vernon shows his class, kicking one from the boundary, before McGarrity answers for the Dusties with an opportunistic right-foot snap. Not many highlights, a real arm-wrestle.
THIRD QUARTER: Another dour struggle, once again just two goals kicked for the quarter. Crowd really getting involved now. Jesse Patullo calmly converts a set shot to give the Bulldogs the lead, before Mark Griffin finds Vernon with a bullet pass. Vernon kicks another from 35-metres out from a tight angle to give the Bulldogs some breathing space for the first time in the match. Dram building with Will Gibson and Jack Taylor both hitting the post within six minutes of each other. We’re set for a thriller.
FOURTH QUARTER: Vernon cramps after one minute and leaves the field for a calf rub. The Dusties defenders roll forward and become their biggest attacking weapons. Luke Walker kicks a beauty from 35 out, to cut the margin to four, before Jesse Patullo takes a grab at the top of the goal square for the reply, after 10 minutes of play. Matt Herbert returns fire with a cracker from long range, just three minutes later, the Bulldogs by two. Kyle Staples kicks a point before the first major headline is almost told. McKenzie appears to take a one-on-one mark against Bailey Beck, but it isn’t paid. Beck picks up, 25 out, directly in front, and misses to the left with a left-foot snap. It’s a draw.
EXTRA TIME – PERIOD 1: Confusion reigns, with both coaches being given conflicting messaging about their ability to address their teams. Both do, and the battle rages on. A Mockett long shot is rushed through for a point, the only score of the first period of extra time to give the Dusties the lead. Crowd confused as the time-clock ticks past the allotted five minutes…time-on is being played! Billy Taylor gets cleaned up on centre wing but bounces back courageously. Dusties defenders Michael Ablett and Kane Taylor win huge one-on-ones late in the first period.
EXTRA TIME – PERIOD 2: It comes down to this…pleasure or pain? Vernon centre clearance to Blake, too far out, no score. Jesse Patullo snaps and scores a point, scores level. McGarrity then gathers, 30-metres out, he snaps, the ball tumbles end over end with Jason Tomada in hot pursuit. The ball wins the race by inches, it’s the Dusties by a goal. Patullo misses a snap, the Dusties by five. A long drive forward is punched through by Bradley, the Dusties by four. Six minutes ticks over, everyone waiting for the siren to sound. Ball up on wing/half-forward, Dusties talls deep in defence, Pedersen goes up alone, no opposition. Ball ends in the hands of McKenzie, who tumbles one in and it falls in the arms of Kane-Gillard, in a very similar position to his opening kick of the match, which he pulled left. Siren sounds…this is it! He settles, he kicks, he kicks truly…what an unbelievable finish! Dusties crestfallen, Bulldogs jubilant, crowd converge for 10 to 15 minutes before players leave the ground.
WINNING COACH – BEAU VERNON
“I’ve never experienced anything like that…it was almost unbelievable what took place,” Vernon said from a buzzing changeroom after the match.
“At the end of normal time we didn’t know what was going on, some umpires were telling us we were allowed on the ground, and others were telling us we weren’t, then after the first five minutes of the first period of extra time we thought the siren should have gone…there’s was just a lot going on.
“When I was playing at Phillip Island we had a kick after the siren in a prelim, and we missed it, so to experience this type of feeling, the joy, it’s something none of us will forget for a very long time.
“I’m over the moon and just so happy for our players.
“Everyone looks at us as a premiership side, but half our team hasn’t won a premiership before, and we really want to experience that for those boys that now get the opportunity to do that against Tooradin.
“I thought we were done; I thought the game was over.”
Vernon had mixed thoughts as Kane-Gillard lined up at goal.
“Orlando probably hasn’t been kicking them that sweetly in the second half of the year, he’s been kicking a lot of behinds, but on Thursday night he was hitting them flush and putting them straight through the middle,” Vernon said.
“I was just thinking whatever will be will be, but lucky for us it went through.”
Vernon was full of praise for a Dusties side that came within seconds of qualifying for the big dance.
“They’re a great side, they make you think the whole time and you have to be switched on against them or they’ll show you up, it’s as simple as that,” Vernon said.
“Credit to Harmit (Singh), they play a great brand of footy and would have been worthy grand finalists.
“I have much respect for them, but unfortunately only one of us could go through today.”
Phillip Island now take on Tooradin-Dalmore in the WGFNC grand final on Saturday, 10 September.
TIMELINE OF A CLASSIC
FIRST QUARTER
6min Jackson Mockett set shot. 1-6 Dusties
10min Max Blake mark and goal. 8-6 Bulldogs
16min Anthony Bruhn, great forward pressure. 8-13 Dusties
18min Nic Visser, head high free kick. 8-19 Dusties
24min Billy Taylor set shot. Ignites first major scuffle. 17-19 Dusties
Quarter Time: 2.5.17 to 3.1.19 – Dusties
SECOND QUARTER
14min Vernon, set shot, great kick, tight angle. 23-19 Bulldogs
22min McGarrity snap, clinical after quiet start. 23-27 Dusties
Half Time: 3.6.24 to 4.3.27 – Dusties
THIRD QUARTER
6min Jesse Patullo, mark, set shot 31-27 Bulldogs
22min Vernon brilliant from the boundary again. 38-29 Bulldogs
Three-Quarter Time: 5.8.38 to 4.5.29. Bulldogs
FOURTH QUARTER
3min Luke Walker drifts forward. All class on the left. 39-35 Bulldogs
10min Jesse Patullo, contested mark in the goal square. 45-36 Bulldogs
13min Matt Herbert, 50m out, great kick. 45-43 Bulldogs
21min Kyle Staples point. 45-44
25.35 Beck left foot snap, after McKenzie mark not paid. 45-45
26.14 Siren sounds.
Full Time: 6.9.45 to 6.9.45.
EXTRA TIME – PERIOD 1
55sec Mockett long shot, rushed through for behind. 45-46 Dusties
EXTRA TIME – PERIOD 2
1.04 Jesse Patullo snap, scores level. 46-46
2.12 McGarrity snap gets through, Tomada an inch away. 46-52 Dusties
3.45 Jesse Patullo snap, misses. 47-52 Dusties
4.47 Dogs kick long, Bradley punches through. 48-52 Dusties
6.41 McKenzie tumbler ends with Kane-Gillard.
6.45 Siren sounds. Kane-Gillard kicks the goal. 54-52 Bulldogs
2022 WGFNC PRELIMINARY FINAL
PHILLIP ISLAND 2.5 3.6 5.8 6.9(45)
ET 7.12(54)
WARRAGUL INDUSTRIALS 3.1 4.3 4.5 6.9(45)
ET 7.10(52)
Phillip Island Goals: Zak Vernon 2, Jesse Patullo 2, Orlando Kane Gillard, Billy Taylor, Max Blake. Best:
Orlando Kane Gillard, Kai Mackenzie, Billy Taylor, Jason Tomada, Zak Vernon, Jesse Patullo.
Warragul Industrials Goals: Mason McGarrity 2, Luke Walker, Anthony Bruhn, Matthew Herbert, Jackson Mockett, Nic Visser. Best: Mark Bradley, Kane Oldham, Michael Debenham, Kyle Beveridge, Todd Beck, Luke Walker.
