By David Nagel
Over the Christmas period, the News’ sports team will be re-sharing some of the most popular stories from over the course of 2024.
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Nar Nar Goon’s gradual ascension to the peak of the WGFNC mountain is now complete after a magnificent final quarter propelled the Goon to its first premiership in 14 years against Phillip Island on Saturday.
An army of supporters from base-camp at Spencer Street celebrated wildly after Justin Stanton’s team threw the form guide out the window on the way to a 14.3(87) to 10.3(63) triumph.
The most inaccurate team in the WGFNC transformed into an efficient killing machine on the biggest day of the season; becoming the first team in the brief history of the WGFNC to win four finals on the way to a premiership.
Phillip Island did a lot right, keeping the Goon below 20 scoring shots for just the second time this season, but couldn’t stop the Goon from sending out club legend Brent Hughes and assistant-coach Troy McDermott in the best possible way.
“Euphoric, what an absolute honour it has been to coach Nar Nar Goon for the last couple of years and today just came together perfectly,” Stanton said, beside the premiership dais post-match.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the guys and to kick 14.3 in a grand final was an unbelievable effort.
“We spoke about it before the game, that Tooradin is the only team that has had more scoring shots than us in a game this year, and if we got enough ball inside 50, and we could kick accurately, we could get the job done today.
“To see it play out that way was absolutely enormous.”
Flynn Parker came into the side for the Goon at the expense of reserves skipper Jarrod Hamling, while Phillip Island made two important changes.
Max Walton and Jordy Patullo came in; while three-time premiership player Marcus Wright was omitted after playing every game this season.
Key forward Travis Woodfield was the other unfortunate Bulldog to miss out.
A flukey breeze was blowing to the scoreboard end at Garfield, and Nar Nar Goon had first use.
Harry Brain and skipper Trent Armour won some important one on ones as both teams took time to settle.
Five minutes seemed to tick by in a heart-beat, before McDermott buried a set shot after a tumbling forward-50 entry from Dermott Yawney.
McDermott then capitalised on some terrific play from Ryan Bromley at half-back; running onto a loose ball and slotting one home from 40.
And when Aidan Pipicelli marked and goaled, and Yawney dribbled one through after some brave work from Armour, the Goon was 24 points up with 16 minutes gone by.
Taylor Whitford then went harder and lower than his Bulldogs’ opponent, with his resultant free kick making it 30-0 at the 21-minute mark.
The Goon was being ruthless and efficient; while the Doggies – competing in their fifth-consecutive grand final – hadn’t fired a shot.
But the first bad news for the Goon took place simultaneously to Whitford’s goal, with Jacobus Hynes running from the field with a game-ending right-shoulder injury.
The news got worse for the Goon when a captain’s goal from Jack Taylor and a follow-up set shot from Tom ‘Prime Train’ Baulch cut their advantage to 18 points at quarter time.
“First of all, great comeback boys,” Bulldogs coach Cam Pedersen told his players at the beginning of his quarter-time address.
“They can’t play at this pace for four quarters; Cora Lynn showed that last week, and we need to use our skills to make them defend on the rebound.”
The Bulldogs skills were on full display in the second term as they made a belated charge.
Billy Taylor had one on the board inside 20 seconds, before a miraculous snap shot from Orlando Kane Gillard had patrons raising their cans in the forward-pocket beer tent.
Nate Pipicelli answered for the Goon, but when Mark Griffin soccered one through from 50, and Daniel Pearce snagged one from a tight angle; the Doggies had cut the margin back to a point.
Pedersen, who took two strong marks in the second term, then gave his Bulldogs the lead with a clinical left-to-right conversion.
A late-goal to Brain gave the Goon the narrowest of margins at the major interval.
The third quarter was a cracker; in much calmer conditions than had greeted the players in the first half.
The Dogs were limited up forward, with Billy Taylor reduced to sitting on the bench after a first-half injury.
The Goon twice threw the first punch in the third stanza, before the Bulldogs fought back hard.
A Yawney goal was answered by Pearce, before set shots from Jarrod Smith and Whitford gave the Goon a 12-point lead.
But the Bulldogs returned fire again, with a brain-fade from Flynn Parker leading to a third Pearce six-pointer, before an over-ambitious James Cairns was nailed for holding the ball by Charlie Bruce.
The midfielder went back and nailed his set shot, giving the Bulldogs a one-point lead heading into the deciding 30 minutes of the season.
“We need to be more composed, because our lack of composure gave them two goals that quarter,” Stanton explained to his players.
He then turned the clock back 12 months; in his final motivating words for the season.
“Remember, this is the mob that took the opportunity away from you last year; you’ve got 30 minutes to fix it.”
The painful memories of the one-point loss to the Bulldogs in the preliminary final last year were soon filed in ‘ancient history’ as the Goon produced a magnificent last-quarter display.
They held the dangerous Bulldogs scoreless while kicking 4.1 of their own.
Brain, who had eight possessions and six marks in the final term, began the assault with a strong mark and goal, before Jarrod Smith kicked truly after an inspirational run-down tackle.
The Goon was almost home when Aidan Pipicelli made the difference 17 points with 11 minutes ticked off the clock.
The Bulldogs were losing the midfield battle, with its defence constantly under pressure; with repeat entries a focus of a well set-up Nar Nar Goon back six.
Goon supporters were soon rejoicing after Brain capped off a magnificent display from the wing with his third goal for the match.
Armour was a well-deserving winner of the best on ground medal, while Bromley, Brain, Matt Gentile, JJ Peni and key-defender Parker were influential figures for four quarters.
As was Whitford, who had eight possessions and four marks in the final term and controlled the tempo of the match.
Regular-defender Pearce ended the day with three goals for the Bulldogs, while the defensive efforts of Jesse Patullo on Yawney shouldn’t go unnoticed.
But this was Nar Nar Goon’s Day, with its gradual ascension to the peak of the WGFNC mountain now complete.
