Not that he needs it; but Tooradin-Dalmore coach Jordan Kelly has some extra-special motivation as he looks to add the title of premiership coach to premiership captain against Nar Nar Goon on Saturday.
Kelly shared the premiership dais with Seagulls’ coach Lachie Gillespie in 2022, a 25-year drought-breaker for the club.
But one player who had rode the trials and tribulations of the Seagulls through a down time, alongside Kelly, was not there to share in the glory.
Kelly’s vice-captain in ’22, Kris Sabbatucci, was sitting on the sidelines with a torn ACL ruling him out of the action.
The Seagulls were hot favourites to win in 2022, forcing Sabbatucci to chase his dream in a remarkable way.
He tore his ACL earlier that season, but persisted to the point where he was on the cusp of selection.
Things didn’t turn out for the Seagulls’ stalwart, who will this week stand in the middle and toss the coin as captain.
If the Seagulls salute, it will be great mates Kelly and Sabbatucci – ‘Kritter’ they call him – that will hoist the cup together.
“Kritter…that one gets me a bit,” Kelly said with a pause.
“He’s someone that is willing to put his body through anything and I absolutely love him for what he has done for our club.
“Nothing would make me happier than to see him get that moment; but there’s a long way to go before that happens.
“There’s no-one more deserving than him; a guy that in 2022 put his body on the line, without an ACL, to get back and play, and then unfortunately missed out and went through all the surgery post-2022.
“He was my vice-captain in ‘22, so if we could do it for him it would mean the world for me.
“I haven’t shared it too much with the group; and I don’t have to say too much to Kritter, I already know what he’s thinking.
“Put it this way…it would be really special for both of us.
“But there’s a long way to go.”
Kelly understands the challenge that confronts his side, a Nar Nar Goon outfit that remains undefeated this season and currently riding high on a 26-game winning streak.
If the Seagulls win, it will be underpinned by sticking to their defensive structures.
“For us it’s about the pressure game and sustaining the pressure game,” Kelly said.
“In the first final we had a pretty good handle on it for a half and then we got opened up on the outside, so we need to bring that pressure-game for longer.
“You can’t have lapses against Nar Nar Goon; they score in clumps and can put five goals on you in 10 minutes.
“We have to concentrate for four quarters and try to control the tempo of the game.”
Only seven players remain from the Seagulls’ 2022 success with Piva Wright, Brad Butler, Brad Lenders, Liam Adams, Adam Oxley, Cooper Shipp and Lewis Hill (doubtful) due to play on Saturday.
