Not even eleven goals from Brett Eddy was enough to stop Fish Creek claiming an unbelievable thirty-ninth senior football premiership. In a game those in attendance will surely talk about for years to come, the Kangaroos came from behind to topple the red-hot favourites 18.11 (119) to 16.11 (107).
The crowd drew a record gate of close to $50,000 on a perfect day for football. The MDU ground was in A-Grade nick, the weather gods delivered a pearler, and the players did their bit in what must rank among the all-time great premiership deciders.
Foster flew out of the gates. They got out quicker than Black Caviar and led by 32 points at the first break. It started with Eddy, who out-marked his opponent seemingly effortlessly to go back from forty and kick truly. The very next forward entry he did it again with another strong mark and goal. From the subsequent clearance, league medal winner Jack Weston swooped on a loose ball against the boundary, took a brief pause, and kicked a belter from the line. Fishy had barely touched the ball.
Fish Creek finally hit the scoreboard after thirteen minutes through Jai Stefani, and there was hope it might spark the underdog. If anything, it only ticked off Foster, who added more scoreboard carnage to go into the first break with a lead of greater than five goals. Inside fifties for the quarter ran 21 to 13 in Foster's favour.
Whatever instructions Fish Creek coach Jarrod Walker delivered at the break slowed the scoreboard pain. It took fifteen minutes for Eddy to kick his fifth, by which point Fishy had wasted three gilt-edged chances. But when the Roos found their radar, the chasm became manageable. Charlie Wilson slotted a special, Brady Mitchell added one, and Wilson helped himself to a second just before half time. Twenty points the margin at the long break. More than a little bit of hope.
They said get stuffed to being close and decided to go in with a three-quarter time lead.
A seven-goals-to-two third term, truly in this instance the Premiership quarter, spun the game on its head. From being down by close to six goals to being up by twelve points at the last change. Jackson Wiedemann willed himself into the contest and was everywhere. Luke Williams, quiet early, decided it was time to put his undies on the outside and turn his jersey into a cape.
The centre clearances ran eight to three in Fishy's favour for the term, and they were kicking them from anywhere. Wilson hard up against the boundary from forty out simply kicked a drop punt over the umpire's lid and the crowd rose as one. Wiedemann slotted his regular goal-of-the-day contender from up against the boundary, freak factor huge, work rate even higher. Brady Mitchell slotted a couple too. Astonishingly good football from a side that had been on the ropes four hours earlier.
The answer from Foster in the last term was plenty. The 2025 premiers piled on seven goals. Weston, Norton, Angwin and Bentley went on a tear, running, tackling, chasing. Playing coach Jake Best threw himself into the middle, won the first two clearances and kicked the first goal of the term. They stormed to the line did Foster. Think Doriemus coming after Might and Power.
The only issue was that Fish Creek kicked seven in the last term too. Wiedemann and Wilson countered Best's goal, the margin settled at twelve points, and that is where it stayed when the final siren sounded on simply an unbelievable game of football.
The medals were split and not one person dared criticise Brett Eddy for getting one with eleven goals, or Jackson Wiedemann for getting one too. An interesting insight into the two winners: Wiedemann wore his with pride alongside his premiership medal, and Eddy had his off before he had even left the dais. Grand Finals are about "we" and not about "me".
Foster coach Jake Best was obviously shattered. "Fishy too good in the end, amazing in the middle. Eddy was outstanding."
A beaming Jarrod Walker reflected on what had unfolded. "I thought we were in trouble after our start, massive second and third terms with our huge work rate to get us playing the game on our terms. Huge credit to Foster and in particular Eddy. He was massive all game."
Mitchell Berechree
