Mclaren Steals Title For Victoria In Thriller
The Age
Monday July 31, 2006
FORMER St Kilda and North Melbourne midfielder Joe McLaren yesterday propelled Victoria to a sensational victory over the ACT in the division-one final of the Australian Country Football Championships at Southport, on the Gold Coast.
The ACT was leading by a goal in the final seconds when McLaren, playing-coach at Koroit in the Hampden league, received a free kick in Victoria's defence. A 50-metre penalty took him to the attacking side of the centre circle, from where he unloaded a thumping torpedo that sailed through for a goal.The siren then sounded, with the scores reading Victoria 15.10 (100) to the ACT 14.16 (100). During the two five-minute periods of extra time, Victoria kicked three goals, while holding the ACT scoreless. McLaren kicked two of the three.The final score of 18.10 (118) to 14.16 (100) gave Victoria its first title in the biennial country championships since 2000, when Simon Goosey kicked 10 goals during Victoria's win in the final at Wagga Wagga. NSW won in 2002 at Berri, South Australia, and the ACT in 2004 at Bunbury, Western Australia.Victoria's best players over the weekend's carnival included former St Kilda midfielder Tony Brown, now playing-coach at Leopold in the Geelong league, and ruckman Craig Clarke, from Gembrook-Cockatoo in the Yarra Valley league. Ryan Waight, a 21-year-old back pocket from Redan in the Ballarat league, confirmed his phenomenal improvement since the days when he was unable to get a game in his school team.Victorian coach Leigh Colbert, the former Geelong and Kangaroos defender, was an emotional man after receiving his winner's medal.Earlier yesterday, the second Victoria team, which consisted of players from country Victoria's district leagues, pulled away in the final minutes of the division-two final to defeat the Aboriginal All-Stars by 64 points, 20.12 (132) to 9.14 (68). Victorian coach Ivan Pyke said the match was a dour struggle before Victoria pulled away in the last quarter. Wingman Levi Moss, from East Gippsland league club Lakes Entrance, was best on ground.In the Murray Football League on Saturday, Finley enjoyed its first victory over arch-rival Deniliquin for several years when it defeated the Rams by 74 points. Finley's Matthew Worland kicked seven goals in a best-on-ground performance, while 36-year-old centreman Damian Sexton, another former St Kilda midfielder, was among Finley's best.
© 2006 The Age
