Hahndorf Football Club’s Darcy Hourigan kicks most goals in SA country footy for 2018
Darcy Hourigan kicked more goals than any other player in country footy last season and the Hahndorf sharpshooter only needs to look down at the black band around his arm for inspiration.
Local Sport
Don't miss out on the headlines from Local Sport. Followed categories will be added to My News.
- Former country footy powerhouse to rise from ashes
- SFL season preview: Can any one knock Falcons from perch?
- Why Warren will treasure Langhorne Creek flag
- Millicent aims to break 34-year drought
Darcy Hourigan is the man on top of the hill who gives fullbacks nightmares with the sound of boot on leather and the footy sailing over their head – again and again and again.
He is country football’s superboot after kicking 116 goals last season for dominant Hills Football League premier Hahndorf.
But while Hourigan keeps his opponents up at night, the 23-year-old has battled his own demons.
DOWNLOAD THE 2019 COUNTRY FOOTY MAGAZINE HERE
Hourigan’s brother Jarrad passed away suddenly in 2015. It came two years after Hourigan surprisingly missed out on selection at the AFL draft.
Hourigan had made his SANFL debut for South Adelaide as a 15-year-old in 2011, then was the leading goalkicker and an All-Australian from the 2013 national under-18 championships.
Yet, at the draft table, AFL clubs overlooked the 192cm key forward — and amid the disappointment, Hourigan fell out of love with footy and fell into tough times.
Now, with a renewed passion for the game, Hourigan has worn a black arm band every match since Jarrad’s death, carrying the memory and spirit of his brother with him out on the field.
“I put it on just before I run out and when I run out of the race I look up to the sky and say a few words in my own head, knowing he’s watching down,” Hourigan said.
“It’s something I started from day dot, from the first game after it (Jarrad’s death) happened.
“I get a lot of pride from wearing it. I know he’s up there watching over me, watching over all the boys and my family.
“If I’m having an ordinary game and I get a big goal I tap the arm and know he’s there with me – that always gives me a boost.
“He’s there every game with me.”
Hahndorf has had to wait to begin its premiership defence, with the Magpies scheduled with the bye in round one of the HFL on April 6.
Instead, they will travel to take on Mt Lofty to start the campaign on April 13.
On Saturday, it was a tight opening round to the league with two games decided by less than a goal.
Mt Lofty came from 13 points down at three quarter time to steal a 10.9 (69) to 9.14 (68) away victory and Mt Barker beat Uraidla 8.13 (61) to 8.6 (54).
Blackwood defeated promoted side Nairne Bremer by 31 points at home and Onkaparinga Valley were also 31-point victors away at Echunga.
Rival clubs will be watching intently when the dominant Magpies take to the field this Saturday.
The inspiration from his brother has played a key role in driving Hourigan’s and, in turn, Hahndorf’s success.
The race for the HFL goalkicking medal was non-existent last season.
Hourigan’s 116 topped the tally with 69 more majors than his closest competitor, teammate David Hankin.
He booted a bag of five or more goals in 15 matches.
It included an extraordinary three-match run from round six to eight when he slotted 10 against Uraidla, topped it with a season-high 13 the next week over Mt Lofty before bagging nine at home to Onkaparinga Valley.
Throughout the season Hourigan had another haul of nine plus two bags of eight, one of seven, one of six and seven games of five goals.
The Magpie took the crown of 2018 bush footy superboot from Waikerie sharpshooter and 2017 winner Daniel Nobes by a single goal.
Nobes’ 115-goal haul followed his 130 majors the previous season.
But Hourigan has not just had personal success.
He made his way to the Magpies in 2015 to play with mates he had grown up with in Strathalbyn. Hahndorf won back-to-back flags in 2015-16 and Hourigan also cracked the 100-goal mark in the latter campaign.
The Magpies missed a kick after the siren to win the match in a heartbreaking grand final loss to Blackwood in 2017, before snatching the premiership back last season with a 47-point defeat of Uraidla.
“Last year we were just so hungry to get that premiership back because we fell short against Blackwood,” said Hourigan, a staunch clubman who will also take on a leadership and junior coaching role at Hahndorf this year.
“As a club we felt we got a little bit comfortable, a little bit relaxed after going back-to-back and we just had to focus a lot more.”
Try and pump up Hourigan’s tyres for just a second and he is quick to divert the conversation away from his own personal glory, and towards the team success.
“Most importantly, it contributed to the Maggies getting over the line in the grand final and winning the premiership,” he said. “As good as it is personally, it was more important to me that we got the premiership at the end of the day.”
Hourigan credits many of his goals to the high-quality delivery from teammates such as former Adelaide Crow Matthew Jaensch, midfielder Dylan Matsen and a group of skilled youngsters coming through.
It is easy to assume that cracking the ton as a goalkicking forward is the result of hours spent practising in front of goals. But for Hourigan, it’s a more relaxed approach.
“It’s sort of the same with my personal life, I’m a pretty relaxed and easy-going so I just try to take it easy,” he said.
“I don’t try and overthink it or practise too much.
“Thursday nights at training we do a little bit of a goalkicking competition between the boys and make a bit of a game of it. Personally, I tend to focus on other parts of my game where I can improve, extra running after training, my endurance and things like that.”
Hourigan admits he does try to keep his set shot run up as similar as possible — a walk followed by a Josh Kennedy-style skip to gain momentum and a few strides before striking with his left boot.
patrick.keam@news.com.au
Adelaide Crows premiership legend signs with country footy battlers
A battling SA country footy club has secured a huge coup by signing a former Adelaide Crows premiership champion.
‘We’ve got to’: Contentious $41m sports centre hits new milestone
A plan to build a controversial $41m sports centre has taken a huge step forward, with the local council seeking to change planning rules to allow it.