Torquay kick seven goals in the final term to defeat a gallant Drysdale in the BFL grand final by 32 points
Twelve months of pent-up frustration has been unleashed in one spectacular final quarter as Torquay kicked seven goals to suddenly run away with an in-dispute BFL grand final.
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Torquay has buried the demons of last September with a seven-goal final term to claim the BFL premiership by 32 points over a gallant Drysdale.
The Grinter Reserve decider was beautifully poised at the final break, with the Hawks holding the smallest of margins in front of a bumper and boisterous crowd.
However, three goals apiece to best on ground forward, the brilliant Nathan Mifsud, and focal point Lucas Anderson – both finished with six majors for the day – split the game wide open for the first time, as the Tigers got home 16.14 (110) to 12.6 (78).
It would in some way soothe the pain of the Tigers’ shock 55-point grand final loss to Barwon Heads a year ago, and capped off a 17-1 home and away season in 2023 with a winning average margin of 69 points.
You could argue the Hawks were kept in it by Torquay’s wayward kicking at one end of the ground – the Tigers kicked 3.8 towards the Bellarine Highway compared to 13.6 in the opposite direction – but it was a genuine BFL classic for three quarters.
However, in the all-important final term, former GFL star Baxter Mensch was enormous with double digit touches, with support from Sheldon Ham, while Mifsud and Anderson provided the cream in spectacular fashion.
Twelve months of pent-up frustration for Anderson was unleashed as he produced a late goal-of-the-day contender with a genius checkside, then pulled down a monster pack mark after a shanked inside 50 entry.
It would also be veteran Ben Raidme’s final game, wrapping things up with his second premiership.
For the vanquished, the usual suspects of Ben Fennell (three goals) Tom Ruggles (two) and Flinn Chisholm were central to the Hawks’ chances while Jake Hargreaves made the most of his opportunities to slot four.
There was drama aplenty with an umpire replaced in the first quarter due to a head knock – Michael Case was also flattened early only to return – while Drysdale defender Luke Preece was crunched and play halted late in the game with the Tigers holding a 19-point lead.
A jubilant Tigers coach Dom Gleeson said after the game the best word he could use to describe his emotions was “proud”.
“The way you dig in ... a lot lesser groups wouldn’t have got back to this position,” Gleeson said to his players at the post-match presentation.
“And we’ve gone one step further.
“You blokes deserve this, as well as our whole list, as well as our whole club, as well as whole community.”
He also paid tribute to Drysdale, believing the Hawks clearly played for their coach Ben Carmichael — the only team to beat Torquay this season.
“Twelve months ago I stood in your position, it’s a big hole for you to climb yourself out of,” he said.
“But if there’s a club who can do it it’s certainly Drysdale.
“I’ve got so much respect for you blokes and I wish you all the best with your comeback.”
Club co-captain James Darke, who injured his ACL in Round 7 against Portarlington, said he was feeling a “mixture of emotions”.
“I’m a bit shattered that I missed it but super proud of the boys of how hard they fought in the game,” Darke said.
“There was a big drive from last year, we knew what we did wrong. It was a range of things.
“A few things we tweaked with our preparation (this year).”
Carmichael thanked his supporters for their “overwhelming” commitment to the team in 2023 and his side for never giving up.
“All year you’ve found a way, I’m so proud of you all,” Carmichael said.
“We’re a young group, hopefully we get another opportunity, I love you all.”
Earlier, it was an opening quarter of wasted opportunities for the Tigers, who had no problem finding a marking target but could not produce the requisite polish, kicking 1.5 for the term.
A Raidme shot slewed off the side of the boot and out of bounds as Torquay struggled for forward line connection.
Slick handball from Mensch was the starting point for many of the Tigers’ forward movement, while at the other end, Hargreaves bobbed up with a brace.
It was a game of shifting momentum with both sides enjoying periods of dominance and scoreboard advantage.
And the final few minutes of the half featured some of the best BFL footy you’ll see with brilliant snaps from James Breust and Fennell from either pocket, before a late major to Mifsud gave the Tigers a three-point lead at half time.
The 22-year-old was also sublime setting up play — an over the shoulder handball orchestrated Anderson’s easiest six-pointer for the day.
Drysdale would reclaim the lead in the third following majors to Hargreaves, Bailey Sykes and Ruggles, before Mifsud bobbed up again late in a portent to the blitzkrieg that was about to come.
Young Tigers lift for Torquay’s first flag since 2017
Best on ground and mercurial forward Nathan Mifsud nominated himself to win the gong just days out from the BFL grand final, a beaming Tigers captain Ben McNamara has told the Geelong Advertiser.
Mifsud, 22, was a yellow and black force all afternoon at Grinter Reserve on Saturday before elevating his work with three clutch goals in the final term to rip the game away from Drysdale.
McNamara said Mifsud and Baxter Mensch, who had a picnic in the final quarter with a wealth of possessions, were “special talents” as the club won its first flag since 2017.
“Mifsud’s got the ability to break open any game,” McNamara said.
“He’s such an X Factor for us, he actually picked it on Tuesday night, he said he’s going to win best on ground,
“So make sure that’s in the paper.
“Baxter’s the same, we were lucky to get him back at the club this year, we’ve embraced him with open arms.
“He’s an elite GFL player, so no surprise he was elite for us again today.”
In the middle of a throng of players and supporters, Mifsud, who came through the club’s junior program, said he was thrilled with his first senior premiership.
“I don’t know what happened there, I don’t normally do that,” Mifsud said of his final term heroics.
“We were pretty flat after last year, but you can’t be happier than today can you?”
“I’m sure we’ll be having a few cans tonight, I won’t be sleeping much.”
A modest Mensch said he was stoked to contribute after stepping away from the club for several weeks with personal issues mid-season.
“I was lucky the ball bounced my way a bit in the last quarter,” Mensch said, who won a reserves flag with Newtown & Chilwell in 2019.
“It’s good to get a senior one on the board, and I couldn’t be happier at Torquay.
“I’m just super proud.
“Halfway through the year I had some personal issues, and the club let me back in with open arms.
“I’m happy to be back.
“This is what I’ve dreamt of for a while.”
Meanwhile, McNamara said gun forward Lucas Anderson, who had struggled through the 2022 season with family issues, had returned to his best with six goals in a grand final.
“He lent on us (last year) and we lent on him this year,” McNamara said.
“It was good to see him back playing his best footy.”
Tigers coach Dom Gleeson said his charges had followed his third term instructions to “remain physical” and keep the tackle count high.
“We haven’t hit 20 tackles a quarter all year, and we did it grand final day, which goes to show it’s a lot about physicality,” he said.
“That’s probably where (Drysdale) got us in Round 17.”
He said there was a touch of dejavu in the opening quarter as the Tigers kicked 1.5, stirring memories of Torquay’s 3.11 in last year’s grand final loss to the Seagulls.
He also praised Mensch for his brave return to the club.
“He had some tough times during the course of the year but the club got around him,” he said.
“He paid us back in spades, he was phenomenal. He’s come out the other end.”
Gleeson also said defender Weylin Doyle was tremendous keeping James Breust to a pair of goals after asking for the opportunity several weeks ago following a one-point loss to the Hawks in Round 17.
“He wanted that matchup,” he said.
“He was disappointed to have that point get kicked against him (by Breust).
“To be fair, I think it was a blessing that point, to really straighten us up.”
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