Marion Rams win emotional premiership after two winless seasons and coach Ben Porter’s stroke
Last year, the Marion Rams did not win a game. Last week, their coach Ben Porter suffered a stroke at footy training. On Saturday, the Rams celebrated a fairytale flag victory – and although Porter didn’t coach, he was there for the emotional end. See the video.
AS Marion Rams players high-fived one another on the bench shortly before the final siren in Saturday’s fairytale premiership win, their coach Ben Porter came over to hug them.
Porter had only arrived at St Marys Park a few minutes earlier for the “Battle of the Battlers” division seven Adelaide Footy League grand final against O’Sullivan Beach/Lonsdale – he had been at home resting after suffering a stroke at Rams training on August 30.
His wife, Melanie, and doctors had told the second-year Marion coach to stay away from the game for sake of his health and instead get score updates texted to him.
He was at the ground for a pre-match pep talk then left before returning for those emotional moments on the bench and the sheer joy that followed the 21-point victory – all while wearing a cardiac monitor across his chest beneath his green and gold club polo.
Porter, who 12 months ago coached Marion to a second consecutive winless season that included six defeats of more than 200 points in the Southern Football League, said not watching Saturday’s grand final was difficult.
But he said he had huge faith in caretaker coach Michael O’Dea and the team to get the job done and end the club’s 18-year premiership drought.
“It wasn’t about me – it was about the footy club and the players,” Porter said.
“My wife was very clear-cut that I wasn’t to coach today and doctors said ‘you’re playing with fire’, and I understand that.
“I’ve got two beautiful kids (Jordan, 16, and Holly, 14) and a beautiful wife, and I plan on living a lot longer.
“Football means a lot to me – I’ve been doing this a long time, coaching for 20 years and had coached in three losing preliminary finals so this (premiership) means a lot.
“I’m just so proud of the players and everybody – the whole club.
“These people have suffered a lot. There’s nothing like strength in adversity.”
Porter, who only left hospital on Tuesday, said he was now feeling OK and even joked his stroke “wasn’t great preparation for the team”.
“In many ways I was very fortunate because it happened at football training and I had support staff to help me,” he said.
“I was standing talking to the players, about to make a joke to one of the players, and I’ve gone to say the words and the brain and mouth didn’t connect, and it came out all garbled.
“My face started to collapse and I went into shock.
“The fact they got me to Flinders Medical Centre in 25 minutes, they got the clotting drug into my system quickly, so I haven’t suffered any long-term damage.”
By not getting there until the end of the game, Porter missed the bulk of his team’s stunning performance.
Marion had lost all three previous meetings this season against the Lions, who had only lost one game all year.
But the Rams’ pace and youthful exuberance proved too much for O’Sullivan/Beach Lonsdale’s experienced campaigners as the underdogs led by 25 points at quarter-time, eight at the long break and 28 at three-quarter time.
Marion 16-year-old James Smith won the best-on-ground medal, while Patrick O’Dea finished with a game-high four goals.
Rams president Jack McCallum, who has been with the club since 1980, was relieved and enormously proud.
“That fairytale that we talked about has happened – just look at all these people and the enjoyment they’ve got from it,” said McCallum, whose sons Max and Joe played in the triumph.
“That’s the most important thing – to get a bit of happiness back around the club, a bit of success.
“Even during those (heavy) losses, that bunch of players turned up every week and played to the best of their abilities and we just weren’t good enough.
“We decided to move to a division where we could be competitive, have some victories and we’ve come out with a wonderful premiership.
“It’s absolutely sensational.”
Porter said he would thoroughly enjoy the celebrations but needed to be “a bit low-key” and could not drink alcohol.
As for his coaching future, Porter said he was determined to stay on in the senior role and steer the club’s rise into division six next season.
“Last Thursday could’ve ended a lot worse than it has so I’m very lucky,” he said.
“I’ve got a new lease on life and I’m going to grab that opportunity with two hands.”