AFL Outer East: Doveton ends 14-year flag drought with epic grand final win over Pakenham

It had been 14 years since Doveton had won a flag, indeed last season they went without a win at all, but that changed after a 100-minute epic.

Doveton raises the premiership silverware Picture: David Crosling

After a winless 2018 and a premiership drought that stretched back to 2005, Doveton capped an outstanding finals campaign with a thrilling grand final win over Pakenham at Woori Yallock on Sunday.

With Michael Sikora rucking to the point of exhaustion and Lachie Batten (four goals) dangerous up forward all day before going off injured at three-quarter time, the Doves held on to win 9.7 (61) to 8.7 (55).

The cut and thrust that marked the first three quarters, continued deep into the last when Darcy Hope judged the wind perfectly to goal from 40m, giving Pakenham the lead, only for Sean Kelleher to bob up with a mark and goal to tip the scales back Doveton’s way.

Then, as the clock ticked down, the Pakenham defence put the ball out on the full and Doveton skipper Matthew Stapleton, with the crowd pressed up against the fence and breathing down his neck, kicked the sealer with a set shot from the most difficult of angles in the forward pocket.

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Doveton celebrates its premiership win Picture: David Crosling

Pakenham pushed forward in the dying minutes but could manage just three behinds and Doveton was left to celebrate

It had been a game of to-and-fro form the opening bounce.

With the wind at its back in the first term, Doveton didn’t capitalise as much as it would have liked and, after Jake Basa found Batten for the first goal of the game, Pakenham answered when Adam Alberni ran onto a loose ball and turned cleverly before snapping from 20m out.

Grand final nerves led to a scrappy start with repeat stoppages the order of the opening quarter as strong tackling and physical pressure caused frequent fumbling and miskick.

Pakenham kicked away early in the second quarter with goals from Rhys Nelson and Joel Sarlo but Sikora began to increase his influence on the game and two goals in a minute from Batten gave the Doves a handy break.

Pakenham’s Jake Thompson then broke a tackle and kicked a long goal to stem the flow but what the Lions regained was almost immediately handed back when Mitchell Pierce received a free kick and a 50m penalty to re-establish Doveton's nine-point lead at the half.

When Batten kicked his fourth after a turnover early in the third quarter, the match was starting to slip away from Pakenham but Darcy Hope marked strongly and goaled from 30m to revive the Lions’ fortunes.

Matthew Stapleton kicked the sealer from deep in the forward pocket. Picture: David Crosling

A gallant Pakenham was left shattered at the final siren. Picture: David Crosling

With Pakenham’s running game moving the ball efficiently into the breeze, Thompson marked and kicked a monster from outside 50m and the margin narrowed to within a kick.

Batten then provided the highlight of the game when he hacked a soccer volley in the forward pocket and the audacious cross-goal kick landed with Stapleton who kicked a steadying goal.

But the pendulum swung once again when Dermott Yawney marked and goaled to bring Pakenham back to within three points in the shadows of three-quarter time, setting up an epic final 30 minutes.

AFL Outer-East Division 1 Grand Final

Doveton v Pakenham

Woori Yallock Recreation Reserve (Sunday, September 22)

Doveton 1.5 5.6 7.7 9.7 (61)

Pakenham 1.1 4.3 7.4 8.7 (55)

DOVETON Goal Kickers: L. Batten 4, M. Stapleton 2, J. Nicholson, S. Kelleher, T. Bellinger Best Players: L. Batten, D. Smith, D. Zajac, M. Cotter, S. Muirhead, B. O’’Brien

PAKENHAM Goal Kickers: D. Hope 2, J. Thompson 2, J. Sarlo, A. Alberni, R. Nelson, D. Yawney Best Players: J. Theisz, L. Tyrrell, R. Nelson, D. Hope, Z. Stewart, N. Hopwood

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Let the premiership party commence. Picture: David Crosling