AFL Outer East: Healesville warms to veterans grand final win over Gembrook Cockatoo
It might have been snowing in Olinda on Saturday morning but a grand final win warmed things up at Healesville on Saturday night.
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Snow might have battered Olinda Recreation Reserve on Saturday morning but, 12 hours later, the Healesville Showgrounds led a Yarra Ranges thaw as Healesville claimed the AFL Outer-East veterans grand final.
“It was pretty cold but to be honest, we’d braced ourselves for armageddon,” Healesville skipper Ryan de Munk said. “But it was dry and there was no wind so it wasn’t too bad.”
And celebrating a 6.7 (43) to 4.3 (27) win over Gembrook Cockatoo in the season-decider made the night even warmer.
Mount Evelyn had won the previous two grand finals against the Bloods, but after they’d been knocked out by the Brookers by one point in extra-time in the semi-final, Healesville had its big chance.
“They’d beaten us the last two years, so it was nice to have a turn,” de Munk said.
It was a close-knit Healesville group that eventually raised the silverware.
“Ninety per cent of us are born and bred Healesville,” de Munk said. “There’s a group of about eight of us who’ve played together since under-9s and I think the last time we won a flag together was in under-15s. So this was pretty special.”
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The de Munks made it a family double, with brother Dean the team’s playing coach, and the skipper emphasised how important a priority to the club was the notion of “family-first”.
He also paid tribute to Andrew ‘Pee Wee’ Peters.
“Peewee is a 50-year-old club legend that everyone admires both on and off the field,” he said. “And nobody has enjoyed the success of the vets team more than him.”
And, in what has been a challenging year for the Bloods in the AFL Outer-East senior ranks, some silverware is just the tonic for the club as a whole.
“It’s been pretty tough for the seniors and reserves but there’s real promise around the kids at the moment,” de Munk said. “And the women’s team is undefeated and starts its finals this week.
“After the game when we sang the song it wasn't just the players. We probably had about 150 in the circle singing the song.”
The veterans competition continues to grow in popularity around the league with Narre Warren coming on board this season and de Munk said there’s the possibility of a number of other clubs joining next season.
“It’s been great,” de Munk said of the competition. “I finished playing when I was 32 and started playing again (in the vets) when I was 39.
“There’s a lot of benefit in being around a club, a lot of benefits from a mental health perspective.
“It's a fantastic concept.”
The AFL Outer East veterans competition features teams from Healesville, Mount Evelyn, Gembrook Cockatoo, Narre Warren and Marysville.
AFL Outer-East
Veterans Grand Final
Healesville (Saturday, August 10)
Healesville 6.7 (43)
Gembrook Cockatoo 4.3 (27)
HEALESVILLE Goal Kickers: R. Hay, A. Peters, S. White, L. Barclay, M. Collins, B. Litchfield Best Players: P. Harvey, C. Spencer, R. de Munk, W. Anderson, A. Crossman, A. Peters
GEMBROOK COCKATOO Goal Kickers: M. Granieri, C. Clarke, D. Zaffarese, J. Jeans Best Players: C. Clarke, S. Pantorno, D. Allcott, J. Jeans
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