EFL 2018: South Croydon coach Luke McCormick reflects on his side’s Division 1 grand final defeat
SOUTH Croydon’s hopes of a historic tilt at back-to-back premierships was razed in a half of football as Vermont romped to its 20th Eastern Football League premiership.
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THIS year there would be no fairytale premiership for South Croydon.
Like 12 months ago, the Bulldogs entered Saturday’s Eastern Football League Division 1 grand final as the underdog.
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Unlike 12 months ago, Vermont showed its class in a ruthless first half that denied South Croydon a shot at back-to-back premierships for the first time in the club’s 50-year history.
South Croydon coach Luke McCormick said three bruising finals before the decider had taken a toll on his side.
“You’ve got to be looking to play your best footy at the right time of year and Vermont was,” McCormick said moments after coming out of the Eagles’ rooms.
“They obviously played a really good game against us two weeks ago and they played really well on Saturday. We did seem a little tired and a little slow.”
Well done to South Croydon F.C on a great year. The standard of @footyefl is getting better every year. Hats of to Luke McCormick who was good enough to come in to our rooms post game to congratulate players / coaches. An absolute class act.
— Harmit Singh (@Singy_5) September 23, 2018
Tough day for @SouthCroydonFC hold your heads high you are ALL our favorite sons & all at the kennel are very proud of a great season rest up recharge & bring on 2019 #woof
— South Croydon FC (@SouthCroydonFC) September 22, 2018
The Bulldogs’ season was razed in a half of football as the Eagles buried the pain of consecutive grand final losses in emphatic fashion.
By halftime Vermont led by 58 points and star forward Andrew Ainger was unstoppable with five goals. At the 18-minute mark of the third quarter the margin was 70 points and South Croydon had kicked just three goals.
But thanks to a six-goal haul from Max King, the Bulldogs kicked seven of the last eight majors to bring the final score back to a respectable 15.11 (101) to 10.6 (66).
Tom Schinck was brought in to manage Ainger but he went down with a possible ruptured anterior cruciate ligament early in the game.
While Ainger starred up forward, it was the midfield group of Cam Purdy, Adam Parker, Tom Schneider, Rob McComb and captain Lachie Johns, supported by dominant ruckman Liam Buxton, that did not allow South Croydon to settle.
The contest also brought an end to Bulldogs fan favourite Michael ‘Zippy’ King’s career, calling time after 250-plus games and two premierships.
McCormick said his side was beaten by a superior opponent.
“In the first half, they were very much a better team,” he said.
“They smashed us around the stoppages, just wanted the footy more, tackled better and had lots more pressure, which is unfortunately all the things we spoke about before the game.
“We weren’t physical enough, our talls on their talls in the first half and that hurt us.”
McCormick will continue at the helm in 2019.
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