EFL 2018: Whitehorse Pioneers captain Maverick Gleed reflects on Division 4 grand final triumph
AFTER enduring regular triple-figure hidings, you could not wipe the smile off the face of Whitehorse Pioneers captain Maverick Gleed after the Division 4 premiership.
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MAVERICK Gleed was there for all the beltings.
Whitehorse Pioneers endured many dark days between 2010 and 2015, returning just 23 wins and suffering countless thrashings.
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The Pioneers had an average losing margin of 10 goals in the six years leading up to relegation, dropping to the Eastern Football League’s bottom tier ahead of the 2016 season.
But through the many triple-figure hidings, Gleed stayed loyal to Whitehorse when others moved on.
When asked to sum up what last weekend’s Division 4 grand final triumph meant, the Pioneers captain immediately referenced the hardships earlier this decade.
“When you go through bad losses and bad times, when you have games like this, even when you start winning, having the ultimate success means so much,” Gleed reflected shortly after the 6.12 (48) to 4.8 (32) win over the Glen Waverley Hawks.
“It’s just even more special that we’ve had dark years and we probably weren’t the best team on the day but we got the chocolates.”
Gleed was just 18 when he played in the 2007 premiership win before the club’s difficulties in Division 3.
“I just thought, ‘footy will be easy, we’ll just win flags’,” he said.
“They’re very hard to come around. Eleven years ago I won a flag, I’ve only won two and I’m 30 now.
“They don’t come around that often so you’ve really got to enjoy them.”
Whitehorse was held goalless for the first half and kicked 1.10 to the 26-minute mark of the third quarter.
But the Pioneers kicked the last six goals of the game, only hitting the lead for the first time midway through the last quarter to pinch an unlikely 16-point triumph.
Gleed said the result was surreal.
“I’ve dreamed about being on that podium and holding the cup up,” he said.
“I spoke about it to Carpy (coach Jamie Carpenter) during the year … it was fantastic. Unbelievable.
“You can’t describe it, it’s just the best feeling in the world.”
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