EFL 2019: Tom Maas aiming for fifth premiership in Premier Division grand final
Tom Maas went from one local football powerhouse to another when he joined Vermont from South Barwon. He’s aiming for his fifth premiership as part of the Eagles’ tilt at back-to-back EFL flags.
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As a premiership player at two of Victoria’s most successful local football clubs this century, Tom Maas is well placed to talk about success.
Maas was a three-time premiership star at South Barwon’s during the Swans’ glory days when they won seven flags between 2005 and 2013.
The former Geelong VFL player is preparing for his sixth grand final in 11 years as part of Vermont’s tilt at back-to-back flags.
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Maas, 29, joined the EFL powerhouse last year and added another premiership medallion to go with the 2009, 2012 and 2013 triumphs at South Barwon.
And he’s not the only Eagle taking aim at a fifth flag in Saturday’s EFL Premier Division decider.
Club greats Ryan Mullett and Robbie Ross are also hoping to make it a handful of premierships when the flag favourites meet Blackburn at Bayswater Oval.
Maas played “70-odd” state league games for Geelong, but established himself as a star of the strong Geelong competition at South Barwon when not on duties with the Cats.
He was a decorated midfielder for the Swans but has formed part of an impenetrable backline at Vermont, where he has provided dash off half-back.
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Maas made the move to the Terrara Rd club ahead of the 2018 season through a connection with teammate Lachlan Carey.
He knew little of the Vermont’s success but went from one powerhouse to another.
“I just moved up from Geelong for uni so I was living with my partner up here and Vermont was 10 minutes down the road,” he said.
“I made my way down and you walk into this club that has won as many premierships as they have and you feel pretty lucky.
“They could have been bottom of Division 4 and I probably wouldn’t have cared. I was just looking for somewhere close to home.”
Asked to offer similarities between South Barwon and Vermont, Maas said team unity at the Eagles had been a key behind their success.
“At South Barwon, and this is not really a dig at them, there was always the senior group and the reserve group,” he said.
“At Vermont, it is all one big group. They do everything together, which builds a bit of team unity as well and is something I didn’t feel was that implemented at South.
“It’s a weird feeling everyone getting along and being one big group.”
Vermont will enter the weekend’s clash as favourites but Maas only needs to turn to the 2011 GFL decider to know home-and-away form can count for little in September.
South Barwon led by five goals at three-quarter time in the grand final against Bell Park, only to be overrun in the final term.
“That lives in my memory,” he said.
“I was running off that for about three years after and it still haunts me that game.”
He said it remained as significant to be competing on the last day of the season for the ultimate prize.
“We’ve spoken about it at Vermont this week … you’re always keen on the next one just as much as the ones you’ve been through,” he said.
“My mentality has been that you only play for them and especially when you get into your later years when footy is coming to an end.
“You’re really striving for them and doing everything you can to get them.
“They do become a little bit more special but they’re all pretty nice, to be honest.”
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