Hadfield ends 34-game losing run with EDFL Division 2 victory over Burnside Heights
HADFIELD did not erase the pain of 34 consecutive losses punctuated by several thrashings, but the club’s emotion-charged triumph over Burnside Heights allowed it to smile for the first time in a long time.
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HADFIELD did not erase the pain of 34 consecutive losses punctuated by several thrashings on Saturday, but the club’s emotion-charged triumph over Burnside Heights allowed it to smile for the first time in a long time.
Since their 2015 Essendon District Football League Division 2 premiership, the Hawks have endured a barren period and were relegated from Division 1 last season after a winless campaign.
They lost the opening nine games of the year before a drought-breaking 28-point victory over the Bears at Martin Reserve, 13.10 (88) to 8.12 (60).
“It was great after the game to see a lot of emotional people around the club, people that have been there for a long time,” first-year Hadfield coach Brett Pitts said.
“They’ve done it tough over the last couple of years. To see tears in people’s eyes and stuff like that was really nice.”
The win was the Hawks’ first at senior level since Round 8, 2016, when they knocked off Northern Saints by five points in Division 1.
Pitts declared last month that his young players were improving by the week and they gave credence to his words with a disciplined display.
Hadfield also displayed plenty of “character”, according to its coach, after a 148-point loss against Northern Saints the previous week.
“In a few of the losses we had, we had chances to win those games,” Pitts said.
“With the boys who have been there the last few years and endured a lot of losses, when things start to go against you, you can sort of see that little bit of resignation in their faces and a little bit of ‘here we go again.”
“To break the shackles and get away from that, I think it will give the group a lot of belief going forward.
“We’ve had a couple of aberrations, a couple of big losses.
“But I think the four weeks before that, we were in most games against the top three or four sides and probably just a quarter here or there cost us and we ran out of legs a little bit.
“We were able to sustain it and put together four quarters, which is very encouraging.”
Defender Josh Potter played a key role in the win, limiting Burnside Heights spearhead Josh Covelli to two goals after he booted seven when the pair met in Round 3.
Brandon Smith, Harley Ferguson and Zaheer Hussain were also influential.
Hadfield will next tackle Roxburgh Park in Round 12.