History made: Heatherhill wins Southern league flag in first season

With one training session a week and a laid-back attitude, inaugural side Heatherhill has won a Southern league premiership. Here’s their incredible story.

Heatherhill show off the premiership flag. Picture: Facebook

“We’re not trying to be the new YC or anything like that,” Heatherhill football president Zac White says amid flag celebrations at Bruce Park in Frankston on Saturday afternoon.

Heatherhill has just won the Southern league’s Thirds grand final, beating Highett by 17 points.

It’s history in the making.

The Hawks have done it; soaring to premiership glory in their inaugural season.

White, also Heatherhill’s full-back, and his mate Zach Horsley were behind the birth of Heatherhill’s footy side, coming up with the idea about a year ago.

It was an appealing concept; train once a week, play on Friday nights.

It was a chance for players to get their footy fix but still have their weekends.

Heatherhill president and full-back Zac White with the premiership trophy.

And Heatherhill’s big goal was to be inclusive — all were welcome, regardless of football ability.

“It was for blokes who had given up on footy or felt that footy had given up on them,” White said.

“This was giving them another go.”

White was blown away by the interest.

Forty eight players — many who hadn’t played in the past five years — had a kick with Heatherhill this season and a healthy, fun club culture was established immediately.

The Hawks lost their first game but were unbeaten since, winning 18 games in a row, culminating in the grand final win over Highett 8.6 (54) to 5.7 (37) at Mordialloc on Saturday morning.

Aidan Lenehan was named best-on-ground while David Mullavey, Jake Rigby and Ben Housden kicked two goals each.

Heatherhill players celebrate. Picture: Facebook

Hawks coach Lachlan Avery slotted an important goal in the third quarter as the Hawks surged to history.

“I’ve never won a flag before, I’ve lost a lot of finals,” White said.

“But to do it this way and to hear from all the boys that this is everything that they could have wanted.

“Every player who qualified for finals received a premiership medal.

“And we did that in the rooms afterwards and we had blokes on the verge of tears. They just felt so worthwhile.

“Footy’s supposed to be fun…it takes 22 players to win but it doesn’t. It takes an army of people to do it.”

White said Heatherhill’s success rekindles his belief that “local footy is alive and well”.

The Hawks’ triumph was also a special moment for their young coach Lachlan Avery, who made a nervous start but is now a premiership coach.

“He was unreal,” White said of Avery.

“He’s a young fella who wanted to become a coach…his first night on the track he was nervous as all get out and then he just kept going, he proved himself to be an awesome coach.”

Avery was assisted by Shaun Miller, who started the season as a player but saw the need for a bench coach so offered to do it.

“These blokes are in their twenties just having a crack and absolutely loving it,” White said.

“It’s such a fulfilling things to see.”

Heatherhill is based only a couple of kilometres from Peninsula footy powerhouse Frankston YCW.

The Hawks might have no plans to be the next YC but you never know...they’re off to a good start.