Injury kept Marc Holt out of Cranbourne’s 2016 premiership and he’s desperate for another flag

A BROKEN leg kept Cranbourne champion Marc Holt out of the 2016 SEFNL grand final and has left him determined to play in another flag for the Eagles.

Marc Holt in a typical pose for Cranbourne — marking strongly.

It was the fairytale ending that everybody from Cranbourne wanted.

To see a league champion and club legend lead his Eagles to their first flag since 2011. But not all fairytales come true.

Marc Holt felt pretty average leading up to the 2016 SEFNL grand final. His team had made it to its fifth consecutive grand final. But he’d be watching from the sidelines due to injury.

“It really hit me during the week leading up. I knew I wasn’t going to play in the grand final,” Holt said.

“I tried to push myself but I just couldn’t … I really tried.”

His season came to an abrupt halt when he broke his leg during the round 13 game against Tooradin-Dalmore. He was stretchered off, accompanied by a standing ovation from the Cranny faithful.

Season over: Marc Holt is carried off on a stretcher with a broken leg this year. Picture: Chris Eastman

Breaking his tibia on impact, Holt had a tibia-nail inserted in the hope he’d would be right for finals. It was an operation with a recovery period of 4-6 months.

“I was shattered I couldn’t play in the big game. I guess anyone would be, but I wanted the boys to experience that feeling of a flag. A feeling I’ve been lucky enough to experience before.”

Come the morning of the grand final, his mindset changed.

He wanted to see the team play “Eagle football”.

“I was that pumped and keen to go. I was at the club an hour before anyone else got there,” Holt said.

“I was able to have a chat with the boys and have breakfast with the reserves and seniors.”

“It was the best feeling seeing my best mate (Ryan Davey) win best-on in the seniors and my brother (Leigh Holt) win best-on in the reserves.”

“What a day. We won the bloody flag.”

Marc Holt celebrates one of his 943 goals for Cranbourne. Picture: Chris Eastman

Since the age of eight, gold and blue have been in Holt’s blood.

The 31-year-old has missed only two seasons at the Eagles, having a stint at the Stingrays as an 18-year-old and a season at the Frankston Dolphins in the VFL before finding his way home to Cranbourne.

“When I came back from the VFL, we were bottom of the ladder. We were winning two or three games a season. It was tough times,’’ Holt said.

He captained the Eagles from the age of 21 up until 2014, when the club sought a change of direction.

“I was never the best example (at attending training),” Holt admitted.

“My leadership was how I played on a Saturday, not what I did during the week. That’s why I had to step down. The club needed a new direction and I couldn’t make the commitment.”

However, Holt changed his ways this season and took on the captaincy for a second time in what he described as “serious opportunity”.

“I had the biggest pre-season of my life. I started three weeks after last year’s grand final.”

Holt at home in Cranbourne in 2007.

He recalled a memorable moment midway through the season when the leadership group got together to discuss the meaning of “Eagle football”.

“We really had no idea what Eagle football was,” Holt said.

“The leadership group defined what Eagle football was and how we wanted the boys to be part of it.

“I can’t tell you exactly what Eagle football is about but it’s related to the effort of our players. We play in a way which isn’t for yourself but more for those around us.

“It’s harder to let someone else down than yourself.”

Holt dispelled a rumour that once he kicked 1000 goals for the Eagles he would leave to play under Officer coach Doug Koop.

Koop coached the Eagles to the 2011 flag.

“I’d love to play under Koopy again but while my club still requires and wants me, I’ll be at Cranbourne,’’ he declared.

“I want another premiership. Then I’ll consider what I’ll do.”

Fact Box:

217 senior games

943 goals (average 4.3 goals per game)

Norm Walker Medal 2012

Cranbourne best and fairest 2007

Captained team of the year in 2012, 2016

First Cranbourne player to kick 100 goals in a season

Century goalkicker in 2012 (157), 2013 (131), 2014 (104)

Joint holder of league goalkicking record (22)

Represented league 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015