Inside Parade College coach Ricky Dyson’s ACC winning speech

Parade College coach Ricky Dyson’s inspiring three-quarter-time speech has sparked his side’s Associated Catholic Colleges grand final comeback as two young guns lit up the big stage.

Parade coach Ricky Dyson’s theme for the day was moments.

He urged his players to take the moment when it came in Parade’s third successive tilt at the Associated Catholic College (ACC) decider on Wednesday against St Bede’s.

And despite trailing by 15 points at the final change, Parade took command of crucial moments in a thrilling final term to ultimately complete the 5.9 (39) to 5.5 (35) comeback.

In the process, Parade earned a position in the Herald Sun Shield, where they will meet school footy’s best next month.

It was St Bede’s that made the most of its chances up until the fourth quarter as Parade had kicked just two majors from nine attempts.

While the tide was heavily in St Bede’s favour, Dyson again reiterated how there were still moments to be won in the final term.

Parade celebrates its success.

“You’re going to have moments in this last quarter, take them with both hands – don’t let this be the last 20 minutes this group of mates gets to play football together,” he said of his message at the final break.

“Because they dug deep, stuck to their guns, did the little things well, they were able to get over the line in the end.

“These boys have so much belief in each other, so I always knew if they stuck to the process of making each other better and doing the little things well, attacking the game like we do – they were always going to be a chance.

“Once we kicked the first one and I seen them all get around the goal kicker, I knew the momentum was certainly in our favour.”

Seventeen-year-old Zak Johnson had a monstrous final term, which included the goal to bring Parade within a kick, as did Isaac Kako who kicked the winning major.

Dyson expected a big second half from both as they looked intent on changing the result at the main break.

Post-game in the Parade rooms.

“He (Johnson) was fantastic, for a year 11 student, he came in at halftime a little disappointed, not because of his own performance, but because of the position we were in – he wanted to do more,” he said.

“I knew if he stuck to his guns he was certainly going to be someone who would influence us positively in that last quarter and he definitely did that.

“Isaac, before the game we spoke about how every single player is going to have moments in the game and he had some pretty special ones late in the game.

“You can play a game of footy and it mightn’t be your day but when it’s your chance to impact, you have to take it, and he certainly did that as well.”

SCOREBOARD

PARADE 1.1 1.6 2.7 5.9 (39)

ST BEDE’S 2.2 3.2 5.4 5.5 (35)

BEST PLAYERS

PARADE: Zak Johnson, Isaac Kako, Kristian Lawson, Nate Caddy

ST BEDE’S: Calsher Dear, Angus Bowd, Brodie Finlay, Tarkyn O’Leary