Mernda coach Rob Fletcher speaks of his pride after heartbreaking grand final defeat

Mernda’s changerooms were as quiet as a graveyard after letting the NFNL Division 3 premiership slip but coach Rob Fletcher had only admiration for his players.

Matt Bawden in action for Mernda. Picture: Andy Brownbill

The heartbreak will likely linger until the opening bounce of 2024.

Mernda fell agonisingly short of a drought-breaking premiership on Saturday, denied by Laurimar’s breath-taking last-quarter comeback.

The Demons changerooms were as silent as a graveyard in the aftermath of the epic NFNL Division 3 grand final.

Coach Rob Fletcher said there was only pride in his players after such a performance.

“It’s going to hurt for a long time,” he said.

Jayden Bell in action for Mernda. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“It’s one we can never get back but when it’s all said and done I’m so proud of our players.

“From where we’ve come from but to then put an effort like that up in a grand final, all 22 of them, I couldn’t be any more prouder.

“I think we had 16 blokes come through our junior program play in the ones today, so to see them become men and play in a game like that – most of them in their third final – it’s sad, it hurts, but I’m proud of them.

“I just said (after the game), look everyone in the eye because we haven’t let anyone down.

“Yeah, we didn’t get the result we wanted, the thing we worked our butt off for all year, we played a good footy side – they came to play as well – and we couldn’t have done much more.”

Injuries to key players Michael Evans and Billy Morrison cruelled Mernda’s hopes as Laurimar ran over the top in the final minutes.

Evans had been best-on-ground before seemingly breaking his ankle in the third quarter.

Morrison, arguably the Demons most influential player, limped off late in the fourth term and didn’t return.

They were significant losses at critical times in the game.

“Evo was hard at it all day, he’s a big-time player, and the boys thrive off his play,” Fletcher said.

“When he went down (Laurimar) got a step in their legs knowing he was down.

“I thought Evo was unbelievable, Dayne Kellett and Kai Turner did a really good job as well.”

In time, the Demons will look back at the 2023 season proudly.

After finishing seventh last season, the club soared to the top of the NFNL Division 3 ladder – losing just two games – to claim a minor premiership for the first time since 1997.

It was also the club’s first grand final since 2012.

Three players were selected in the Team of the Year – Billy Morrison, Dayne Kellett and Kai Turner – with Morrison a contender for the league best-and-fairest medal.

The development of Mernda’s young talent was a major factor in the club’s rise.

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The likes of Kellett, Turner, Riley Vincent, Nathan Baccega, Matt Bawden, Joel Harris and Jayden Bell have matured into reliable senior players.

It bodes well for 2024 and beyond.

“I think Shagga (Shannon Bennett) is the only one in the 30s, the rest, I think our average age is 22 or 23,” Fletcher said.

“To play like that in a granny, you’ve got to be excited about what the future holds for the Mernda footy club.”