North Heidelberg romps to Northern Football League Division 2 flag with 77-point win over Diamond Creek

One year and six days after an agonising grand final defeat to Hurstbridge, North Heidelberg achieved the ultimate glory on Saturday.

Blair, Shane and Brent Harvey celebrate North Heidelberg's 2017 NFL premiership with their children.

MISSION accomplished.

One year and six days after an agonising grand final defeat to Hurstbridge, North Heidelberg achieved the ultimate glory on Saturday.

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The Dogs 19.15 (129) to 7.10 (52) romp was the greatest margin in the Northern Football League Division 2 grand final for 11 years and an exclamation mark on their dominant campaign.

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North Heidelberg won 12 consecutive matches from Round 9 by an average of 77 points, coincidentally the same margin it walloped the Creekers by at Preston City Oval.

Mitchell Dillon booted five goals for North Heidelberg. Picture: Andy Brownbill.

Coach Steve Saddington, the architect of the Dogs’ most recent premiership in 2014, said the pain of last year’s grand final defeat had driven his side to glory.

“We thought we were the best side all year,” Saddington said.

“We probably let ourselves down 12 months ago and from the start we were on, you could tell.

“Fifteen of the guys played 12 months ago and it really stung. We don’t really talk about it a great deal ... but there was no way we were going to let it slip this year.”

Spectators watch the NFL Division 2 Grand Final between North Heidelberg and Diamond Creek. Picture: Andy Brownbill.

Mitch Dillon ignited the premiers with three of the opening four goals before Shane Harvey sent a warning shot with his first major 19 minutes in.

By the time Brad Perry got Diamond Creek on the board, North Heidelberg was 33 points in front and in control.

Jesse Tardio was awarded best on ground honours in North Heidelberg’s premiership win. Picture: Andy Brownbill.

Blair Harvey extended the margin to 46 points with the first goal of the second term against the breeze.

A three-goal burst from the Creekers provided hope of a revival, but it was to be short-lived.

AFL games record holder Brent Harvey and his younger brother responded with majors at the opposite end as the Dogs went to halftime 44 points ahead.

The contest was over by three-quarter-time when North Heidelberg had stretched its lead to an unassailable 69 points.

Any suggestions the party had already started were quashed when the Harveys goaled either side of a Leigh Gilbert major to extend the margin to 87 points.

It was left to Dillon, who bagged five goals, to ice the most dominant display by a Division 2 premier in more than a decade with the final major.

Saddington said he was confident the Dogs were better placed than in 2015 to make the jump to Division 1.

“Everyone has re-signed and the sky is the limit for this group at the moment,” he said.

On-baller Jesse Tardio was awarded best on ground honours in a premiership for the second time, repeating his efforts from 2014 with a prolific outing in the middle of the ground.