Southern league 2019: Hampton Park zooms into Division 3 grand final

The Redbacks have endured some tough times in the past few years but after defeating Clayton they’ll bid for their first premiership in 21 years.

The Redbacks link arms and sing the song after winning their way through to the grand final.

“Oh we’re from Spiderland…’’

The Hampton Park Redbacks sang their song long and lustily on Saturday after defeating Clayton in the SFNL Division 3 second semi-final to earn a pop at their first premiership since 1998.

Hampton Park won the 1997-98 flags under the astute coaching of Mick Hill.

But the Redbacks have known some testing times since then — as coach Justin Hill said on Saturday, “they probably could have closed the doors a couple of times’’.

After a long run of poor results in the South East (formerly Casey Cardinia) league, Hampton Park crossed to Southern last year, was minor premier in Division 3 but lost both finals.

This season it finished 17-1, losing only to Clayton.

But after an uncertain start when they kicked 2.5 with a howling wind in the first quarter, the Redbacks were too strong for the Clays, winning 11. 13 (79) to 4.10 (34) at Ross Street Reserve.

Darcy Kingsbury marks for Clayton before hurting his right ankle.

They strengthened their position in the second term by kicking two goals against the wind, one from long-striding forward Peter Dye, the other from ruckman Luke Behin after the halftime siren when he was given a 50m penalty.

It was a crucial moment in a low-scoring scrap and a blow to the Magpies after they had goaled from Nick Parisi and stalwart forward Dean Evangelista.

A bigger hit for Clayton came when dashing Darcy Kingsbury limped off with an injury to his right ankle. He didn’t return in the second half.

The wind continued to whistle to towards the Centre Dandenong Rd end of the Heatherton ground, and in the third quarter the Redbacks used it better. As Hill saw it, they’d “blazed away’’ in the first term. Now their midfielders picked out forwards leading into space.

They put Clayton away with goals from Daniel Boudoloh, Phil Nanfra, Nathan Carver and Shannon Henwood.

Hampton Park’s Peter Dye.

The Clays fought back with a dribbler from George Yelayotis, set up by a tackle-breaking effort from Chris Morrison.

Nanfra replied within a minute for the Redbacks, they kicked two more for the quarter and their lead at the last change was 51 points.

They weren’t going to lose from there. Thirty minutes later they were singing the song and on the way to the grand final appearance that coach Hill had been holding up as the expectation all season.

Ecstatic supporters met the players as they came into the changerooms, and former president Mick O’Brien quickly arranged a celebratory drink for them.

The reserves team is also into the decider.

Hill won a Southern league Division 1 best and fairest league medal playing for Oakleigh District, and almost 20 years later he’s coached a team into a grand final.

“We got on to the front foot last November … and said our only goal was to win the premiership,’’ he said.

“But all today does is give us an opportunity to do what we said we were going to do. We’ve got an opportunity and we’re looking forward to it in two weeks.’’

Daniel Boudoloh nails a goal for Hampton Park.

He said he was thrilled for the players, officials and supporters who stuck by the club when it was struggling.

“They probably could have closed the doors a couple of times in those dark days, but they’ve had a lot of good people off the field who kept it going. I’m a big believer in it taking not just a good football team to get into a grand final, but a good club and good people. This is a bit of a reward for their efforts.’’

Hampton Park defender and Southern league media personality Jackson Fry makes a bid for the golden fist award.

Hill acknowledged the Parkers made a “less-than-ideal’’ start — “we were hoping to get four or five goals with that wind’’.

“But I’ve got complete faith in our back seven. I knew they’d stand up when they (Clayton) went inside 50,’’ he said.

“It wasn’t just them. Our midfield lifted. We went inside 50 more times than them in the second quarter. It was about workrate. We’ve got a lot of belief in our ability to run and our fitness.’’

Hill thought Behin was outstanding, just as Clays coach Jason Smith thought his ruckman, Jesse Henderson, was an excellent contributor.

Redbacks forward Travis Davis was always up to something — particularly in the third quarter, when he launched for a fine high mark.

Nanfra, Behin, Dye, Boudoloh and the experienced Shannon Henwood all kicked two goals for Hampton Park, which lost Ryan Pearson to a quad strain at training last Thursday night.

He should be available for the grand final.

Clayton coach Jason Smith at the huddle.

Smith was pleased with Clayton’s start, but he said the Clays didn’t take their chances in the second quarter.

He said the goal to Behin at half time “really hurt’’.

“He was going to have a shot from about 50m into the wind and then we gave him a certain goal … games have big moments, and that was a big moment,’’ Smith said.

“From that point on we looked a shell of ourselves.’’

He said Kingsbury was having a big influence on the game and it was a blow to lose his intercept marking and run from half back.

The Clays can call on their second chance, going into a preliminary final against the winner of the Endeavour Hills and Ashwood first semi-final.