Southern league: Hampton Hammers player backflips for first win of the season

A US baseballer has set the crowd alight with his post-goal antics in Hampton’s breakthrough win. WATCH THE VIDEO.

It was Hammer time, and no one could touch the celebration of Shakore Bragg-Taylor.

The Hampton Hammers sang the club song for the first time this season after they defeated Heatherton by 38 points at Peterson St Reserve on Saturday.

Past players who had attended a 10-year premiership reunion packed the changerooms to watch the young Hampton team form a triumphant circle and raise its voice.

There were other elements to make it a memorable day for the SFNL Division 2 club.

Before the match the Hammers had paid tribute to former champion Adrian “Floppa’’ McKenzie, who died in May at the age of 52.

And loyal clubman Nick O’Donovan was celebrating his 200th game for Hampton.

It’s been a testing season for the Hammers.

A few weeks out from it, senior coach Matt Ferguson stood down for health reasons. Development coach and former VFL player Ilya Fridman took over but the Hammers had to give up early home games because there was a hold-up in the goal posts being installed at their ground.

Shakore Bragg-Taylor of Hampton Hammers.

One training night the power went out; the players hit the track in darkness for 45 minutes.

Fridman said they had been resilient and persistent, and finally took a reward on Saturday.

“That’s the most pleasing thing for me, the reward for everyone’s commitment and hard work,’’ he said.

“It was fantastic, just brilliant. We’ve been extremely competitive from Round 1 … speaking to the higher-places sides, that’s the feedback they’ve given, irrelevant of what the scoreboard may show.

“The culture is good and the buy-in is there and the guys are doing the little things right on the track and then trying to take it into a Saturday.’’

He said Saturday’s win over Heatherton had its foundation the previous Sunday, with recovery from the East Brighton game.

Training last Thursday produced a finals-like intensity, Fridman said.

The Hammers kicked two goals into the wind in the first quarter, then piled on nine in the second. They ran away with seven goals to two in the final term.

Jesse McDonald kicked four goals, as did Bailey Griffin, who used his strength and size in the middle. Ben Lewis slotted three from the midfield, co-captain Jake Timms stood tall as the No 1 ruckman and milestone man O’Donovan was a brick wall in the backline.

And US baseballer Shakore Bragg-Taylor booted three goals, celebrating one with a backflip and somersault that got the crowd going.

“One of the best thing I’ve seen on a local football field,’’ Fridman said. “Absolutely brilliant. He’s an excitement machine, that spark when heads are down. He’s a fantastic asset to our side and the club.’’

Bragg-Taylor’s day got better after the match when he shared the $2000 draw.

Fridman is confident the win will lead to others.

“We can see what we did well, where we can improve … we can definitely make that one into two and two into three,’’ he said.

Fridman, who had a run with Casey Scorpions in 2009, said his elevation to the senior post had been exciting and made smooth by the support of the committee, assistant coaches and players.

“Everyone is doing their bit to make the culture strong,’’ he said.

“Everyone gets back to the club, has a drink, enjoys each other’s company. We spoke at the start of the year about that respect factor, on and off the field.

“On the fields we’re taking steps to achieve that and off the field we definitely have respect for each other and the club.’’