Southern league: Hampton Park wins first premiership in 21 years

The Redbacks said all season that only a flag would satisfy them. They achieved it with an emphatic victory over Clayton.

Jubilant Hampton Park players after the final siren.

For Hampton Park, a premiership has followed years of hardship.

The Redbacks have been saying all season that nothing less than a flag will satisfy them in 2019, and today they captured it, clouting Clayton in the Division 3 grand final at Ross Street Reserve in Heatherton.

In a match played for the most part in rain and wind, the Redbacks won 9.11 (65) to 1.5 (11) to capture their first premiership since 1998.

It was a triumph for a club that joined the Southern league last year after some tough times in the South East competition.

And it was another SFNL achievement for first-year coach Justin Hill, who won a league medal and played in a premiership for Oakleigh District.

Supporters who had stuck by the club in the last few years exulted as Hill and co-captains Cory Phillips and Shannon Henwood were presented with the cup.

Hampton Park also won the reserves grand final, by 21 points over Endeavour Hills.

Hill called it “the biggest day in this club’s history’’.

Hampton Park players sing the club song on the ground after defeating Clayton.

He said to his players that it “took balls’’ for them to declare last November that the Redbacks were only interested in a premiership.

“You talked the talk — and today you walked the walk,’’ Hill said.

Nathan Carver received the medal as best-afield for his work as a key forward and ruckman.

Carver took two strong marks in attack in the opening term and never stopped putting his authority on the match.

Hampton Park snaffled a goal in the first 30 seconds of the game through Cameron Williamson, but Clayton answered through Jayden Gilmour.

It was to be the Clays’ only goal for the grand final.

Aaron Holden boots the Redbacks forward.

The lights came on at quarter time and by then the Redbacks were feeling right at home, leading 3.6 to 1.1, Aaron Holden and Peter Dye kicking valuable majors as the rain set in.

Hampton Park extended its lead in the second term, Phillips making a snap on his left foot, Carver marking and knocking over the set-shot, and Williamson nailing another from a tight angle.

It was 6.6 to 1.3 at half time. If it wasn’t all over then, it was four minutes into the third quarter when nifty Phil Nanfra slotted his first goal for the Redbacks.

His old man, Luci, the former Springvale VFA player, was watching on and doubtless enjoyed the snap.

Nanfra added a second goal early in the last quarter as he advanced his claims for best-afield and the Redbacks eased to victory.

The Redbacks with their premiership flag.

It had been a slog in demanding conditions, every metre gained vital.

But with the rain blowing over the Parkers took the opportunity to expand their range of play and make switches from their disciplined defence.

The siren went at exactly 4.30pm, the Hampton Park players greeting it by bunching on their half back line, soon joined by jubilant supporters.

“Just rapt for the group, and just rapt for the way they played,’’ Hill, 40, said before the presentation.

“We think we’re the best attacking side in the competition but also the best defensive side.’’

Co-captains Shannon Henwood (left) and Cory Phillips join coach Justin Hill in lifting the premiership cup.

For midfielder Henwood, 30, it was a first premiership.

“Pretty big relief to be honest,’’ he said.

“Been playing senior footy since I was 16 and first flag I’ve won. Really good feeling. That was one of the best team efforts I’ve been part of, I reckon. The pressure we put up was unbelievable.’’

Hill paid tribute to the plucky Clays, saying their performances this year had prompted Hampton Park to strive for higher standards.

Ecstatic Redback Luke O'Brien (right) joined his father, club great Mick, as a senior premiership player.

Hampton Park 3.6, 6.6, 8.8, 9.11 (65) d Clayton 1.1, 1.3, 1.5, 1.5 (11)

Hampton Park goals: P. Dye 2, C. Williamson 2, P. Nanfra 2, N. Carver, A. Holden, C. Phillips.

Best: N. Carver, P. Nanfra, C. Phillips, S. Walsh, S. Henwood, M. Woolgar.

Hampton Park 2019 premiership team

Nathan Carver, Ash Scott, Cory Phillips, Michael Laszczyk, Luke O’Brien, Shaun Walsh, Daniel Boudoloh, Sean Winsall, Reece Smart, Aaron Holden, Cameron Williamson, Luke Behin, Jackson Philpin, Phil Nanfra, Travis Davis, Taylor Rainey, Josh Craig, Jackson Fry, Zak Hogton, Peter Dye, Mitch Woolgar, Shannon Henwood.