Oak Park tastes premiership success, moves back into Division 1

In four years in charge of Oak Park, coach Todd Clark and his playing group have experienced plenty of ups and downs. Clark opens up on tasting premiership success and the journey there.

Oak Park coach Todd Clark described his side’s premiership as a “relief”.

Not just because the Roos lived up to the tag of premiership favourite against Sunbury Kangaroos in the EDFL Division 2 grand final with a 20.15 (135) to 8.8 (56) victory.

But after four years of heartbreak, which can only be described as a rollercoaster ride, Oak Park was again lifting a premiership cup.

Clark was appointed for the 2020 season when the Roos had been relegated back to the third tier, before his first year in charge was wiped by out by Covid.

Best on ground Oak Park’s Jedd Taylor. Picture: Andy Brownbill

“When I first started the whole year was cancelled, the following year, us and Moonee Valley were 13-1 and they got promoted,” Clark said.

“Then last year, Keilor Park were just too good and beat us there. We certainly learnt from last year and what we needed on our list and how we could be better as a side.

“The one thing around our group, 70-75 per cent are all Oak Park locals and juniors.

“A lot of these guys have played juniors footy together, we have a really good core. When the side went down to Division 2 before I came back, the guys didn’t accept it.

“They said this isn’t where the club should be. They brought in from day one.

“We’re very big on culture and when we recruit we don’t just recruit footballers, we recruit club people. That’s what we’re about.”

Oak Park coach Todd Clark and captain Mitchell Leathers celebrate with the trophy. Picture: Andy Brownbill

While Saturday was the culmination of four years work, a lot of the success had to do with the return of key players in the latter half of the season.

At different points of the year, Clark’s side were often missing some of their best players.

“We had a tough run with injury through the year, the two games we lost we were quite decimated,” he said.

“Our plan was always to get these players back on deck. The grand final just happened to be the first time we had a full list to pick from (in 2023).

“We knew we had a pretty potent forward line, we just kept moving the ball in there and with weight of entries we’d be able to get on top of them.”

Oak Park players celebrate after winning the EDFL Division 2 grand final. Picture: Andy Brownbill

Oak Park controlled the decider for much of the afternoon after breaking the game open in the first quarter with three goals to one.

Three goals apiece in the second kept Sunbury Kangaroos in touch before Oak Park had two hands on the cup by the last break.

Jedd Taylor was named the best player on the ground with Ryan Smith, Hirsi Twomey, Daniel Rajab, Jesse Hotchkin and Jake Bushell also impressive for the premiers.

“We had the ascendancy in the first half but they were still putting up a great fight and we opened the game up in the third quarter,” Clark said.

“At three-quarter-time, the margin was around 10 goals, so you get to enjoy that last 30 (minutes) instead of just scraping to get over the line.

“You could see it on our guys faces.”

Now with the premiership and promotion back to Division 1 secured, Clark and Oak Park are ready to take the next step.

“We’re under no false pretences that we need to keep improving and building the list up,” he said.

“We know that next year that two teams go down again which just adds to that challenge. We know what we need to get but we also know it’s not going to be the same results we’ve been having over the last couple of years.

“It’s a dogfight.”