Greensborough coach Rob Hyde calls it a day after leading the club to drought-breaking Northern Football League premiership

GREENSBOROUGH sent Rob Hyde out as a premiership-winning coach after his charges knocked off Heidelberg to claim the Northern Football League Division 1 premiership.

NFL Grand Final

ROBERT Hyde couldn’t have asked for a better way to go out.

The Greensborough coach will depart as a champion, as a drought breaker and as a proud father.

A winning trifecta.

Hyde’s charges were too good for Heidelberg in the Northern Football League Division 1 grand final at Preston City Oval on Saturday, notching a 41-point win.

“This is a great way for me to finish. I can’t do any better,” Hyde said.

“To come back after 30 years and win a flag is a great way to finish my coaching career. I’m done and dusted. I can’t do any more.

“To coach my son has been an incredible emotional ride. This is the perfect way to end it.”

The Borough were brilliant, absorbing early pressure from the Tigers before turning the screws.

Heidelberg was the better side in the early going, but after 10 minutes the game went Greensborough’s way.

It held a two-point advantage at quarter time, but used the wind to great effect in the second quarter, kicking five goals to one.

Josh Grubb got them going, with Jason Rogers and Luke Stanton getting on the board.

William Knight answered for the Tigers, but two more to Greensborough, including Stanton’s second of the term, had the Borough up by 31 points at half time.

Heidelberg had to do something special with the breeze in the third term, but couldn’t get away from the Borough.

Paul Bower’s goal on five minutes was answered by Andrew Stellas, and Tristan Stead cancelled out Callum Lewis’s effort.

For all the Tigers’ hard work, they’d only made five points headway on the lead by the final

Rhys Boyden climbs high for a mark. Picture: Getty Images.

break.

Despite the 26-point lead, Hyde wasn’t ready to relax.

“In the second semi, we were 15 points up halfway through the last and they kicked five in a row,” he said.

“You’re never safe. I had a feeling though, if we kept working, won the contested ball and kept running, we wouldn’t get done.

“That’s exactly what happened. We got the first goal and saw them sag a little.”

Jack Johnston got the all-important first goal of the final term just two minutes in to ward off any thoughts of a comeback.

Johnston was on hand again to kick the final goal of the game, seeing Greensborough home 13.14 (92) to 6.15 (51).

Hyde said it was his forward line that proved the difference.

“They belted us in the centre bounces in the first quarter, six to zero, but we clawed our way back in there,” he said.

“Our tall forwards, our forward line, was capable of kicking more goals than theirs.

“Tim Bongetti coming back from suspension made a difference. He’s a presence.

“Then all of a sudden Boyden, then Stanton and Johnston lift. It just makes everyone better.”

Boyden finished with three majors, while Stanton, Johnston and Stead each kicked two.

Michael Hooper was named the Borough’s best, Nick Riddle was good in defence, while Matt Hyde impressed early.

Aaron Crispe was best for Heidelberg, alongside Jarrod Hodgkin.

Greensborough’s win was long overdue — the club’s last Division 1 success was in 1989. Hyde took most of his enjoyment in seeing the club celebrate.

“Just watching the faces of people, because it’s been so long between drinks,” he said.

“All the work people have put in, to have been down to Division 2 and battled away.

“Just a bit of joy. To get it and to savour it is just sensational, for the players and for the club.”

Greensborough players rejoice post-match. Picture: Getty Images.