West Brunswick upsets Hawthorn in Victorian Amateur Football Association Division 4 grand final

WEST Brunswick turned the tables on Division 4 rivals Hawthorn to claim its first Victorian Amateur Football Association premiership in six years on Saturday.

The scoreboard from West Brunswick's VAFA Division 4 premiership win against Hawthorn.

WEST Brunswick turned the tables on Division 4 rivals Hawthorn to claim its first Victorian Amateur Football Association premiership in six years on Saturday.

Despite three losses against Hawthorn throughout 2014, the Magpies rallied from a 24-point quarter-time deficit at Meade Reserve.

Momentum shifted quickly as West Brunswick slammed on nine goals in a rampant second term to lead by 17 points at half-time.

With best-on-ground Zac Tisdale dominating in the centre square, the Magpies maintained their lead throughout the third quarter before kicking away to record an 18.13 (121) to 12.11 (83) victory.

“I think they were pretty confident even at three-quarter-time of running over us as they had done during the year,” West Brunswick coach Angus Hamilton said.

“We were pretty happy that we had the legs to run over them given we had a full bench to rotate.

“They looked a bit tired and they were definitely taken into an area they hadn’t been all year and didn’t seem to have a Plan B.

“Which I guess, they’ve never had to try one.”

Hamilton said his side’s relentless pressure proved the difference between the teams.

“I’ve not seen tackle pressure like that at this level in all my time,” he said.

“I think it was four goals down at quarter-time, but it didn’t feel like that.”

Dylan Muscat was prominent, finishing with five goals, while Jack Nulty snagged three.

Defender Jake Taylor also played an important role, limiting star Hawthorn forward Jason Ince to two majors.

The defeat was the Hawks’ only loss after they dominated the home-and-away season.

From 42-year-old Nicholas Mitchell to 18-year-old Luke Buckler, West Brunswick’s premiership win was filled with stories that will be savoured for years to come.

“I guess there was a couple of feel good stories in two of our better players,” Hamilton said.

“One was Luke Buckler who’s 18 years old and in his first year of senior footy he played every game.

“And the other one is Nick Mitchell who’s 42. He played at Fitzroy, (has) been at St Bernard’s and missed a flag there due to injury when he was captain in A Grade.

“He’s come down here, never played in an open-age premiership and got his first one at 42.”

Hamilton said he expected a fierce rivalry would continue with Hawthorn when the sides meet in Division 3 next year.