Koroit wins a record fifth consecutive Hampden premiership

THE emotion on Koroit coach Chris McLaren’s face after the siren said it all.

THE emotion on Koroit coach Chris McLaren’s face after the siren said it all.

No matter how many flags you win, they are still special.

Koroit made Hampden League history yesterday by becoming the first club to win five straight senior premierships, beating Camperdown 8.9 (57) to 6.10 (46).

In front of a packed crowd at Reid Oval in Warrnambool — which included the likes of Jonathan Brown (Hampden’s interleague coach), Zach Merrett, Mitch Duncan and Gary Rohan — the two sides played out a nail-biting contest with Liam Hoy and Jeremy Hausler taking home the best-on-ground awards.

“You can’t get that feeling, that elation,” McLaren said.

“I used to get that knot in your guts, that feeling, and I used to not like it as a player.

“But then you talk to people who aren’t involved in sport or finished with sport and you can’t get it anymore, and it is actually a good feeling, not a bad one.

“I try to embrace it more — but when the game ebbs and flows so much you can’t stop and think about anything but coaching a team.”

Camperdown has not won a flag since going back-to-back under Ken Hinkley in 1999 and 2000.

Yesterday was a day for the country football dynasties.

Nathalia beat Barooga to claim its fourth Murray League flag in a row — 10 years after completing the same feat — while Wimmera League powerhouse Horsham took out its 13th premiership in 16 years by beating league newcomer Southern Mallee Giants.

The Demons’ first quarter tally matched that of their AFL counterparts (0.3), but Horsham won the last three terms, and the match by 19 points.

Today Albury will play in its 10th straight Ovens & Murray League decider, hoping to reverse last year’s loss to Wangaratta, while Kyabram is out for its 63rd straight win and third consecutive Goulburn Valley League flag against Shepparton.