Hampden: Koroit moves ominously into top five with win over Terang-Mortlake

Koroit and Terang-Mortlake played out a mid-season thriller in the Hampden league last Saturday. See all the photos of the Saints’ last-gasp win.

David Johnston

2 min read

June 15, 2023 - 3:18PM

The Weekly Times

A goal after the siren from a player who is yet to join in Koroit’s stunning run of premiership success has lifted the club back into the Hampden league top five at the halfway mark of the season.

Clem Nagorcka was paid a free kick for a push in the back only seconds before the final siren sounded against one of the league’s big improvers, Terang-Mortlake, on Saturday.

Koroit had trailed all match, but Nagorcka successfully converted his set shot from 30 metres out to pinch an important two-point victory.

“The last five minutes were pretty hot,” he said.

“I just got lucky in the end, got a free kick and put the goal through.”

Koroit players including 15-year-old debutant Talor Byrne celebrate their thrilling win against Terang-Mortlake. Pictures: Yuri Kouzmin

Koroit is one of the modern-day country footy powerhouses with six successive premierships leading into the Covid disruptions of 2020 and 2021 before winning another flag last year.

But Nagorcka missed out last year when he played for St Joseph’s in the Geelong league and lost his spot for the 2019 grand final win after starting his career as a Koroit junior.

“That sort of hurt a bit, so now we’re trying to get one this year,” he said.

“We’ve been a bit up and down.

“We had a fair few injuries and players away overseas and stuff.

“We haven’t really had a settled side yet.

“But it will be good when we get everyone back and get a consistent team in.”

Koroit teammates rush to congratulate Clem Nagorcka after he kicked the winning goals against Terang-Mortlake.

Talor Byrne, 15, made his senior debut for Koroit on Saturday with the Saints to be bolstered in the run home by the return of senior regulars Tom Baulch, Alex Pulling, Tim Martin and Tom Couch.

Couch joined Koroit midway through the 2019 season and starred in the club’s thrilling grand final win.

He has played only two games this year, but booted five goals in his comeback game against Camperdown in round 5.

Terang-Mortlake’s Lewis Taylor fights for possession of the ball with Koroit’s Taylor McKenry on Saturday.

Terang-Mortlake finished eighth on the ladder last season, but has soared into second place with a 7-2 win-loss record.

The Bloods are the only team to beat ladder leader South Warrnambool with their only other loss being to Warrnambool.

Former AFL Rising Star winner Lewis Taylor starred in the midfield in only his second match this season for the Bloods after an injury-interrupted beginning to 2023.

Lewis Taylor starred for Terang-Mortlake.

Another highlight of the round was Port Fairy’s Jason Rowan breaking the Hampden league goalkicking record.

Rowan started the day needing to kick two goals to overtake Tony Russell’s longstanding record of 1020 goals before finishing with four as the Seagulls recorded their third win of the season.