Omeo District: Swifts Creek wins first premiership since 2011
See all the pictures from Sunday’s grand final, where Swifts Creek hoisted their first Omeo District premiership cup in 12 years.
Swifts Creek premiership coach David Westland’s pre-match plans to curb Omeo-Benambra star forward Ryan Harwood was crucial in the club’s first Omeo District flag win in 12 seasons at Buchan on Saturday.
Harwood played 81 matches for Brisbane Lions between 2010 and 2017 and was drawn to high country because of his love of hunting.
He played just enough matches to qualify for finals due to being based in Queensland and missed the second semi-final against Swifts Creek that had to go to into extra time to decide the winner.
Harwood returned for the preliminary final and kicked five goals to put Swifts Creek firmly on notice heading into the grand final.
Westland handed the big job of playing on Harwood to regular key defender Tom King, but some additional cover came with Zac Tactor playing as a spare backman.
The tactic worked a treat on the small Buchan ground with Harwood forced to lead wide and making the chances he did have to kick goals tough ones.
Harwood finished with 4.2 with Swifts Creek winning by 22 points.
“He is such a dangerous player, especially in this league,” Westland said.
“I thought the plans that we put in place worked really well.
“He’s still only 32 and it was really important we nullified his influence as much as possible.”
The grand final was Westland’s last in charge after previously coaching Bruthen to a premiership in 2018 against Swifts Creek.
“I’m very satisfied,” he said.
“My dad was sick with cancer and I gave it away.
“But I got the call from Swifts Creek who were in a bit of trouble.
“It took a bit of convincing because I do live in Sale.”
Swifts Creek snapped a run of four successive grand final losses to win its 29th premiership, 11.6 (72) to 7.8 (50).
The Demons started slowly against their 130-year-old “above the gap” rivals, but a brilliant four-goal burst late in the second term helped open up what tuned out to be a match-winning break.
Swifts Creek’s Tom Crellin won the best-on-ground medal and brother Robert kicked two important goals in the last term to snuff out any chance of an Omeo-Benambra late fightback.
The Demons’ dangerous small forwards Jamie Barton and Daniel Hayes kicked three goals each and Beau Hack, Arthur Wright and Richard Crabtree were lively players around the ground.
Ross Ansaldi, Tyler Betts and James Cottrell were among the best players for Omeo-Benambra.
Cottrell’s younger brother Matthew plays for Carlton.
“We’ve taken massive steps as a club this season and it’s great to get some reward for all the effort,” he said.
“They got the jump on us last time and they are a good starting side.
“I just wanted the boys to hang tough early.
“We are a quicker side and I thought we would run over the top.”
Swifts Creek lost last year’s grand final to Lindenow South following two Covid-interrupted seasons.
Omeo-Benambra coach Cody Graske said: “It’s a hard pill to swallow.
“We had a bit of lapse in the second quarter and that was probably the difference.”
Swifts Creek and Omeo-Benambra were grand final combatants for the first time since Omeo and Benambra merged in 2007 and won a flag in its first year as combined outfit.
Omeo and Benambra won 34 and 20 premierships respectively before merging.
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