Tara Murray
Lancefield has had a tally of the days since its under-19 side had won on its old scoreboard all Riddell District Football League season.
The tally passed 4000 and on Friday it ticked up to 4017 since the side had last tasted victory, exactly 11 years to the weekend of the last win.
That all changed on Friday night, with the Tigers coming away with the points against Riddell, 7.13 (55)-5.1 (31).
Tigers vice-president Chris Dynon said it was an incredible result. He said they put the number on the scoreboard to highlight what it would mean if they got the win.
“It’s been a tumultuous week at Lancefield with the seniors side still being winless this year after losing their last two games by just two and three points and then losing their coach last week,” he said.
“The under-19s have also had a series of heartbreaking losses through the year.
“That was all quickly forgotten though when the final siren sounded unleashing wild celebrations from players, who’d worked so hard to end the drought, and from the large Lancefield crowd who came out to see if they could do it.”
A lot has happened since the last win for the Tigers.
The Tigers have had entire seasons without a win, other years that have been forfeited part way through the year when the numbers fell away or where, in the weeks leading up to the start, they just couldn’t pull the numbers to field a team and had to fold.
Just one player of that team still plays for the Tigers, John Morgan, who played his 250th game for the club this season.
The only senior football or netball match for the Tigers on the weekend, there was a big crowd at Lancefield Park on Friday night.
Dynon said there were more than a few nervous moments throughout the match.
“In the third quarter we kicked, 1.7 or something like that. There were thoughts would be find a way to lose it.
“We dominated the third quarter but couldn’t convert. Five to six minutes to go, we were two goals up.
“We got a goal and that put us comfortably in front. There were no celebrations until the final siren.”
Dynon said they were hoping that they could finish the season off strongly and get a couple more wins of the board.
Coach Jason Tully said they made the under-19s a real focus during the week.
“Todd Viney came down during the week to speak to all the players and he had so many important things to say from his experience about adversity and the great thrill that comes from overcoming it.
“We’re really excited about the future. While it’s an under-19s competition quite a few of our boys are from the under-17s team that folded due to low numbers so we’ll only get better – then again they probably said the same thing 11 years ago. Hopefully we don’t have to wait so long next time”
