CHFL grand final 2022: inside Gordon, Springbank town pride

The Tigers and Eagles are set for a showdown to claim Central Highlands Football League's senior premiership - a title uncontested for three years.

Town pride is on the line, family feuding is high and The Courier ventured into the heart of each club - the communities they represent - to gauge the nerves.

CHEERS were loud and there have been plenty of high-fives shared as Gordon Primary School pupils get excited for grand final day.

The town's team, Gordon Eagles, is in the big dance and they know is a big deal.

Plus, the Eagles wear the same colours as they do in their school uniform: green and yellow.

Pupils made bright green and yellow-themed signs spelling out "Go Eagles" for The Courier's visit ahead of Saturday's Central Highlands Football League premiership showdown.

There was plenty of glitter and some letters were marked with the numbers of star Eagles players.

Junior Gordon footballers Jaxon and Perry said all players were good; they were tough and showed no fear.

The pair was confident the Eagles had a "really good chance of winning" against neighbouring rivals Springbank Tigers.

"They're a kind team and always accept all players," Perry said.

"The seniors have been playing at the club for a long time and encourage all the young players."

When it came to The Courier's check-in, all students could hardly resist to show their support for the club - even a couple of parochial Bungaree juniors got into the spirit of the occasion.

Arlo, Gordon primary's therapy dog, took centre stage with plenty of handshakes and pats for his excited classmates.

The Eagles have not tasted senior premiership glory since 1988 and, particularly after two seasons of pandemic interruptions and no flag, the township is hungry for victory.

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Bright balloons have decorated fences in the town's main streets and Eagles jumpers were proudly displayed in the windows of some homes.

There was little doubt something special was unfolding.

Plenty of junior told The Courier they would be at the ground watching on.

No matter what happens on the ground at Mars Stadium on Saturday, Gordon Primary School pupils have a footy day next week to finish the term.

Many hope it will be a chance to come out in strong celebration with the Eagles' green and yellow once more.

LONG-TIME Eagles support Tracey Gorman put in a bid to paint the Gordon post office green and gold for Central Highlands grand final week.

She was told it would need to be repainted white soon after, so Ms Gorman opted for balloons instead but quipped she might reconsider a paint job should the Eagles claim victory.

"All the oldies who come in to the post office have been about the club for years," Ms Gorman said. "This is pretty big - we're all excited.

"It was pretty full-on in town [Thursday] night. Someone put on a spit for dinner for everyone but at the same time, we're all starting to get on edge a bit."

The Eagles have not won a senior premiership since 1988.

Ms Gorman said there were many post office customers who were, or who still talked about, players from that golden era.

Her son Jaymes has played for the Eagles since he was about 10 years old. He will be in the mix to help deliver the town a new flag on Saturday.

YELLOW-and-black runs deep in Leanne O'Neil's veins. Her father, the late Mick O'Neil, is a five-time Springbank premiership player capturing flags from 1964 to 1968.

Ms O'Neil is hoping the club will channel a little from the Tigers of old in a big grand final line-up with teams in the Central Highlands Football League seniors, reserves and under-18s, plus junior netball.

"It is pretty exciting...I think a lot of people, like me, were not expecting to get that far," Ms O'Neil said. "Now it's against Gordon makes it more exciting."

This is a neighbouring rivalry with plenty of family pride at stake. Ms O'Neil is the niece of the late Jimmy Toohey in whose name Springbank and Gordon contest a shield each time they play. Even in the grand final.

One of Toohey's sons remains in Springbank, and there were plenty of Tooheys at Gordon. Ms O'Neill said the showdown meant a lot.

Ms O'Neil also has a football legacy named in her honour, the Tigers' scoreboard at Wallace Recreation Reserve, the club's home ground.

She is a 191-game Springbank netballer, former Central Highlands Netball League president (2002-2006) and long-standing Tigers' secretary (2006-2019). But Ms O'Neil said it was a big surprise and honour.

Now Ms O'Neil just hoped to see some winning scores at Mars Stadium when it counted most on Saturday.

"I can always remember when I started as secretary and we were down the bottom of the [footy] ladder and didn't win a game," Ms O'Neil said. "I though I'd have to keep going at this until we win a senior premiership, even if I was 90."

Ms O'Neil did not need to wait that long. The Tigers beat Gordon for the 2015 premiership and backed it up the next year against Buninyong at Alfredton.

There were plenty of nerves but for Ms O'Neil, that was all part of the game.

TIGERS captain and 2015 premiership player Matt Lakey knows what it takes to capture the Central Highlands crown - but he has welcomed the extra 'Sharp' support for this weekend's huge campaign.

The boardroom at Mr Lakey's workplace, Sharp Accounting has turned yellow-and-black in his honour to help him stay focused and supported for the big dance.

Colleague Andrew Rowan, while technically a rival club supporter, was happy to cheer on Mr Lakey this week.

"We went and watched him play a couple of times," Mr Rowan said.

"He does a pretty good job captaining the side."

Sharp receptionist Chantelle Berto added the whole company was just super proud and very excited for the accountant.

The window display is just bright enough to see when driving past along Sturt Street, making clear this patch of Ballarat was Tiger territory.

Mr Lakey said it was good to feel a lot of support about the region for the Tigers on Central Highlands grand final day.

The club had four teams in grand finals and was raring to roar, especially after two pandemic interrupted seasons without much to cheer.

Mr Lakey said it was also a great effort for the club, which was far smaller than Gordon, a town boasting two primary schools.

This rivalry goes far deeper than town pride.

Mr Lakey played in Springbank's winning grand final against Gordon in 2015 - a match that still burns in the Eagles' minds.

"We know if we come out lacklustre against Gordon we'll find ourselves five goals behind before we know it," Mr Lakey told The Courier earlier this week.

Now the weekend is here, it was time for Mr Lakey to tackle his next lot of business and strive to yield a strong return.

The Courier is livestreaming the CHFL senior grand final online at thecourier.com.au on Saturday from 2.15pm. Coverage will feature a lead-up to the first bounce with David Brehaut, Edward Holland and Rokewood-Corindhap joint coach Brad Macgowan.

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