Southport reached the Smithy's VFL Grand Final for the second time in three years but fell agonisingly short of giving revered coach Steve Daniel the perfect send off.
BY THE NUMBERS
Position: 2nd
W-L-D (%): 15-7 (124.9%)
Players used: 34
Played every match: 13 – Brayden Crossley, Hugh Dixon, Jackson Edwards, Zac Foot, Jacob Heron, Ben Jepson, Jesse Joyce, Campbell Lake, Matt Shannon, Max Spencer, Nick Williams, Mack Willis, Boyd Woodcock
Ex-AFL players: 15 (290 matches)
Debutants: 4 – Brock Aston, Hugh Dixon, Aiden Hall, Lachie Rhook
STAR PERFORMERS
Best and Fairest: 1st: Boyd Woodcock (104 votes), 2nd: Ben Jepson (94), 3rd: Jacob Dawson (88) and Jesse Joyce (88), 5th: Jacob Heron (83)
J.J. Liston Trophy: Boyd Woodcock (20 votes), Brayden Crossley (16), Jacob Dawson (15), Jacob Heron (8), Hugh Dixon (7)
Coaches MVP Award: Jacob Dawson (86 votes), Boyd Woodcock (67) Ben Jepson (41), Jacob Heron (27), Brayden Crossley (25)
Leading Goalkickers: Hugh Dixon (43), Jay Lockhart (35), Zac Foot (17), Wylie Buzza (17), Jackson Edwards (15)
Smithy’s VFL Team of the Year: Jacob Dawson (interchange), Ben Jepson (half back flank), Boyd Woodcock (forward pocket)
STAT LEADERS
(Averages – minimum 6 matches)
Disposals: Jacob Dawson 31.0, Boyd Woodcock 28.2, Ben Jepson 24.7, Jacob Heron 20.5, Jesse Joyce 19.3
Contested possessions: Jacob Dawson 15.8, Boyd Woodcock 12.6, Jacob Heron 8.5, Brayden Crossley 7.3, Brock Aston 7.2
Kicks: Ben Jepson 18.0, Boyd Woodcock 17.8, Jacob Dawson 15.0, Jesse Joyce 12.2, Jackson Edwards 10.9
Handballs: Jacob Dawson 15.9, Boyd Woodcock 10.4, Jacob Heron 10.0, Mike Manteit 8.3, Keegan Gray 8.3
Marks: Max Spencer 6.9, Ben Jepson 5.8, Keegan Gray 5.8, Matt McGuinness 5.7, Hugh Dixon 5.5, Jesse Joyce 5.5
Tackles: Brayden Crossley 6.4, Jacob Heron 5.5, Matt Shannon 4.6, Jacob Dawson 4.5, Boyd Woodcock 4.5
Hitouts: Brayden Crossley 43.5, Hugh Dixon 3.8, Wylie Buzza 2.4
Clearances: Jacob Dawson 9.3, Boyd Woodcock 7.5, Jacob Heron 5.1, Brayden Crossley 3.7, Brock Aston 3.5
Inside-50s: Jacob Heron 5.1, Boyd Woodcock 4.7, Brayden Crossley 4.2, Jacob Dawson 4.1, Brock Aston 3.4, Ryan Banks-Smith 3.4
Rebound-50s: Ben Jepson 5.2, Jesse Joyce 3.3, Max Spencer 3.1, Rhys Clark 2.8, Boyd Woodcock 2.7
What went right: The Sharks went on two strong winning runs, racking up seven victories in a row through the middle of the season and then five on the trot to charge into their second Grand Final in three years despite finishing the regular season outside the top four. They knocked off Werribee at Werribee once again, thrashed the Suns away in the Coast Clash and produced almost the perfect finals series. The Sharks broke their State League club record score against Frankston in the elimination final and then stunned both Geelong and Footscray in sudden death finals away from home to reach the premiership decider. Boyd Woodcock finally usurped Jacob Dawson to win his first Doc Mackenzie Medal and also starred for the VFL in its close defeat to the SANFL in April. Dawson, Jesse Joyce and Jacob Heron were again outstanding and gun Coburg recruit Ben Jepson excelled to such an extent that he is now training for an SSP spot with the Gold Coast Suns.
What went wrong: Southport will rue its poor kicking for goal in the Grand Final. The Sharks kicked 8.15 to fall short for the second time in three years, going down to Werribee by six points. The thrilling Grand Final defeat denied the club the chance to send popular supercoach Steve Daniel out with a flag in his retirement game. The Sharks made a slow start to the season, slumping to 2-3 – one of those wins being a miracle escape against Essendon – which left them chasing tail all season. Shock home losses to the GWS Giants and Sydney Swans eventually cost them a spot in the top four and required them to take the long road home. Talking Jacob Townsend into a comeback only for him to be sidelined in the first half of his first game was cruel for both him and the Sharks, while Max Pescud had no luck for the second year in a row.
Summary: What a marvellous club. It’s a tough task to compete as a standalone club against AFL reserves teams, but to do it as a non-Victorian club and make two Grand Finals in three years is truly remarkable. Being part of the first VFL Grand Final contested by two standalone clubs since the AFL reserves teams arrived in the competition in 2000 is something everyone at Fankhauser Reserve should be extremely proud of. They have close to the best one-two punch in the competition in Dawson and Woodcock and plenty of star power to support them, with Hugh Dixon (43 goals) and Jay Lockhart (35) having strong seasons in front of the sticks. Brayden Crossley is a gun and continues to be one of the dominant rucks in the competition. Zac Foot (17.30) will hope to find his radar next year.
Grade: 8.5/10
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