One of the Brisbane Lions’ favourite sons Darryl White won his sixth premiership across three competitions when Mt Gravatt triumphed in the AFLQ Velocity Sports Cup grand final last Sunday.
White was strong across half back when his side was kicking into the breeze and highly effective up forward when kicking with it as the Vultures posted their second State League grand final success.
White, 34, has now won three flags with the Lions, two with separate NTFL clubs, and this one with Mt Gravatt.
The day also provided the third flag for Toowoomba product Brock Turton, who was a member of the Lions Reserves’ 2001 premiership as a teenage top-up player.
He was a solid contributor in the Vultures’ first ever grand final win the following year, and capped a fine 2007 season by taking his place in the 16.12 (108)-10.10 (70) win over the Sharks at
Turton suffers from arthritic hips and missed a month leading into the grand final, but such is the respect in which he is held that he was an automatic inclusion once he proved his fitness.
Another ex-Lion Shane Morrison was a key member of the premiership outfit, having dominated the centre-half-back position all season.
While he had his hands full with the hard working Dan McEntee on Sunday, it was the only time he lowered his colours all season since returning from Port Adelaide in the SANFL and he still did some good defensive things for his side.
The day was a triumph for Mt gravatt midfielder Ash Evans, won crowned a magnificent personal season by winning the Joe Grant Medal for best afield.
Evans finished second in the Grogan Medal, won the Syd Guildford Trophy, and starred on the big stage to play key role in the victory.
His hard running and sure handed skills set up numerous goals, and he ran just as hard at the finish as he did at the start.
Evans shaded young teammate Rohan Bail for the medal, the speedy wingman-forward kicked four important goals before three-quarter-time and using every possession effectively.
Robust midfielder Gareth Bowes and inspirational skipper Mick Stinear were also outstanding, contributing to the Vultures gaining a substantial bigger number of inside 50s than the Sharks.
But
The Sharks did particularly well not to be blown away considering the man judged best afield in last year’s premiership win Dane Carmody injured an ankle 10 minutes into the opening quarter and never returned.
Not long after the brilliant Danny Wise - who had spent much of the week in a hyperbaric chamber rehabilitating a bad ankle - was also incapacitated, leaving the Sharks seriously down on running power.
They simply could not get enough ball to a forward line which functioned well at times.
Dan McEntee was strongly on the lead and in the air at centre-half-forward and tried his heart out to the final siren.
Brother Ben kicked three of his side’s four goals to halftime and booted his 100th goal of the season 20 minutes into the final term when a desperate Ben Merrett snap out of a pack landed on McEntee’s chest unmarked 15m from goal.
But by that time the result was all academic.
The Vultures had led by 14 points at quarter time, 26 at the half and 33 at the final change, with three White last quarter goals ensuring a comfortable victory.
