Diggers Rest captain Stuart Clarke has been through more grand final heartache than most players in their careers.
Clarke had been on five losing Riddell District Football League grand final sides … and he isn’t alone.
Photo Gallery: RDFL Seniors Grand Final Diggers Rest v Riddell
Many of his Burras’ teammates have been part of several grand final losses – Col Laurie and Jeff Heritage had been through six.
On Sunday though, all that heartache seemed a distant memory as the Burras won their first premiership since 1993.
For Clarke, the reality of being a premiership player was still sinking in in the rooms after the game.
“I was struggling to breathe out there –everyone was crowded around me, and I was suffocating, just hugging everyone and kissing babies.
“I’m shocked – 2006 was the first time we went against Riddell and started this chain, and it was 10 years in the making.”
The first people Clarke approached after the game were Laurie and Heritage.
“Just looking at Col Laurie and Jeff Heritage and they’ve been through six. They’re getting old, and don’t have many years left and might retire. I went straight up to both of them and they bawled their eyes out – to me, just seeing them makes it worth it.
“You don’t want to put anyone through that.”
While many diehard supporters were thinking that it could be another case of ‘so close but so far’, Clarke had a different mindset.
“I had belief.
“Mick Kilty went off and came back on with 10 minutes to go, and that’s when we kicked all the goals. He saved us in the end.
“I was so relieved; the pressure straight back on it was surreal, and I didn’t know how to take it. Positions were everywhere, it was a crazy moment.
“When [Brent] Tuckey and Jase Williams kicked the goals, I couldn’t see them go in, but the crowd screamed – I lost it.
“It was straight back in the middle … to win the next contest. It was a hard slug all day. It was unbelievable.”
