Tara Murray
Keilor Park’s story of from rags to riches is complete with the Devils claiming the Essendon District Football League division 2 premiership on Saturday.
The premiership and the celebrations are a long way from the early days of 2018 when the club announced that they wouldn’t field a senior side that year.
They would get one back in 2019, which was thrashed week in, week out. COVID-19 then hit.
But come Saturday afternoon, that meant little as the Devils claimed just their third senior premiership, beating Oak Park, 14.11 (95)-10.4 (64).
The Devils controlled the match throughout the first half, but weren’t able to fully convert, leading by 18 points at the main break.
They call the third quarter the premiership quarter and it was exactly that. The Devils kicked 8.1 to lead by 54 at the last break.
The sting went out of the game in the last quarter, with the result beyond doubt.
Devils coach Paul Guicas was left stunned after the game as the realisation of what they had achieved.
“I can’t explain it,” he said. “This is three years of hard work and you’re never sure when you go to a grand final.
“I’m numb inside. To see all the supporters who came. There were people coming to me saying thank you and crying all that sort of thing,
“This means so much to everyone.”
The Devils entered the grand final as favourites, having lost just one game, all the way back in round one.
While they were favourites, the Devils were in an unusual position.
For the Devils, being on the main stage at Windy Hill was something they had not done for years.
Their last finals appearance was in 2016. The last time they won a grand final was back in 2001, with Guicas saying that they believed it was the last time they played on Windy Hill.
Guicas said they were confident that what they had done all year would hold them in good stead.
“We would have liked to have converted a little bit better,” he said of the first half. “I knew there was a bit of breeze going at the end we were going in the third quarter and if we got our game going, which we did, we could kick four or five goals.
“We got eight.”
Having trailed against Oak Park in the first week of finals, Guicas knew they couldn’t let the foot off the pedal.
They would go defensively in the last quarter, but the game was already over.
Rhys Deacon kicked six goals in the win, including three in the first quarter.
Damien Cavka kicked three goals all in the third quarter.
Co-captain Daylan Kempster was awarded the best on ground medal, but there were a number of players that would have been worthy winners.
Guicas was quick to point to his backline that have been the unsung heroes of the side all year.
“Krissy Thomas who hurt his nose, he was magnificent,” he said. “It was very well spread out throughout the whole team.
“Our backline has been really strong for the whole year. Cav [Cavka] did some great things.
“We put him at half forward as fifth onballer and that worked for us in the third quarter. When those moves work, it’s a good feeling.”
The win was special for the two co-captains in Kempster and Robbie Castello.
Both played their junior football at the club, before returning to help the club taste some success.
For Castello, it’s his first senior premiership after so many near misses.
“When I signed Rob, I said to him I want to see you hold that cup with me,” Guicas said. “Those sort of things you dream about and it happened.”
If the day wasn’t already good, the club’s reserves side claimed the division 2 reserves premiership earlier in the day.
Guicas said it had been the perfect day.
While the premiership success will be celebrated for days to come, Guicas is already thinking about next year and playing in division 1.
“We have a base now,” he said. “I think we have a decent side and will look to add a few more players.”
