Hillside Recreation Reserve will be rocking for days as Hillside celebrates claiming the Essendon District Football League division 1 premiership.
Playing in their first grand final since winning the division 2 grand final in 2013, the Sharks were able to upset Oak Park on the biggest stage on Saturday at Coburg City Oval.
The Sharks were able to hold their nerves to come away with a 9.12 (66)-5.14 (44) win.
Making the day more special, the Sharks reserves also won their grand final.
Sharks coach Mo Kaakour said it was a pretty special feeling.
“It’s starting to settle in,” he said the following day. “It was a big day with the early game and the late game and getting the results in both.
“We were stiff not to have our 18s in as well. It’s really good for the footy club.”
Kaakour said while they tried to make the lead up to the grand final special, it was also about ensuring they kept it as business as usual.
Several former players and committee members came to training during the week to speak to the group.
Once game day came on Saturday, there were a few early nerves.
While the Sharks were leading by nine points at quarter time, the Kangaroos had missed a number of chances as they kicked five straight behinds.
“There were a few nerves early and we talked about that at quarter time,” Kaakour said. “We talked about getting to the right spots.
“We settled down after quarter time and played our game after that.”
Oak Park reduced the margin to just one point at the main break with it was game on.
The Kangaroos again struggled to convert their opportunities.
Kaakour said they had really focused on making any opportunities the Kangaroos got to score coming from difficult positions.
“There were a lot of pressure shots and we were forcing leads to go wide,” he said. “A couple were long range and they weren’t easy shots.
“There was some perceived pressure as well.”
Three goals to one in the third quarter gave the Sharks a 13 point lead leaving them one quarter away from their first division 1 premiership.
Kaakour said they needed to continue to be bold in the final quarter and take the game on.
He said they weren’t going to win if they didn’t score in the final quarter.
One of the biggest moments of the match came in the fifth minute of the final quarter.
Full forward Josh Covelli, who had kicked one goal to that point, kicked his second and his 100th goal for the season.
It’s the second straight season he has reached the 100 goal milestone. Friends, family and fans jumped the fence to celebrate with him.
Kaakour said it was a momentum that they enjoyed.
“You don’t see a 100 goalkicker that often and he’s done it two years in a row,” he said. “ For him to get 100 goals is an unbelievable achievement.
“It was never about Josh, it was always about the footy club and winning a premiership.
“He has bought into that big time.”
The Sharks enjoyed the moment and then refocused on the task at hand which they soon completed.
Covelli, Lucas Failli and Khalil Kaakour kicked two goals each for the Sharks.
Khalil Kaakour was awarded the best on ground medal.
The Sharks will play in the premier division for the first time next season.
Kaakour said it would be a challenge and they would have to add some players to the squad.
He said there was likely to be some players who didn’t go on.
For the club, it’s been a big few weeks with their women’s premier division side claiming the premiership and women’s reserves making a grand final.
Kaakour said there had been a big focus on culture the past few years and it was really showing through.
“This has been building for two or three years,” he said.
