IRYMPLE had just secured their third SFNL senior football premiership win in the past four full seasons on Saturday when the emotional build-up of the moment took its toll on their inspirational leader, Dan Coghlan.
It’s been an immensely challenging year for the 31-year-old, who returned in the preliminary final after fracturing his right leg two months ago.
There are also personal challenges with Coghlan’s young family.
It was towards the end of a post-match interview that the 2019 McLeod Medallist’s overwhelming range of emotions came out when he tried to put into words what the Swallows meant to him.
“It’s a lot, I’ve got a fair bit going on personally, but they are always there for support when I need it,” said Coghlan, whose arrival from VFL club Essendon in 2016 has been instrumental in the Swallows’ success.
“A fair bit has happened during the year when I’ve had to miss training and go to Melbourne (for personal reasons).”
With tears in his eyes, we paused the interview for a moment before he recomposed himself.
“This is a great club,” Coghlan said. “A lot goes into a big win like this. It’s not just the players on the day.
“There are people in the club who don’t ask for anything but keep rocking up helping every week and love being around the club.
“So, this win is for everyone at Irymple.”
In a red-letter day for the Swallows, the Sunraysia football powerhouse won the senior, reserves and under-18 competitions in front of a crowd that topped 6000 people by mid-afternoon at Mildura Sporting Precinct.
“I honestly can’t believe how well the day’s gone,” Coghlan said. “You couldn’t script it any better.
“Obviously, you have plans and you aim for things. But the whole club has stayed committed and all the teams have been grinding it out, week after week, to achieve this.
“It’s not always perfect. For us, we had Wentworth touch us up a couple of times. But we rebounded well.”
Even on one good leg, “Cogs” was still able to provide some key contributions in the decider.
He kicked the game’s first goal with a brilliant left-foot snap. His most telling other individual effort was a strong mark in the dying minutes as Wentworth fought back to within a goal.
Star forward Nick Pezzaniti was one of the Swallows’ heroes, booting five goals – most at crucial times.
His final-quarter goal from a tough angle in the pocket next to the big crowd on the hill was worthy of the post-goal celebration where “The Pez Dispenser” took a bow.
He worked out the tricky cross-wind to perfection to ice the goal.
The Roos, who opened the season with 11 straight wins, had their opportunities to take the lead late in the game. But it was the Swallows’ many unsung heroes who stood firm under pressure.
“I think that’s the biggest thing for us today. We were really good around the ground,” Coghlan said.
“We threw a job to ‘BJ’ (Brodie Jackson) to play on (star Roos forward) Wade (Hancock), who kicked three (goals) but a couple of them were from free kicks.
“I thought BJ was amazing and so was Justin Robinson at half back. Even ‘Holla’ (Alex Hollingworth), at just 16 years old, to have the calmness that he did under pressure was unreal.”
Cogs then gave a nod to Pezzaniti, who saved his best game of the season till the last.
“Everyone stirs Pez up at other clubs, but he’s stood up again in a big game and delivered for us,” he said. “You can’t take that away from him.”
He also gave a shout-out to one of the club’s greatest ever players, Nathan Hamence, who won his fifth flag with the Swallows since 2006.
“They fought back to within three points (in the final term), but the boys dug deep, including experienced guys like ‘Hamo’,” he said.
Cogs then took a moment to praise Hancock and his rising Roos.
“Wentworth were fantastic, and I said that to Wade after the game,” he said.
“To get them to where he got them would have taken a mountain of work.”
Hancock said he was “super proud” of his team’s season, despite the six-point loss.
“Footy’s a game of moments and unfortunately we let ourselves a bit at a few key times with our discipline,” the competition’s leading goal kicker said.
“Their pressure was good and they executed well, and unfortunately we didn’t take our opportunities well enough.
“We didn’t play our best, but to be still with a kick at the end was great.
“I was super proud of the way the boys continued to fight and proud that we were here on the last day of the season.”
The Roos’ post-game dressing room was a sombre scene.
“There was definitely a lot of emotion in the room,” Hancock said.
“A lot of people didn’t expect us to make it this far, but we’ve laid some great foundations for future success.”
The playing coach said he was expecting to lose “a few” players in the off-season.
However, he is committed to leading the senior side in 2023.
“I’ll be here, mate, don’t worry about that,” Hancock said. “There’s more for us to achieve.”
