Tara Murray
Interim Braybrook coach John Mangos used just one word to describe what was behind the side’s Western Region Football League division 3 premiership.
After finishing the regular season in third spot, the Brookers were an underdog heading into finals.
Already not one of the two fancied teams, the side had a change of coach. When outgoing coach Vinnie Turcinovich was suspended for three weeks, the club decided that he would finish up then.
Mangos, who was assistant coach, moved into the coaching hot seat.
He said despite the change in things, the belief in the playing group remained. He said that was the key to their preliminary final win against Albanvale.
And they then backed it up on Sunday in the grand final against the Suns.
The Brookers jumped out of the blocks and led throughout the match. The Suns came late and got the margin back to within a goal.
They would run out of time, with the Brookers winning 6.14 (50)-.5.18 (48).
Mangos said the group was absolutely amazing.
“I said it the other day, the belief in these guys,” he said.
“The start was the most important thing and we implemented that. It was then about trying to hold on for dear life.
“The plan worked. We just knew they were going to come.”
Both teams had their chances to hit the scoreboard, but wasted shots on goal. The Suns kicked 2.5 in the opening quarter.
The Suns kicked seven points for the third quarter.”
Mangos said the side’s skills were good early in the game and that the Suns looked a bit sore. He said they were able to run the legs off them.
“You only have one chance at a grand final,” he said. “We wanted to be harder than what they were.
“The last 10 minutes of the game we got a bit tired. We’d been up for a long time and you’re going to have lapses which we did in the last 10 minutes.’
When the Suns got back to within a goal at the 27 minute mark. Mangos said there were some nerves. He turned to the radio crew to get an idea, but they didn’t know either.
The siren went just after the ball went back to the centre.
“It didn’t matter whether the scoreboard said we won by 20 points or two points,” Mangos said.
Captain Aidan O’Rafferty was named best on ground.
Mangos said Luke Zammit, Nicholas Papakalodoukas and the Grubb brothers, Matthew, James and Mitchell, all had good games.
It was Brody Vorano that impressed Mangos the most.
“I believe the move of the whole finals series was that of Brody Vorano,” he said.
“He went back to the twos late in the season. I thought he needed to kick goals for us seniors.
“His spread and leading. He did his role in the finals.”
The performances of Vorano meant that the Brookers could start Shaun Buttigieg-Clarke, who had kicked 100 goals for the season, in the middle of the ground.
Among those part of the celebrations was Turcinovich, who took to the stage alongside Mangos and O’Rafferty and held the premiership cup.
Mangos said the premiership, the club’s first since 2014, was for more than those involved.
“We had a bus to the ground,” he said.
“I think it was just not for the club, but it was about the community too. The Braybrook Hotel is our biggest sponsor, and their staff were there watching.
“This was about the community stepping up, the bigger picture.”
With a premiership under his belt, Mangos is hoping he will get the opportunity to coach the side next season as it returns to division 2.
“If I’m given the opportunity I would love to chat with teh club,” he said. “I want to step up and have a crack at division 2.”
