By DAVID NAGEL
NARRE Warren coach Chris Toner had just coached his side into the record books but was a lot like everyone else at Toomuc Reserve after the final siren … in shock. Toner spoke to the News Footy writer DAVE NAGEL while still out on the battlefield.
Dave Nagel: Chris, what an emotional way to enter the history books?
Chris Toner: Relief is the over-riding emotion right now. For a long time, there’s been expectation and sometimes it’s really hard to live up to expectation. We had the conditions; we had all the inside running today, but we still managed to nearly find a way to lose. To Cranbourne’s credit, they were just fantastic, they kept coming and coming and coming and wouldn’t give us an inch. We couldn’t get away and once we were challenged, it was probably the first time we’ve been challenged in 15 or 16 months, so it’s been a long time coming.
DN: You must have enormous pride in this group?
CT: Of course. This is my footy club and I’m extremely proud, they never give, they never ever give, testimony to the fact is that in 12 years, we’ve played in nine grand finals. They just know how to win and how to stick their chin over the ball and get over the line. Our rotations were down, we had two serious injuries, two on the bench and the boys were still gutsy to fight it out.
DN: You have always had the flexibility card up your sleeve, you needed it today?
CT: We can move blokes like Nick Scanlon and Kain Baskaya around very easily because they’re extremely good and can play in multiple positions. They’ve just been a fantastic side, I thought Benny Giobbi was just sensational, he could play mid-field anywhere but he plays in a back pocket here. Bas (Kerem Baskaya), obviously there was a bit of by-play during the week, and for him to come out and play the way he did, he destroyed his opponents today.
DN: You created history today, how should history judge this side?
CT: It’s the most committed side, fit, and well prepared side that you will find. The culture of the footy club is second to none. I don’t care where anyone goes, anywhere in the state, they won’t find a better culture than the Narre Warren Football Club. It’s the underlying factor, there’s expectation, you have to play well and you have to represent the club with some real pride. The boys do that time and time again. They’re just winners, just winners and that’s probably the best way to describe them. The Narre Warren Football Club is full of winners.
