By Jonty Ralphsmith
Mitch Kirkwood-Elliott?
The setup play might not have been the same, but Haileybury’s Mitch Kirkwood-Scott had the same steady coolness and converted from a similar spot to the Pies clutch king to essentially win his school the APS grand final.
The game was billed as a grand final with both sides entering the penultimate round of the home and away season as the only remaining with unblemished records.
With four minutes to play, the Bloods trailed by less than a goal when skipper Charlie Harrop had a set shot that sailed through for a behind.
The Caulfield defender’s kick-in went out on the full after travelling 60 metres towards the visitors goals at Haileybury’s Berwick campus.
Then Kirkwood-Scott, Talent League listed, owned the moment, roosting it with the strong breeze to give Haileybury the lead for the first time since early in the first quarter.
That moment cued a thunderous roar from the strong Bloods crowd as destiny seemed to script a premiership.
But the Matthew Lloyd coached team still had three more minutes to fight.
Caulfield got one last look inside 50 but the Haileybury defence held out.
A quick transition and some smarts from Harrop allowed Haileybury a stoppage inside 50 and Liam George soon converted a set shot to extend the margin beyond a goal.
It was George’s third goal after he kicked two early ones in a competitive first quarter.
Haileybury trailed by 13 at the first break despite being the better team for much of the quarter, and that deficit stretched to 33 in the third quarter before the chase started for the highly regarded private school.
X-factor Taj Hotton kicked one around the corner late in the third quarter to embed hope, as Haileybury went into the last break 17 points down.
Harrop took a contested mark early in the last quarter to continue his team’s momentum.
From there, they felt on top.
Sam Shinsky got them within a goal, before the Kirkwood-Scott magic.
Assistant coached by Scott Pendlebury, Haileybury, in the biggest game of the year, played out a narrative their assistant coach is well accustomed to.
Dandenong under-16s big man Tairon Ah-Mu was nearly the player to give them the lead with a kick on the run from 60 that veered into the post.
The Bloods were able to do it without Armstrong, a star goalkicker with bags of four (three times), six and nine this season.
Talent League players involved for Haileybury included: Lachie Giliam, Jesse Craven, Dan Pinter, Charlie Rowe, Ziggy Nosiara, George, Harrop, Harry Armstrong, Hotton, Ah Mu, vice captain Archie Roberts and Kirkwood-Scott.
Young Dingley play-maker Mitch Cook was also in action, a key part of the Haileybury engine room.
Final score: Haileybury 8.9 57 vs Caulfield Grammar 7.7 49
Haileybury premiership squad: Charlie Harrop, Will McPhee, Mitch Cook, Scanlan Lynch, Ky Allcock, Hayden Brown, Max Poulios, Mitch Kirkwood-Scott, Archie Roberts, Jesse Craven, Tom Wakelin, Liam George, Jackson Muscillo, Jasper Russell, Josh Docking, Charlie Rowe, Nick Cleary, Archie Wilson, Sam Shinsky, Dan Pinter, Flynn Gregor, Denzel Toland, Lachie Giliam, Alex Russell, James Blight, Ziggy Nosiara, Jack Lawrence, Arkie Daniel-Reid, Harry Armstrong. Louis Hodder, Taj Hotton, Tom Antonis, Tairon Ah-Mu
