Sport
5 July, 2023
Swifts celebrate success 20 years on from first HDFL flag
The Swift's 2003 season marked the club's first HDFL flag.
Swifts
Football
Two decades on from winning the 2003 Horsham District Football League seniors premiership, Stawell's Swifts will celebrate the club's past premiership success on the weekend of Saturday, July 15.
The Swifts Football Netball club was only new to the Horsham District Football League in 2003, having moved from Ararat District Football Association in 2000.
While 2003 was the Swifts first HDFL premiership, the club did see considerable success in years prior, having won the 1993 and '94 ADFA premierships.
"The club had been quite successful through the ADFA," said Swifts stalwart and 2003 premiership player, Jamie Britten.
According to Britten, when the Swifts changed league's the club was reasonably was 'reasonably successful', but its success wasn't appreciated by other clubs.
"We certainly weren't a liked team," said Britten.
"I don't think we were that respected and welcomed in because we were reasonably successful when we first entered that league."
After a couple close calls and semi-final exits in its first three years, the Baggies lifted the HDFL trophy in only its fourth season in the league.
"We had had some success in '01 and '02 and fell short," said Britten.
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According to Britten, the thing letting the Swifts down in previous years was fitness, but he credits incoming 2003 coach, Noel Jacobs, for improving that facet of the side's game.
"I really believe that what he did in the preseason put us in good stead at the end of the year," said Britten.
"Building that fitness base, and a transition to running more defensive than offensive, just made us a lot harder to play against.
"Because when the opposition had the ball, we were always on them, and they knew that they were always going to be under pressure."
The conditions were quite atrocious, it was probably one of the worst Grand Final days in history.Jamie Britten
On the day
"The conditions were quite atrocious," said Britten.
"It was probably one of the worst Grand Final days in history."
Stawell's Swifts led Harrow Balmoral for the majority of the game.
The Swifts hard hitting defence was characterised by coach Noel Jacobs, who was reported and yellow carded in the games opening minutes, for striking.
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The Swifts' Gavin Orr, was quick to stamp his influence on the match by kicking the game's opening points.
Orr, a Stawell transplant from Geelong who had played for the Swifts for a couple of years, was named best on ground during the 2003 grand final.
"He was a big inclusion and played a pivotal role in our grand final," said Britten.
The Swifts took advantage of the early sunshine to lead 4.4 (28) - 2.1 (13) by quarter-time.
Weather set in during the second term, and the Southern Roos dominated play, although the side struggled to convert opportunities into points, with the Swifts rugged defence stemming the oppositions offensive push.
League-leading goal kicker, Graham Nuske, who according to Britten, was playing through a significant knee injury, justified his inclusion when he appeared in the second half.
Heavily taped up, Nuske made an immediate impact after emerging from the Swifts bench, claiming a mark and goal which saw Swifts players converge from all corners of the ground.
Nuske wasn't the only Swifts' player to carry significant injury into that year's grand final.
"We were all probably undermanned at some stages," said Britten.
"Damien Scott had only got out of hospital on the morning of the grand final."
By three quarter time the Baggies looked to have had the game sewn up with a lead of 23 points.
But, spurred on my an impassioned speech at the final break from coach Trevor McClure, the Southern Roos mounted a resurgent march towards the Swifts.
With a defensive shift in tactics, the Baggies went scoreless through the final quarter.
For most of the term, only two Swifts players occupied the side's forward 50, choking its own offensive momentum.
A little bit of luck was on our side.Jamie Britten
"I remember the last 10 minutes, everybody was in and under," said Britten.
"We contested hard for the ball and we weren't going to let that one slip.
"A lucky kick out of a pack or from the boundary could have cost us a grand final, but obviously, a little bit of luck was on our side."
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With five minutes left in the game, Harrow Balmoral had brought the deficit down to less than a goal.
Baggies forward Adam Clayton dropped a potentially match-sealing chest mark in the goal square, but two last gasp Roos attempts were stifled by the Swifts rock solid defensive line.
With tensions high in the final minutes, the Swifts held the Southern Roos out to claim the win, 7.9 (51) - 7.6 (48), and the premiership.
"The beauty in that time, when we first came in, in 2000, was basically that the footballers were born and bred locals," said Britten.
"I think we just built that made shoe.
"There was a lot of stalwarts that were just born and bred and they certainly enjoyed the camaraderie and knew what it was like to be successful."
The club will also celebrate it's 1993 and '94 Ararat and District Football League premierships as well as three netball championships in the same years.
Reunions are also being held for the Baggies six reserves flags won between 1992 and 2004.
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