By David Nagel
Narre Warren champion Nick Scanlon has celebrated many milestones in his illustrious career but Saturday’s game against Hampton Park will sit comfortably among his finest.
A six-time premiership player with the Magpies, the 28-year-old returned to Kalora Park this year after two years of coaching Clayton in the Southern Football League.
Back with him came his brothers – 25-year-old Dean and 23-year-old Stewart – and on Saturday they turned an afternoon at Robert Booth Reserve into their very own family picnic.
Dean started the party, kicking four goals in a massive 189-point victory for the Magpies reserves.
He was pretty content with life until Nick and Stewie well and truly stole the spotlight, Nick kicking 11 and Stewie 10 in a 209-point thumping of the Redbacks seniors.
That’s 25 goals on the one day for same one family!
“It was a special day, Dean was probably pleased with his four goals when he walked off in the twos but Stewie and I trumped him quite significantly,” Nick said with a chuckle.
“I really enjoyed it. To be back home at Narre and to play in the forward line with my brother is already special, but to have a day out like that is something I don’t think we’ll forget in a hurry. To both get double figures … that’s unbelievable really.”
The Magpies struggled to break free in the first term, leading by just 17 points at quarter time through a lack of adherence to the game plan.
But at least of the Scanlon’s was already on.
“We started poorly and just weren’t following the instructions that Heath (Black) had given us,” Nick said.
“I think Stewie kicked all three of our goals in the first quarter so he had already stamped his authority and looked set for a big day. I think he had seven at half time and I gradually caught him up in the second half.”
The Magpies certainly followed instructions after quarter time, piling on 15 goals in the second quarter before backing that up with nine and 11 after half time.
They produced a style of play that forwards can only dream of.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re playing a top side or a bottom side the midfielders still need to hit targets and I’ve never had such consistent delivery like that before,” Nick said, before explaining how both reached their double-figure milestones.
“We were both of nine, I got my tenth and then I was lucky enough to hit Stewie up for his tenth as well,” he said.
“That was really special to share that moment with him. We were both happy with 10 each but then I got one right on the final siren and I was lucky enough to get 11.”
Nick said it just felt right to be back at his spiritual home ground.
“It’s great to be back home playing with blokes that I’ve had such great success with like Collo (Michael Collins) and Col Mc (Col McNamara),” he said.
“Honestly it feels like I never left the place, and to see blokes like Shane Dwyer do the Under 19s, Paul Hamilton coach the twos and Stuey Stephenson take over as president is great to see.”
And his future in coaching?
“It is a passion of mine but not coaching this year and coming back to my home club has given me a new lease of life,” he said.
“Coaching has really gone to the next level and it’s great to turn up with only training to worry about and not all the organising that goes with coaching. I’ll do it again one day but work commitments and things like that wouldn’t allow me to do it properly right now.”
Scanlon has been part of six premierships with the Magpies and truly believes a seventh is not out of the question.
“We expect to match it with the top sides,” he said.
“We’ve had a couple of hiccups but a footy season is a marathon, not a sprint, so if we can be playing our best footy at the right time of the season I think we can give it a mighty shake.”
