Lucky number makes Davey’s day

By Paul Pickering
SEVENTH time was the charm for Kooweerup president and lifelong Demon Matt Davey.
The 34-year-old all-rounder carried the baggage of five losing A Grade grand finals and one unsuccessful B Grade decider into the weekend’s clash with Cardinia.
A Demon since the age of eight, he was the first bloke that most of his team-mates ran to when Ben Miller pouched the winning catch on Sunday afternoon.
“We’ve played in so many (grand finals) over the years and always come up short, so there’s no better feeling than this,” he gushed as the celebrations erupted.
Davey, who was recently recognised among the WGCA’s top 30 players of the last 50 years, praised his side for having the mental toughness to overcome a series of botched finals campaigns.
“It was just a bit of self-belief I suppose,” he said.
“We beat them (the Bulls) in a two-dayer at Koowee this year and that was the first time we’d beaten them in about four years.
“So we knew after that that we could match them.”
Davey made his A Grade debut for the Dees at the age of 15. At 18, he played one season with district club Frankston, but returned to Kooweerup after missing his mates.
He says that mateship was the hallmark of the 2009/10 Demons.
“They’re a great bunch of blokes, on and off the field, and we stick together,” he said.
“There’s guys here who I played with in juniors and I’m playing A Grade with them here today, so it’s an amazing feeling.”
Davey dedicated the win to all those who have represented and supported the club during its lengthy premiership hiatus.
“I hope it means a lot to them,” he said.
“Because there’s plenty of guys who played in those losing grand finals with me who are here today supporting us.”