By David Nagel
Cora Lynn Football Club has the highest home-and-away win percentage of any team in the region over the last decade – just nutting Narre Warren as the best team across all of the leagues covered by the Pakenham-Berwick Gazette.
Sure, the Magpies wouldn’t swap their four premierships for the Cobras’ three during the period of 2010 to 2019, but the Cobras are top of the charts after a compilation of regional ladders of the last 10 years.
Only two clubs, Narre Warren and Woori Yallock, have claimed four premierships during that time, while the Cobras are joined by Berwick, Doveton Eagles, Kilcunda-Bass, Phillip Island and Trafalgar on the three-premiership winning list.
Only six other clubs have doubled up, with Belgrave, Cranbourne, Emerald, Garfield, Healesville and Wandin hoisting two premiership cups high into the September afternoon sky.
Cora Lynn has won 83.71 percent of its 178 regular season games with 149 wins, 28 losses and one draw an emphatic reminder of its staggering consistency over a prolonged period of time.
Current-day Cobras’ coach David Main was surprised when told that Cora Lynn had the best record of the 49 clubs that were put to the test.
“I’m a bit speechless about that to be honest,” Main said.
“Premierships are what we all play for but that’s a fantastic achievement for a footy club with no town. It’s a remarkable record and a real testament to the people that have been and gone and worked behind the scenes to make that happen.
“It’s all about the people at Cora Lynn.”
Main tried his best to explain what makes the culture at Cora Lynn so unique.
“I think you have to go back 15 years or so when Chris Toner came to the club and built a winning culture that has filtered through to today,” Main said.
“All of us at Cora Lynn are outsiders and are accepting of the fact that when you come here, you’re expected to be motivated to give it your best and protect that winning culture.
“For our club to be just ahead of Narre Warren, who I would consider the most successful club in the region, is a real feather in our cap.”
Just as remarkable as Cora Lynn’s success is Narre Warren’s dominance over the last decade – with a percentage of 202.50 meaning the Magpies – on average – have been twice as good as their opponents for a very long time.
Not surprisingly, Berwick has been the best team of the last five years, winning three premierships and topping the table with an 87.50 percent winning strike rate. The Wickers are even slightly superior over the last three seasons – 2017 to ’19 – with 43 wins and five losses from its 48 games played, batting at almost 90 percent.
Four clubs, Berwick, Cora Lynn, Narre Warren and Seville, sit inside the top six in all three categories – the last 10, five and three years.
Premierships Won (2010 to 2019)
4 Narre Warren – 2010, ’12, ’13, ’19, Woori Yallock – 2010, ’12, ’13, ’14.
3 Berwick – 2015, ’17, ’18, Cora Lynn – 2014, ’15, ’16, Doveton Eagles – 2013, ’17, ’19,Kilcunda-Bass – 2011, ’12, ’13, Phillip Island – 2014, ’18, ’19, Trafalgar – 2010, ’12, ’18.
2 Belgrave – 2012, ’17, Cranbourne – 2011, ’16, Emerald – 2011, ’15, Garfield – 2011, ’13, Healesville – 2013, ’16, Wandin – 2015, ’18.
1 Beaconsfield – 2014, Buln Buln – 2014, Bunyip – 2012, Catani – 2017, Dalyston – 2015, Doveton – 2019, Gembrook-Cockatoo – 2016, Hampton Park – 2019, Inverloch-Kongwak 2017, Longwarry – 2019, Nar Nar Goon – 2010, Nyora – 2018, Olinda Ferny Creek – 2017, Seville – 2019, Upwey-Tecoma – 2011.
REGIONAL LADDERS:
