By David Nagel
Cranbourne champion Marc Holt had a day to remember on Saturday, 28 July, 2012, when he kicked 22 goals against Hampton Park to crack the magical 100-goal barrier for the season. Holt would end the season with 157 goals – the first of three consecutive centuries. The Eagles’ star booted 23 finals goals that year, including 11 in the preliminary final against Tooradin and eight in a classic losing grand final performance against Narre Warren. We take a look back to the champion’s big day out at Casey Fields.
Records tumbled at Casey Fields on Saturday as Marc Holt – the man who bleeds the yellow and blue of his beloved Cranbourne Football Club went on a one-man rampage against Hampton Park.
Holt, 27, booted an astonishing 22.4 for the afternoon to break the Casey Cardinia League record of 21, held for just seven days by Narre Warren’s Kerem Baskaya, and along the way became the first player in the 123-year history of the club to boot 100 goals in a season.
Starting the day on 94 goals, his 116-goal total broke the Casey Cardinia league record of 114 goals in a season, and he became the first player since Narre Warren’s Lee Clark in 2006 to kick the magical three figures.
But this is not a story about stats alone as Holt, along with his brother Leigh, has been the heart and soul of Cranbourne for more than a decade.
He rode out the low times when the Eagles weren’t the powerhouse they are today, but is now thoroughly enjoying both team and personal success.
“Apart from last year’s grand final that’s the most enjoyable day I’ve had in football, the atmosphere was fantastic,” Holt said.
“I’m not big on the personal stuff but Bezza (team-mate Justin Berry) told me that sometimes you have to get things for yourself, get rewarded for doing the hard stuff for the team.
“It’s good that I got this opportunity and now we can knuckle down for the finals.”
Holt needed six goals to crack the ton for the first time in his career and made short work of the task.
He booted eight goals in the first term and was mobbed by players and supporters when the 100th goal sailed through.
For Holt, it was pure relief.
“I put the pressure on myself this week by telling everyone I was going to do it in the first quarter,” he said with a laugh.
“It was good to get it done and we just moved on from there.”
Holt certainly did move on from there as three and four-goal second and third quarters had him sitting on 15 goals at three quarter time.
It’s then that he started thinking about the record.
“As much as I’m mates with Bas (Baskaya) I wanted that record,” he said.
Holt moved swiftly to 20 goals before the gun forward missed a set shot from 30 metres out, at the 24-minute-mark, to equal Baskaya’s record.
He rectified that just two minutes later, with a set shot from 40 metres out, before the big moment arrived.
Holt had three Hampton Park players for company as he led to the outer forward pocket, at the Cranbourne Road end, with brother Leigh running towards him.
A perfect pass from the mid-fielder hit Holt on the chest, and at the 28-minute mark
he converted to re-write the record books. The irony of receiving the pass from his elder brother to break the record was not lost on Holt.
“Leigh’s been a leader of this club and just doesn’t get the recognition he deserves,” he said.
“He’s 31 now and just inspires me the way he goes about it. His attack on the footy is just insane; I wish I had half of his desire.”
So does Holt think he is deserving of all the accolades that come his way?
“Look, I’ll leave that for others to decide, others can make that judgement, but all I know is that it’s good to have, it’s good to kick a 100 goals.”
You deserve it all right Marc Holt.
You’re a champion of Cranbourne and a well-respected champion of the game.
