DAVE: Well, Marcus is sunning himself in Hawaii at the moment and Jonty’s busier than bar staff during happy hour trying to cover for him, so I’ve decided to change things up a bit this week and join the dots on a few interviews with the premiership-winning team at Tooradin. Tom Hussey, how sweet was that mate, that’s two premierships in three years?
TOM: This is as special as any of them. We waited a long time to get one a couple of years ago in white-ball, but we really wanted another red-ball premiership again. We couldn’t have had a better season really, bringing in the Sweeney boys and having Mick change things up; change a few attitudes, he’s just got everyone playing the best cricket they could play. It’s like a dream; tell me we’re chasing down 222 for two in a grand final and I’d laugh at you; it’s amazing what we’ve done this season.
DAVE: Richie Benaud would be happy with that score; 2 for 222, but Huss, tell us about your connection with the Sweeney’s. I spoke to Mick and Pete at the season launch and the main reason they came to Tooradin was because of you.
TOM: I went to school with Pete, we’ve been mates since we were eight, and I remember my dad playing D Grade with Mick and them knocking it around a bit, so there’s a really long history there. I played at Dandenong with them for a period, and then against them when I was at Casey, so the connection has always been there. We’ve reached out to them a couple of times over the years, to see if they’d be interested in coming across or not; we finally got them and it’s been a pleasure to have them at the club.
DAVE: What about your great mate Cal O’Hare. He’s now made a century in a grand final like you did 11 years ago, but he brings his up with a six. It was a special knock wasn’t it?
TOM: He’s ageing like a fine wine Cal; he keeps getting better and better. I don’t know what it is, maybe less hassles without coaching or something like that, and he’s a busy man with three kids at home, but he comes to the cricket, bats at the top of the order and just knows what his job is. It was fitting for him to heave one over the fence for six, because there’s no bloke that deserves it more than him.
DAVE: Cal, you’ve done some great things in your career but have you had a better feeling than hitting a six to bring up a hundred in a grand final.
CAL: No, I haven’t (smiles broadly). You can’t get much better than that can you; I didn’t have much energy left, but I thought if we needed six to win, I’d have a crack, and it couldn’t have turned out better. We’ve worked hard for a long time; lost a heap of semis in a row, which hurt a lot, but now to get two flags in three years is bloody unreal.
DAVE: You and Huss can sit around now, having a few frothies and talking about your grand final hundreds.
CAL: I’m a few behind his 140-odd; but I’ll take it. To play with blokes like Huss, Sutts, we’ve won three together now over 11 years; that’s something that’s really special and something that no-one can take away from us. It’s what we play for; it all feels a bit surreal right now.
DAVE: Ben (BJ) Parrott, you’re the wicketkeeper in a premiership team, but you’re also the president of a club that has just won six premierships in one year. The work behind the scenes has paid off in spades.
BJ: I was talking to Barry Freeman and asked him if six premierships is the most we’ve ever won in a season, and we think it is, so to be part of history and be the lucky one at the head of it, I’m as honored and humbled as anyone here. There are times when you’ve got a few sides in grand finals, but you never really think it’s all going to go your way; but to see a few cups there that we can drink out of tonight shows that all the work we have put in behind the scenes has paid off. This place is home for me, but I couldn’t do it without the great support of the committee and the support of everyone at this cricket club. I like to give back as much to this cricket club as they’ve given to me; and it’s given me plenty today. To see this many smiling players, this many smiling supporters; it’s going to be a good night and next couple of days.
DAVE: Barry Freeman turned 80 today; he’s been a bit of a good luck charm on birthdays?
CAL: It was Bazza’s birthday 11 years ago when we won it, so it was a bit weird how it worked out that way again. He’s a huge part of this cricket club.
DAVE: BJ, tell us your thoughts on Cal’s knock today?
BJ: I’ve been fortunate to play with Cal, and unfortunate to play against him in my time at Pakenham and Cardinia, and how good a cricketer the bloke is doesn’t even touch the surface on how good a person he is. He’s an amazing bloke, he’s got an amazing family, and you build a connection with these blokes. His innings gets me a medal at the end of the day, but personally I’m absolutely stoked that he did what he did today.
DAVE: Brad Butler, Cal deserves all the plaudits today but you’ve taken five wickets in a semi (5/66) and now five in a grand final (5/70); that must be extremely satisfying?
BRAD: It is, but after last year it sinks in that it doesn’t happen every year, just because you’ve got a good list. It’s pretty brutal, two knockout semi-finals, so to go out and earn it over the last two weeks is pretty special. Mick (Sweeney) said before the game that we had 11 blokes were all capable of having the medal around their neck; and I think this year we’ve taken the depth thing to new levels. I think that’s what got us over the line in the end.
DAVE: Mick Sweeney, we’ve got a separate feature on you in this week’s paper, talking about your first premiership and things like that, but tell us about Brad and Cal; they’ve led the way with bat and ball all season and then deliver when it matters most.
MICK: There’s a lot of very good medium pacers, that cut it, and are clever, that can out think you in this competition; but I think we were the only one with a Brad Butler that can really blast through. He’s a fantastic bloke, he trains every Tuesday and Thursday without fail, he’s always up and about, always happy, always thinking about how he can get us the win. Not only is he talented, he’s the ultimate team man. And as for Cal, it was pretty well scripted wasn’t it. Cal is the heart and soul of this place, it’s his third premiership, he’s won countless club championship awards at the club, so for him to play the way he played today was really special. This place loves him, and he loves it, so to do what he did today was just outstanding. It was a pretty nice way to finish. All week I’ve been running every scenario in my head; so right now, it’s a massive feeling of relief; pride and relief.
DAVE: Josh Lownds, tell us the impact that Mick, as coach, has had on this cricket club?
JOSH: In our first few sessions in pre-season, he was getting us to do things I’d never seen before. No matter what, we had to hit every third ball through the legside, that type of thing, and that got us thinking about cricket a little differently. When you get told to do something, you get better at it, and that’s been the theme all year. Make yourself better; but help others to get better as well.
DAVE: Ben Mantel, you’re one of the lucky ones mate; you got to play in 2013 when Huss made his hundred, and now you win a flag 11 years later and watch Cal do a similar thing?
BEN: It’s hard to split the knocks apart to be honest; both hundreds were as good as each other; they both play as good as each other, and it was just great to see Cal finish with a fairytale like that. My role throughout my whole career has been just to be a good teammate; that’s what I pride myself on and hopefully chip in with some runs if needed. With a team like this, full of superstars, I knew I was going to be a role player and I was more than happy to do that.
DAVE: Dylan Sutton, when this season began you were touring around Europe, having a ball, and now you join Cal and Huss as the only three players to play in 2013, 2022 and 2024. It must be pretty surreal?
DYLAN: It’s pretty special; I had a great experience overseas and then the club welcomed me back with open arms. I’ve been entrenched at the club for a long time, but it was still nice for them to look after me like that and be very understanding; I’m grateful for that. To win three at your home club, with people that you love, it’s fantastic. This is probably my favorite of the three; the first one I was only 16 and pretty raw, and the next was well-deserved, but to win with the red-ball again is what it’s all about. That’s the true test for a cricket team.
DAVE: Tyler Evans, you’ve had more premiership years than you haven’t in your short career. What’s going on?
TYLER: I’ve won eight at Tooradin now, three in seniors and five in juniors; it’s unbelievable. I don’t think about how lucky I’ve been too much, but on days like this it’s hard not to reflect and think about it a little. I’m over the moon; I don’t think there’s many days like this where you have three senior teams win a flag; and three in juniors as well – it’s a pretty special feeling right now.
DAVE: Peter Sweeney, wow, after many years of trying you finally get to share a premiership photo with your brother Mick. It must feel bloody special right now?
PETE: It’s very special to do it with Mick, we’ve played cricket together for going on 20 years now and never won a premiership together, it’s unbelievable to be honest. And to play with some guys that I’ve known since I was a kid; I started junior cricket with Huss and to win a senior premiership with him is also a great feeling. During the year I’ve had some frustrations, and didn’t have the season that I might have wanted, or thought I could have had, but to make a few runs today, and bowl a long spell yesterday, was pretty nice.
DAVE: Has anyone seen Russell Lehman? He was here a minute ago and took off like a rat up a drainpipe when he saw me coming. Hopefully it’s a dislike for journos in general; not personal, hopefully I’ll find him at the bar! Congratulations boys, you’ve been the best team all season and thoroughly deserve your premiership.
