Football
10 September, 2024
Banding together for junior football
The HDFNL under-17 Grand Final between Pimpinio and Laharum will be memorable. Not only are Pimpinio going for their third consecutive premiership, having not lost a game in four and a half years, but the team they are facing, Laharum, has come about uniquely with two clubs banding together out of mutual respect.
Laharum reached the grand final, coming back from a 37-point deficit at three-quarter time to defeat Natimuk by one point on Saturday at Natimuk Showgrounds in the Horsham District Football Netball League preliminary final.
Laharum and Harrow Balmoral had separate teams at the start of the season. The AFL's rule changes regarding age limits hurt every club, and with both teams having several top-age under-14s, they expected to play under-17s.
Harrow Balmoral suffered a few injuries earlier in the season and failed to field a side. Laharum was also down on numbers.
After round four, the situation at Harrow Balmoral was dire, and Laharum was barely scraping through, so the decision was made to stop the Harrow Balmoral under-17s and send the kids to Laharum so they could play, and it was a master-stroke.
To keep all kids playing football, a team was formed through club presidents Hamish Roberts (Laharum) and Tereasa Hobbs (Harrow Balmoral) and at the instigation of Mark Mintern (Laharum Director of Football Operations).
Hobbs recalled the discussions earlier in the year.
"At the start of the year, Laharum approached us as they were short on numbers and said that we could help them out if they could help us out, and we helped each other out for the first three weeks," Hobbs said.
"After round three, we approached Laharum and asked what they thought about sending our kids to them, and it has gone from there."
Hamish Roberts said the two clubs had a relationship, and both are family-orientated, which made sense.
"There has always been mutual respect between the clubs," Roberts said.
"The key thing is cultural as the two clubs are similar in that they are family-orientated clubs, and culturally, it's a nice snug fit."
Hobbs echoed those sentiments.
"We had the question asked to us at the time, why we didn't send players to clubs closer to us, and at the end of the day, Laharum was the best fit for our families," Hobbs said.
"As the crow flies, it's not that far in distance between both clubs. The boys continued to train with their home clubs, and when the finals came about, everyone trained at Laharum the first week, and the second week, everyone at Harrow.
"They have stayed together as a playing group."
When asked if they were shocked that Laharum is playing off in a grand final, considering the early season struggles, both presidents were anything but.
"Collectively, they are quite talented, and the biggest challenge was having them play together enough to get used to each other," Roberts said.
"The last seven or eight weeks, they have improved week after week; they are well coached, and they are all getting used to each other and clicking together."
"The biggest thing is that we have all struggled and had kids filling multiple positions and not filling a key role within the team," Hobbs said.
"The kids now play a role and have found their spot, and it's been a good match between both clubs. To see them make the grand final is fantastic for both clubs and kids.
"They are playing good football and making great mates along the way."
Tom Dunn and Jarrod Kemp coach Laharum, and the approximate ratio are 15 Laharum boys and 11 Harrow Balmoral boys.
Logistically, the kids' parents drive them to their respective games during the season. If they are close enough to where the seniors are playing, they will go to their respective clubs and help run water or do other jobs for the seniors.
Roberts said anything is possible in the grand final and that the boys are playing good football at the right time.
"Pimpinio has been the best side all year, and when you make the grand final, anything can happen on the day," Roberts said.
"If we are underdogs, then we have nothing to lose. The boys have clicked at the right time of the year, and everything is in their favour."
Hobbs said the chemistry they have built is amazing, and it's not divided between both clubs but one entire club.
"The boys have gotten on well with each other and have mixed in well," Hobbs said.
"Last week, there was a long table where they were eating dinner together, mixed in with each other, and they are a great bunch of young men and good boys. There were no Laharum or Harrow Balmoral groups.
"They have similar values and want to get out there and play good footy. They get on so well."
As for next season, both clubs would love to fill their under-17s and be competitive, but neither president is taking anything off the table.
"At the end of the day, it's about the boys playing footy," Roberts said.
Hobbs added, "You can see in the crowd that people are wearing Laharum colours and royal blue socks as a nod to Harrow Balmoral. You can see Laharum and Harrow Balmoral colours in the huddles, indicating one team with two entire clubs following them."
Win or lose on Saturday, this is a story about kids banding together to play football, playing with new mates, and showing that anything is possible when clubs work together for the benefit of their youth.
It is an unbelievable achievement to make the grand final, having only played with each other for the first time since round five.