Football
16 September, 2024
Laharum reserves claim first premiership since 2007
After winning three games in 2023, the Laharum Reserves football team has made a miraculous turnaround and caused a massive upset, defeating the Swifts by 17 points at North Park in Stawell to win the 2024 Horsham District Football Netball League premiership.
Kicking with the wind in the first quarter, Laharum held the Swifts to three goals, scoring two to take a seven-point lead into quarter-time.
In challenging conditions, with wind and rain, both teams struggled to score until Adam Leslie slotted his first for the Swifts to extend the margin to two goals.
With the clouds clearing and the sun shining, the rest of the quarter was hard-fought. Phillip Butsch crumbed a ball in the pocket to kick Laharum's third for the game to make the margin seven points at half-time.
In the third quarter, the game remained tight, and it wasn't until the halfway mark that Gerard Matthews kicked the Demons first for the quarter to peg the margin back to two points.
The rain came again, and the Demons handled the conditions better. Phillip Butsch gave them the lead late in the quarter to take a four-point lead into the last break.
The sun shone in the last, but it didn't last long, with the rain returning and Laharum getting stronger. Laharum edged clear with two late goals, the last of which was kicked by Peter Yates. Laharum ran out 7.5.47 to 4.6.30 winners to claim their first reserves premiership since 2007.
Phillip Butsch kicked three goals for Laharum, with Gerard Matthews and Peter Yates kicking two apiece. Hayden de Graaf was adjudged best on the ground, with Phillip Butsch, Daniel Down, Hamish Roberts, Thomas Doyle, and Ben Peucker among the best.
Andrew Baker kicked two goals for the Swifts, with Zak Varley, Benjamin Martin, Ethan Blake, Blake Swain and Nicholas Pickering among their best.
Daniel Down came to Laharum in 2021; in 2024, it was his first year as coach. After all that the club has been through in the last two years, nearly merging with Taylors Lake in 2023, winning was a special moment.
"I wanted to repay the club for what they have done to us, holding us together," Down said.
"To get all these boys back playing from the work of the committee and senior footy group, this cup is for them.
"It took a lot of hard work from many people, not just me, but a whole team led by our president Hamish Roberts."
"He put in so much hard work to turn things around, and the club is in a strong position and moving in the right direction."
"It's a special moment that will be remembered for a long time."
