The Cougars won all four quarters in the premiership decider and became the first team since the formation of the Northern Football League in 2007 to win the premiership from outside the top three.
After finishing the home and away season in fourth place, the Cougars defeated West Preston-Lakeside, Bundoora, Montmorency and Heidelberg in consecutive weeks of the finals series to claim an historic premiership win.
Anthony Hogan was adjudged best afield in the 17.12 (114) to 9.15 (69) victory, however he had a number of teammates who could also have deservedly taken the honour, with Koden Colman (six goals), Shaun Lorenzini, Nick Carter and Paul Scanlon all putting in great games.
The premiership was effectively sealed late in the second quarter when Colman snapped his fourth goal to give his side a 30-point lead. While Heidelberg fought out the game, it was never able to make any inroads on the scoreboard.
Tigers skipper Blair Harvey miraculously led his side out despite strong speculation he would be forced out of the match through injury. Harvey suffered a crack in his tibia in Heidelberg’s 20-point second semi final win over Montmorency a fortnight earlier but passed a fitness test to line up in the premiership decider.
While his influence on the game was limited, veterans Danny Nolan and Josh Houlihan gave their all and youngster Will Drapac gained plenty of possessions across half back.
In warm conditions, it was again Northcote Park’s pace and quick link-up play which proved decisive. Despite Heidelberg coming off a week’s break, the Cougars simply ran the Tigers off their legs.
Hogan, Lorenzini, Carter and Ben McNiece continually ran the ball out of defensive 50m with speed, with many of Northcote Park’s scoring shots a direct result of coast to coast play.
The Cougars settled quickly and raced out to a 19-point lead after 15 minutes courtesy of two goals to Colman and another from Joseph Woonton following a spectacular pack mark.
Both of Colman’s goals came from set shots after marking kicks from Doug Morris, while Woonton flew high at the edge of the goal square to haul in a long pass from Scanlon.
Heidelberg hit back with two goals in a minute to Rhys Healey and Dale Nolan to reduce the margin to seven points, but a brilliant running goal to Oliver McEwan ensured Northcote Park took a 15-point lead into quarter time.
Ruckman McEwan was sensational in the first term. He was able to nullify the usual dominance of Heidelberg talls Michael Gay and Michael Finn which enabled Morris to excel at ground level.
An error from Julian Violato handed Heidelberg the first goal of the second quarter to Fabian Dorbolo.
Violato attempted a chip pass across the face of goal but his kick fell short of Lorenzini. Sean Logie swooped on the loose ball and handballed to Dorbolo for the easiest of goals.
It didn’t prove costly as Northcote Park piled on the next four goals to assume complete control of the contest.
Mitch Papas took a screamer on the goal line from Violato’s 50m set shot attempt to kick his only goal of the afternoon, before Nick Carter kicked the goal of the day.
The Northcote Park best and fairest winner ran onto a loose ball in the middle of the ground, took two bounces and slotted through a major from 40m out which had the crowd in raptures.
Colman kicked the next two goals to give the Cougars a 30-point buffer before Josh Houlihan kicked a much-needed goal for the Tigers. Houlihan danced out of a pack of traffic before unloading from 50m to kick his side’s fourth goal.
An Anthony Hogan bomb from 65m with a minute to go in the half restored the Cougars five-goal lead at the main break and it was going to take something special for Heidelberg to get back into the contest.
The lead was stretched to 43 points just minutes into the third quarter following goals to Woonton and Colman.
Colman’s was the result of lovely link play which involved McNiece, Lorenzini and Davies, before a beautiful pass from Jake Mills found Northcote Park’s full forward laces out.
Ben Cosgriff was switched from defensive to attack and the move reaped immediate dividends for Heidelberg as the big man responded with the next goal of the match.
Another to Danny Nolan shortly after brought Heidelberg back within 30 points but it would be the closest it would get to the Cougars for the remainder of the afternoon.
Lively youngster Brock McLennan streamed into goal following a dashing run from Lorenzini out of defence, before Nyaburu Kelly (three goals) drilled a 45m set shot on the cusp of three-quarter time to give his side a 40-point lead heading into the last quarter.
Heidelberg needed quick goals to keep its slim chances alive. It was able to kick the first through Jess Sinclair – but not until the seventh minute of the term.
Kelly responded with a 20m goal from outside the boundary line, before a 60m kick-in by Lorenzini found Nick Carter. He then chipped over to Woonton who ran to 55m and booted another – arguably the swiftest coast to coast goal produced all season.
The sides traded the remaining four goals of the contest with 45 points the margin when the final siren blew, giving Northcote Park it’s eighth A-Grade premiership, and first since 2002.
It capped off a remarkable year for the Cougars who won 11 of their final 12 games after sitting in eighth place on the ladder at Round 10 following a 33-point loss to eventual wooden spooner, Whittlesea.
Heidelberg 2.3, 4.7, 6.12, 9.15 (69)
Northcote Park 4.5, 9.8, 13.10, 17.12 (114)
Heidelberg
Goal Kickers: J. Houlihan 2, D. Nolan 2, R. Healey , F. Dorbolo, B. Cosgriff, D. Nolan, J. Sinclair
Best Players: J. Houlihan, B. Cosgriff, W. Drapac, D. Nolan, C. Cullinan, M. Gay
Northcote Park
Goal Kickers: K. Colman 6, J. Woonton 3, N. Kelly 3, N. Carter, B. McLennan, A. Hogan, O. McEwan, M. Papas
Best Players: A. Hogan, K. Colman, N. Carter, P. Scanlon, S. Lorenzini, N. Kelly
