Twenty two players may have taken to the field for Jacana in the Essendon District Football League division 2 grand final, but it’s taken a lot more than those guys to claim the premiership flag.
A group of determined people behind the scenes have ensured the club continues to exist.
Not that long ago, the Jaguars were on the verge of folding.
They were being smashed by 30 goals each week, there was a lack of sponsors and players were unhappy about fronting up to lose every week.
Diehard Jaguars supporters and players fought hard to make sure the club survived and were rewarded with the premiership on Saturday.
Jaguars president Rick Lloyd was an emotional man after the win, which means so much to so many.
“I think what it means to the club,” he said. “The last five or six years, we’ve come a long way from where the club was being beaten by 30, goals week in and week out … the supporters have stuck by us.
“A few hard nuts have come on to the committee, tidied it up a little bit and got the right people on board.
“I’ve been in the club 50 years. Most of us don’t live in the area any more, but we travel from everywhere. Jacana is Jacana and you can’t beat that.”
Lloyd was quick to highlight that it wasn’t just those currently on board that had done the hard work, saying everyone who had stepped up during the tough times deserved credit.
He said Ian Jensen and Brett Jensen who were instrumental in the rebirth project and former coaches Matthew Sacco and Aaron Collins had played big roles in getting the club to where it now is.
Three-time AFL premiership player and now Jacana premiership player Chris Johnson is another who stepped into help, while Lloyd said Khan Sayers had been fantastic for five years behind the scenes.
Lloyd said that when they set about reinvigorating the club, they put in a place a five-year plan with a premiership in the final year the aim.
On Saturday, they achieved that with the 17.5 (107)-12.10 (82) win against Coburg Districts, meaning next season the Jaguars will be playing in division 1.
“Fifteen of these guys have all played junior football at Jacana over the years,” Lloyd said.
“A lot of people think we brought a lot of players in, but it’s just local kids coming back and playing for the club.
“We went out and said that we would have a really good crack this year. We’ve achieved it
“Two years ago, we thought we had a mediocre side, but the boys’ heart and soul got them into a grand final.
“No one expected it. No one expected to win, but we had a crack. We wanted to build on that.
“We’ve done the hard yards.”
For Johnson, to be part of a Jacana premiership is a dream come true. He might have three AFL premierships, but winning a flag with his junior club is right up there.
“I’ve always wanted to come back here and play in a premiership,” he said. “My father did back in [19]82 and the last premiership the club played in was in 2000
“We hadn’t won one here [EDFL]. It means a lot. I only live down the road. My family is always welcome, so it’s just a great place to be around.”
Johnson was one of those people who stepped in to help the club when it looked like folding.
Like so many others, he didn’t want to see a club that meant so much to so many disappear.
“Four, four and half years ago, there was talk about folding,,” he said. “We decided to get our hands dirty. We’ve got some people externally who have given us some support and sponsorship, and those people have been fantastic.
“All the hard work everyone has done behind the scenes … it’s paid off and now we have to go again and look towards division 1.”
Despite being the oldest player in the side, Johnson didn’t let his younger teammates overshadow him and he was one of his side’s best.
“It took me a while, but once I got going it was a bit of fun,” he said.
For more pictures of Saturday’s game CLICK HERE
