Football begins at 40 for the Demons
The Lockyer Valley Demons have won their first game since entering the AFL Darling Downs competition in 2010 with a 39 point victory of the Goondiwindi Hawks.
The Demons won all four quarters at the Gatton Showgrounds to record a strong 12-8-80 to 6-5-41 win in a match that saw both sides desperate to open their account.
Damien Morris was fantastic for the home side, kicking 4 goals including the first of the match, as was skipper Robert Hicks who once again showed leadership when it counted.
The Lockyer has for many years been a valley of AFL talent, with no team in the region since the Gatton Magpies left the competition after the 1999 season.
A few dedicated individuals showed interest in reforming the team and combined with the success of the NAB’s AFL Auskick program, the Lockyer Valley Demons entered the competition in 2010 with 4 junior teams as well as the senior side.
“When we started this club we put together a 5 year plan which including winning games by year three,”said President and A Grade coach of the Demons Tony Bowers.
The club has been on the end of a number of heavy defeats in their previous 39 outings, with just four results being under a triple-figure margin. Although a few results have been over 200 points this season the Demons have shown much improvement, including a 5 goal effort against reigning premiers and current leaders Toowoomba Tigers.
“This week was the first week we did not have to permit players from Brisbane and selecting a squad from 30 players was a tough ask,” said Bowers.
“Each week we just go out there and give it a go, but this week we were hungry for the footy and everything went to plan.”
Bowers has noted that the players just don’t quite have enough experience, as was emphasised by the club blooding three Under 16 players in the match, who exceeded their years by ‘cutting their opponents to shreds’.
The club is now off the bottom of the Allied Pickfords Cup table for the first time in their history and will look to start the second half of the season with a strong performance against the undefeated South Toowoomba Bombers this weekend whom they lost to by 218 points in Round 1.
“It’s exciting times ahead for the club because I feel it’s all starting to happen,” added Bowers.
