Belconnen's last gasp win

 One of the most courageous performances in Belconnen's history led to a perfect farewell for Steve Mahar yesterday when the Magpies won the 2009 AFL Canberra premiership by a single goal. In a dramatic final quarter when the lead changed four times in the last 15-minutes and then were tied for almost four minutes, a goal to another retiring Magpie in Brock Weston sealed Belconnen's fourth premiership.
 Mahar had played in all of them.  Yesterday was his 248th and final game when he ended a 17-year playing career that included a Mulrooney medal and A club record five Belconnen best and fairests. Belconnen coach Brendan Read said it had been important give Mahar a fitting farewell, what his team had managed to achieve this year had been amazing. `After five rounds this year we had a question mark over our heads, for us to ask what we have of our players and for the players to respond...,'' Read said. ``It was just gutsy today, it was without doubt the most courageous Belconnen effort and for us to stand here victorious is a very special thing for this football club.'' Mahar said he hoped it would start a new period of success for the Magpies.
 ``Belconnen has been in 10 out of the last 12 grand finals and to only win four is not probably a great return,'' he said. `But hopefully now we can start a new trend and this team can go on with it over the next couple of years.''

 Belconnen started the game as strong favourites yesterday, but the first three-quarters were tight and low-scoring when neither team could get ahead. Ainslie suffered a blow when forward Tim Inkster came off in the third-quarter with a dislocated shoulder, but just before three-quarter time the tricolours gained the momentum and the lead with goals to Marcus Crook and captain Ryan Lewis.
 

At three-quarter time Read made the biggest move when he placed Mahar into the ruck, where he hadn't played for two-years, and urged his team to `give everything you've got for this guy' in the final-quarter.
 But it had looked like Canberra's best new talent at Ainslie would steal the win for the tricolours.
 Jason Tutt, who has been invited to this month's AFL draft camp, kicked his third goal to take Ainslie's lead to 13-points in the first minute. But Belconnen's Paul Raadts took two strong marks and two strong goals to bring back the margin. Mahar then kicked Belconnen within a point before Andrew Ainger, who had sprayed two shots out on the full earlier, put the Magpies in the lead.  From there, behinds to both teams meant scores were tied for five minutes before Weston's goal.
 

Influential Belconnen midfielder Josh Jennings was awarded for his performance with the Alex Jesaulenko medal for best on ground, but Raadts, Mahar and also John Love were just as crucial.
 For Ainslie, Tutt, Ben Hughes, John Pratt and David Love, who was granted an injunction by the Supreme Court against AFL Canberra to play, were the best for the tricolours.The win for Belconnen caps off an incredible first-grade coaching debut for former Belconnen junior Brendan Read. In just his first year of coaching last year, Read led the Magpies reserves to a premiership. This year he stepped into Mahar's shoes and completed the minor premiership and premiership double.

'I started with the club 25 years ago playing juniors and I haven't missed a season since,' Read said.

'It's a great place to be around and you can't replicate what we do, others try but they can't and I think that was proven today.'

AT A GLANCE
2009 AFL Canberra Division 1 grand final, BELCONNEN MAGPIES 11.13 (79) bt AINSLIE 10.13 (73) at Manuka Oval. Alex Jesaulenko medal, Josh Jennings (Belconnen Magpies). Crowd, Approx 3500.