2024 – A Golden Vintage for Old Scotch (Part 2: The Cardinals)

Old Scotch fans will fondly remember 2024 as they experienced the view from the top of the mountain in both the Premier Men’s and Premier Women’s competitions for the first time.

In Part 2 of our two-part feature on Old Scotch’s history-making season, we celebrate the club’s first Premier Men’s flag since 1978:

PART 2: THE CARDINALS

Having finished fourth in 2023 (losing the First Semi Final to eventual runners-up St Kevin’s), Old Scotch entered 2024 confident of building on that experience.

“It was about consolidating & giving ourselves a chance,” said senior coach Mark Gnatt.

“As coaches, we had strong belief in our group. We had a few list changes coming in and we just needed continuity. We knew we were capable, and as the season rolled on, the boys started to believe it too. The more games we played together, the better we got and the results showed that when we got on a run.”

Mark believed they’d assembled the necessary talent to challenge in September if they could bond it into a fully cohesive unit.

“Connection and depth were our two keys. Number one was that connection as a whole group – the entire senior squad. Our depth was fantastic and really held us in good stead. A lot gets made of our VFL-listed players getting the opportunity to play at that next level, but when they’re not with us, we need other guys to emerge and step up. Our young guys did an outstanding job of doing that and a couple of them ended up holding their spot and playing in the premiership.”

The Cardinals opened their 2024 campaign with a couple of wins over Uni Blacks and Fitzroy before inaccurate kicking cost them victories over Collegians and Uni Blues.

They bounced back to comfortably beat St Bernards, before Old Brighton dominated them at Brighton Beach Oval in Round 6, playing selfless, team-first football to put the game to bed in the third term, leaving Old Scotch delicately poised at 3-3.

“I do run themes throughout the year,” said Gnatt.

“Brighton schooled us a bit around Team Involvements in Round 6 and that became a pivotal theme in the course of our season. We shined a light on that part of the game, which needed to improve and the players bought in.

“And while we lost to St Kevin’s by two points the next week and dropped to sixth on the ladder, for me it wasn’t about ladder position but what was going on out on the ground. We actually executed those team involvements well that day, which pleased me as I knew the message was getting through. From that point on, we went on a pretty good run.”

The Cardinals won their next 6 games to shape as a likely finals contender. But the VAFA world waited to see how they would stack up against the Top 2 premiership fancies when they faced Old Brighton and St Kevin’s in Rounds 14 and 15. It shaped as a season-defining fortnight for Old Scotch either way.

“That was the time,” Mark admits. “Are we gonna make up the numbers or are we gonna get it done? We played well in those games.”

That is something of an understatement as the Cardinals sent a clear message to the entire competition with a 25-point victory over the Tonners backed up with an ultra-impressive 8-goal win over SKOB.

“Even though we won those, we were still third. We couldn’t control what the Top 2 were going to do in the run home, so we didn’t worry about anyone else. We just focused on ourselves, given we had Collegians & Xavs on our heels.”

Despite having won their last 9 games, Old Scotch remained in a tight 3-way struggle for two finals spots with Collegians and OId Xaverians. After dropping their Round 17 game to the Lions by 7 points to end their winning streak, they entered the final round knowing that Old Brighton and St Kevin’s were playing each other, so one was likely to lose.

If that happened to be SKOB, the Cardinals could pinch second spot and secure themselves the double chance.

As it turned out, SKOB did lose a one-point classic to the Tonners, but Old Xavs (who were fighting to keep their finals dream alive) jumped up and knocked Old Scotch over by 9 points to cost the Cards the double chance in one of the most gripping final home & away rounds in VAFA history.

That handed Old Scotch back-to-back losses and sent them into a cut-throat First Semi Final against their nemesis, Collegians, who had beaten them in their last ten meetings stretching all the way back to 2015.

But, unlike their two 2024 home & away meetings, where the Cards kicked a combined 15.28, they took enough of their chances in the Semi to end the Lions’ premiership defence with what turned out to be a comprehensive 44-point win.

That earned the Cardinals a Preliminary Final appointment with a SKOB team hunting its sixth consecutive Grand Final and after three quarters of tight and tense football, the Cards managed to break the game open with a blistering 7-goal last quarter to post another 44-point win and a ticket to their first Premier Men’s Grand Final since 1978.

The Cardinals received a boost of inspiration from their Premier Women’s team winning it’s first top-tier premiership the following day, when they triumphed over St Kevin’s to deny the Saints a fourth straight flag.

“The connection between our Men’s and Women’s program is outstanding,” said Mark.

“What they achieved certainly inspired us. They’ve been a real inspiration in our club. You’ve only got to look back at our pre-season camp – we had 90 players there from our men’s, women’s & Under 19’s groups. That’s where a lot of this season’s success really started. Our ability to support each other was fantastic & Ando (Women’s premiership coach, Dean Anderson) would attest to that. We’re pretty proud of it.”

Elsternwick Park was packed on Grand Final Day, as more than 4000 fans squeezed into VAFA HQ on a perfect September Friday afternoon. The Cardinals got away to a flying start with the breeze at their backs, booting two goals in the first 3 minutes and piling the pressure onto the Tonners, who repeatedly turned the football over, leading to a 19-point quarter-time lead for the underdogs.

The game opened up in the second term and despite holding territorial dominance, the Tonners failed to capitalise on the scoreboard, booting 5.8 for the quarter to head to the break with a 7-point deficit – the Cardinals buoyed by their ability to absorb the mounting pressure.

Old Brighton started the third strongly but, try as they might, couldn’t find the goal that would put them in front as the Old Scotch defence weathered the storm before the Cards created their own opportunities late in the quarter to boot 3 goals and re-establish an 18-point lead at the last change.

“There were so many highlights in the match itself,” Gnatt reflects with a smile.

“I still listen to the commentary when Will Clark kicked a second in quick succession late in the third term. The energy from our supporters and the crowd in general was amazing. I loved the way Joey Pignataro called that.”

Despite the Tonners booting the opening goal of the final term, it was the Cardinals with the answers once again. As they’d done all afternoon, they responded to the challenge in a pulsating quarter of football that finally broke open at the 15-minute mark when Jock Nelson Medallist Ryan Valentine booted his fourth goal to open up a 23-point lead.

“You never think you’re home. There was a moment with a minute or so to go. My son runs water for us and he came over, put his arm around me & said ‘Dad, we’ve done it.’ That was the moment I knew I could enjoy it. It was a very special moment when my 15-year-old son calmed me down.”

The siren sounded shortly after to hand the Cardinals their first top-flight premiership in 46 long and often painful years and, incredibly, despite it being the club’s tenth A-grade flag, it was just their second in 90 years after losing six of their previous 7 top-tier Grand Finals.

“It’s funny. When the siren sounded, it was probably more a sense of relief than anything else,” said Mark.

“We’ve actually done it. Everything we’ve stood for over the years has led to this. The moment of holding the cup up with Jelly (captain Andy Jelbart) was so significant and special – for me, for Jel, for all of us. It was symbolic of the journey we’d been on for the last six years and that long build to get there.

“I can remember a session we did with a leadership consultant about five years ago and I’ve had that exact image etched in my brain ever since. So to share it with Jelly, who’s been there every step of the way, was pretty special. I can’t speak highly enough of him as a person and a leader – he’s just fantastic.

“There were so many mixed emotions. It was extremely satisfying, a bit of relief and proof that I knew what I was doing. That anyone who may have doubted me over the years was wrong. Tim Shearer (former Club President) showed courage originally in appointing me, then Will Strange (current President) has shown faith in me.

“It reinforced that we’re on the right path and to keep backing myself and I would encourage that to anyone out there. Get good people around you and back yourself.

“Did I doubt myself at times? Definitely. But I was also able to learn how to focus in the right areas. My wife and family have been extremely important in that. My other coaches this year were amazing and I can’t thank them enough. They were a big part of our success, as were our leaders – Jelbart, Brodie and those boys. All of that enabled me to keep believing.

“It was everyone contributing on and off the field that led to this success. The overwhelming sense of connection we have between players and coaches was special – there’s a genuine care in this group of people. It’s not manufactured, it’s real and I can only see that growing.

“When our backs were against the wall and we were tested in key moments, our ability to answer those questions was exceptional. You can’t do that without a strong culture. It’s been built over years, and it’s something to be proud of.

“We genuinely care for one another. We have a mantra about creating an inspirational environment for young men & women where they can enjoy their footy but more importantly build strong bonds & friendships and create a place they’re proud of.

“From a club level, I was moved by the raw emotion of so many people that this has touched at our club. To see them back the club later that night – guys involved in the 1978 premiership and others that have been around for so much longer. The tears – even now it gives me goosebumps.

“That was why it was so important. It’s not about me or the current group. It’s about the collective over so many years.”

And so the focus shifts to defending the crown in 2025 – Gnatt pleased by the stability in his list.

“Key back Matt Bennett announced his retirement, but there’s every chance that might change! I hope so – he’s such a pivotal player for us.

“But the rest of the list pretty much as is. What’s most exciting for us is that the likes of Conway, Frenetic, Easton, Allen and Goodison, who all missed out on the premiership, will be available again in 2025.

“We have a few other young guys coming through as well. So for us, it’s about building on our current list with a couple of new additions.”

“The biggest arrival for us is Tyler Sellers, who returns to the club and will be available when not on duty with Essendon VFL. That’s pretty exciting when you think about the other talls we already have – Valentine, Tarrant, Sellers, Clark & Sam Grant – that’s a lot of firepower up front, but they could all be playing VFL on any given week.

“Our game style needs to evolve. We can’t stay stagnate or we’ll get overrun.

“We need different methods for how we move the ball – that’s something we’re looking at closely. At times, we became a bit easier to defend. The game is about speed. So we want to continue to play to our strengths and then have some diversity in other methods moving forward.

“Defensively, we were very good. We stood up well in the Grand Final, but we still have some fundamentals we can improve to defend around the ground better and win the ball back.”

The Cardinals know they will start the 2025 Premier Men’s campaign with a target on their back from some top-quality teams keen to atone for past disappointments and make their own history. But Gnatt doesn’t see the hunger of his own group waning.

“We’ve proven we can do it, and sure, there’ll be some doubters out there.

“But we have a bunch of guys who missed out, plus some younger guys coming through and our hunger is being driven organically by those boys. They’re a very self-driven group. As coaches, we just need to harness and manage that.

“I feel like we probably have an even deeper hunger this year.”