Sport
19 September, 2025
Historical day for Demons
HISTORY was made on Saturday with Lismore/Derrinallum taking out both the Mininera and District Football League senior and reserves premierships at Mortlake’s DC Farran Oval.
“The day was a bit of a blur, there was a lot of satisfaction in sitting back and watching the replay,” Demons coach Alec Wiltshire said of the senior win over the Ararat Eagles.
The 16.12.108 to 7.2.44 win was Lismore/Derrinallum’s third MDFL senior premiership since joining the competition in 1999.
Lismore/Derrinallum made a strong start kicking into the wind, kicking four first quarter goals to Ararat’s one.
“Ararat kicked with what was probably a three to four goal advantage, but we came out strong,” Wiltshire said.
“Henry (Walsh) was getting the hitouts to our advantage to get the centre clearances, and when Ararat went forward our defenders suffocated them.”
Demons spearhead Lachie Constable kicked the first two goals of the game to set the tone.
“Lachie was fantastic, he gave us the start we needed, he did miss a couple early as well so he was right in the game.”
The Demons extended their lead with a strong second quarter with the wind, kicking five goals to two to go in at half-time with a 42 point advantage.
“They (Ararat) lost the plot a bit and had a couple yellow carded, we kept our cool and just played the ball which was pleasing.”
The scoring slowed down in the third quarter but the Demons were still able to extend their advantage, leading by 56 points at the final change.
“When they were two men down they played a chip the ball around kind of game, we were happy with that as they weren’t going to increase their scoring by playing that way.”
The last quarter saw Lismore/Derrinallum score four goals to three to seal a 64 point win, the club’s first senior premiership since 2017.
“When the siren went, the raw emotion was just a sense of relief,” Wiltshire said.
“We were confident going in and felt something would have to have gone really wrong for us to lose given how we played in the lead up.”
Steven Ryan and Max McIntosh were awarded the best on ground medals by officials after the game.
“Steven played a great game on the wing, his tackling pressure and ball use really impressed us.
“Max was really good under the packs, he had the ability to keep his feet and was able to hit the scoreboard.”
Wiltshire rated the game of star ruckman Henry Walsh extremely highly.
“If Henry wasn’t winning taps in the ruck he was taking intercept marks all over the ground, another great game in a brilliant season from him.”
Josh Sanders and Blake Scott were also named in the best for the premiers.
“Josh was super, hard at it, got crunched and got back up and also took the mark of the day with a second quarter hanger on the wing.
“Blake gave us plenty of drive with his running bounces, he was dynamic.”
While emphasising that it was a full team performance, Wiltshire was also full of praise for key forwards Lachie Constable and Austin Humphrey who kicked nine goals between them, and Jack Parker, who he said flies under the radar and is a real team player.
The support of the Demons community was particularly pleasing for the Demons coach.
“The number of supporters there was incredible, our huddles at the breaks were 20 deep, to say the Lismore and Derrinallum communities got right behind us is an understatement.
“To see the shops in both towns decked out in red and blue, and seeing what the win meant for our supporters was fantastic.”
A big night of celebrations back at the Lismore clubrooms followed.
“Most of the boys saw the sun rise,” laughed Wiltshire.
“To see the rooms jam packed with our friends, family and supporters was wonderful.”
A couple of special guests also joined in the celebrations.
“Gerard Fitzgerald and John Northey were there, it was nice to have those Derrinallum legends back at the club, you just don’t expect those guys to come up and congratulate you but that’s what they did.”
Reflecting on where the team had come from made the win even sweeter for Wiltshire.
“Three years ago, when Constable, Sanders and Walsh joined, we had a very ordinary year and finished ninth.
“At that point we could have gone either way, I’m thrilled for those guys that their loyalty in sticking around has been rewarded.”
With the bulk of the list already committed to the club in 2026, Wiltshire is bullish about the prospect for future success.
“If everything goes well they will all be staying around, we are still quite a young team.
“There’s been that much emotion, it’s really only just started to sink in during the last couple of days, there’s been a lot of talk about the 2017 premiership in recent years, now we have 2025 to talk about. “
The reserves match, also against the Ararat Eagles, was even more one sided, Lismore/Derrinallum scoring a 15.17.107 to 1.8.14 win.
The Eagles kicked their only goal in the first quarter, with the Demons dominating throughout.
“If you told me before the game we’d win by that much I’d have said you were kidding,” a thrilled Demons reserves coach Ash Stephenson said.
“It was just the perfect day where everything went to plan, the big ground really suited our team.”
Stephenson praised the Lismore/Derrinallum committee for its hard work in building the club to win both the senior and reserves flags.
“Days like Saturday don’t come around very often, credit to the president (Tim Turner) and his committee, it’s a reward for effort.”
Best for Lismore/Derrinallum in the win were Fraser Toohey, Riley Wandel, Xavier Coutts, Lachie McGavin, Brock Reid and Tyla Reid.
“Froggy (Toohey) was our best, he’s an in and under old school centreman with great skills and very stiff not to be playing seniors.
“Having Xavier Coutts in was a luxury, he was just too quick for everyone.”
Coutts kicked three goals, with Toohey, McGavin, Riley Browne, Matt Bacon and Brad Schiltz kicking two each.
“It was always going to be our small, quicker forwards that were going to win it for us, the spread of goal kickers was fantastic.”
Stephenson, who has been at Lismore/Derrinallum since 2018, will coach again in 2026 and enjoys the community aspect of the club.
“So many travel from so far to play at Lismore/Derrinallum and keep coming back because of the atmosphere there.
“I love it up there.”
PHOTOS COURTESY TRACEY KRUGER AND GARY POOLE
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