HE may be 36 years old, but Moyhu captain Andrew Balfour looked as fit as a 20-year old as he ran rampant on the W J Findlay Oval on Saturday afternoon.
Racking up 30-plus possessions and more than 15 marks, Balfour took out the Oak FM Player of the Match award with a dominant performance across half back.
While he was happy enough with his own game, Balfour deflected much of the praise to his teammates, and said the most pleasing aspect of the victory was the way in which the Hoppers hit back after falling 10 points behind early in the final term.
"We were down in the last quarter, but fought our way back," Balfour said.
"It's happened to us a few times this year, so we just knew that we could fight back.
"We're a pretty fit side, so we knew if we could get our noses in front we had the energy to go on with it.
"That was the most pleasing bit about it."
While there were plenty of pivotal moments, Balfour said the match winning move was swinging ruckman Daniel McInness into the forward line for the final term.
"That was the difference in the end," he said.
"(McInness) is a real tall lad and it's hard to get over the top of him.
"Everyone else is getting tired, but he's still just as tall at the end of the game.
"When you've got a bloke that tall who can take a good mark he is going to be very hard to stop."
Balfour has tasted premiership success five times with the Hoppers, and said this one could be the start of a new dynasty, and he is hopeful of helping to win a few more flags yet.
"This is just as good as any of them," he said.
"It's the first really close one that we've won, so it ranks right up there.
"Hopefully it's the start of something big.
"The boys are all keen to stick around, so I think it could be, but you still have to keep improving every year.
"It's not going to come easy.
"I'll have another crack next year and just see how it goes.
"I still love being around the club and going to training, so as long as that's the case I'll keep going.".
By - SCOTT ANDERSON.
19/09/2011
www.nenews.com.au
LEADING THE WAY: Andrew Balfour and John McNamara hoist the premiership cup aloft.
PHOTO: Cheryl Browne
Last Modified on 19/09/2011 15:25