Lions dominate in South-West Football finals

Lions coach John Baggetta has hailed Harvey-Brunswick-Leschenault’s teamwork as the crucial factor for their unprecedented invincible season in the South-West Football League.

The HBL Lions ended the season unbeaten after claiming victory against the Eaton Boomers in the SWFL grand final last month.

The players ended the day with a 9.11 (65) to 4.12 (36) win.

“They probably don’t always like what I do at different times but at the end of the day, we are a group and that’s what I’ve enjoyed the most,” Mr Baggetta says.

While controversy surrounded Baggetta’s appointedment as coach at the end of 2018, his team believe Baggetta’s results speak for themselves.

HBL winger Ty Anderson says the coach promised the team a win from the start and delivered on his word.

“He promised us a flag, he got us a flag, so can’t complain,” Anderson said.

HBL supporter Kevin Heenan also offered praised Baggetta’s coaching.

“John Baggetta was very good,” Heenan says. “It’s not just about today, it’s about the season.”

Until this year, the HBL League team hadn’t won a grand final for nine years.

Tensions were beginning to show at the end of the season, with players reportedly being warned to take it easy ahead of the quarter finals.

“Some of the guys have been around long enough to know what it takes,” Baggetta said.

“If they’re having fun, they will be prepared to work a bit harder and the results will speak for themselves.”

In the end, Baggetta attributes the win to both teamwork and hard work.

“We believe when you go pound for pound we are always going to have the ability to run through until the end,” Baggetta says.