Historic: 1990 Euroa club president, the late Leo Kubeil, with coach Kevin Storer after winning that year’s Goulburn Valley League grand final.
It has been 32 years since Euroa last won a Goulburn Valley League premiership and on Sunday that drought could end.
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Grand final appearances — let alone wins — have been hard to come by for the Magpies in recent times, however, one man who knows what it’s like better than anyone is Kevin Storer.
The club’s 1990 premiership coach has thrown his support behind Scott Rowan’s class of 2022 — with an elusive title now one win away.
“I’m absolutely rapt for them. It’s been a few lean years since we won it back in 1990,” Storer said.
“I said to Scotty (Rowan), to win a grand final everything’s got to go your way, you’re going to need a hell of a lot of luck and things have got to fall your way to win.
“He understands that and he knows he’s going to be up against it, but he also understand’s that it’s going to be a tough game.”
Storer reflected on how the town felt in the lead up to the 1990 grand final.
The town was decked in black and white streamers and balloons, with everyone getting around their team.
“I can clearly recall the week leading up to the grand final and all the shop windows in the main street were done up in the Magpies colours,” he said.
Having a week off due to winning the second semi-final, Storer said his team came from behind to win the big dance over Rochester, with the grand final win different to this year’s match-up in a number of ways.
“We were favourites that year, but this year Echuca are clear favourites to win it,” he said.
“They’re (Euroa) not going in with any pressure on them this year, they’re going in as the underdogs and they can just give it their best shot without fearing failure sort of thing.
“People always ask me ‘how would today’s side go against my side?’ and I always say ‘I reckon they’d be too quick for us’, they move the ball so quick and they’re so skilled and so fit, so it’s sort of hard to compare sides.”
One to remember: Kevin Storer helped his side come from behind to down Rochester in the 1990 decider.
The 65-year-old said Euroa’s midfield movement was one aspect he liked watching this year, with the former mentor full of praise for current coach Rowan.
“Scotty’s a great coach, he’s done wonderful things with the Euroa footy club,” he said.
“We only have brief conversations, sometimes he just says ‘how do you think we’re going?’ sort of thing, so I just offer him advice if he asks for it.
“Scotty has done a great job putting the side together, I know he’s popular around the club and he’s got wonderful support around the town as well.”
Currently residing in Swan Hill, the premiership coach will make the trip to Deakin Reserve on Sunday, with some key words of advice for the 2022 team.
“I think it’s fantastic for the township of Euroa to be in the final and you’ve got to take it all in, enjoy it and make the best of it,” he said.
“Obviously players are going to be nervous and excited, but just enjoy it, take it all in and on the day just don’t hold back, just give it your best shot and come off with no regrets knowing that you couldn’t have done anything more, win, lose or draw.”
