Jack Henderson wins Norm Goss Medal in VFL grand final as Werribee breaks premiership drought

This year Jack Henderson might be the Werribee player drafted to the AFL after a Norm Goss Medal-winning performance in the VFL grand final – potentially joining Mannagh at the Cats.

Geelong snapped up Mannagh after his six goals and a picket-fence of possessions against Gold Coast Suns in the 2023 decider. It wasn’t enough to lift the Bees over the line.

On Sunday, Mannagh returned to Carlton to present Henderson, 24, with the Norm Goss after his club won its first premiership since 1993 and only its second in the VFA/VFL, with an enthralling six-point win over Southport at IKON Park.

The Bees won 10.9 (69) to 8.15 (63). But the match could well have extended to extra time had Shark Wylie Buzza pulled off a spectacular marking attempt in the shadows of the siren.

“Thankfully it went when it did. We were just hanging on,’’ Werribee coach Jimmy Allan said.

His team was outplayed in the first half and fortunate to be only 13 points adrift at the main break. At that stage it was 3.2 for Werribee and 4.9 for Southport.

But Henderson was one of the players who pulled the Bees back into the match, kicking two long goals in a third quarter in which his team turned a deficit into a small lead at the last change. He finished with 23 touches, seven marks, eight tackles and his pair of vital goals as Werribee held off the persistent Sharks in a tense final term.

It triggered stirring scenes after the game as success-starved supporters surged onto the ground. Security sought to keep them behind rope, but no bulldozer could have held them back.

They roared when Donald McDonald – Werribee’s coach in 1993 – was called forward to present acting captain and JJ Liston Trophy champion Dom Brew and injured skipper Nick Coughlan with the premiership cup, Allan having stepped aside to let Coughlan do the honours.

A few days before the grand final, long-serving Werribee CEO Mark Penaluna predicted to CODE Sports that Henderson would win the Norm Goss and gain some belated recognition.

“Five years. I’ve been talking about him for five years,’’ an elated Penaluna said after the match.

“What should happen is the same as what happened last year with Shaun Mannagh. He (Henderson) is durable, can play multiple positions, he’s tough, fast, fit.’’

Henderson said the medal was unexpected – “Twenty-three blokes got it done today’’ – and a bonus to go with a premiership medal for a club he described as “pretty special’’.

The right-footer is from Blighty in country NSW and played junior football with Blighty and Deniliquin. Moving to Geelong College, he won a school best and fairest, linked with local club St Mary’s and advanced to the Geelong Falcons list in the TAC Cup in 2017.

He joined Werribee in 2018 and has rarely missed a game since. This year he made his 100th senior appearance.

Henderson was selected in the VFL team for the representative match against the SANFL early this season and last Monday was included in the VFL team of the year, one of four Werribee selections.

“Absolutely,’’ he said when asked about AFL aspirations.

“I go out every week to put my best foot forward. If the opportunity comes, I’ll grab it with both hands. But I know where I’m at, age-wise. There are a lot of people my height (179cm) in the pool, so I’ve got no expectations.’’

Asked about his two goals from outside 50m, he quipped: “I think I had the wind behind me.’’

Henderson, an economist for Nutrien Ag Solutions at Bannockburn, averaged 22.3 possessions and 5.7 tackles from his 21 matches this year. He also slipped in for 15 goals.

It’s believed Geelong is tracking him closely, just as it had been watching Mannagh before last year’s grand final.

Michael Barlow, who coached Werribee to the 2023 grand final and joined AFL club North Melbourne this year, was chuffed with his former charge’s performance.

“I don’t think today was the stamping point for me to think that Jack Henderson should get drafted,’’ he said.

“He’s been at AFL level for a number of years. But hopefully today will expose how good he actually is to people watching. He’s very reliable, he’s clean, really team-orientated and he just gives great effort. And he has top-end character. I think he ticks most of the boxes.’’

Asked about Henderson, Mannagh shot back: “He goes. He’s on an AFL list. Not just off today, but his whole year and he’s had four or five good years. He can play any position – forward, back, midfield – he does the grunt work, he’s as hard as nails. Any AFL club would be lucky to have him. It would be nice to have him at Geelong but we’ll see what happens.’’

Mannagh and Barlow were among a large contingent of former Werribee players who mingled with players, officials and supporters after the club’s second VFA/VFL premiership. The club joined the VFA in 1965.

David “Banga’’ Lyons was a foundation player and for many years held the club’s games record (139). He was a “sneaky half forward’’. Later, he was on the board and served in other roles, including chairman of selectors.

“Mate, this is unbelievable, sort of mind-blowing to me. Between 1993 and now, we’ve had four or five chances and never quite got there,’’ he said.

“I was a bit worried. I thought it might be a repeat of last year, with the bigger bodies and more experienced players might get us. But they’re a great young group. I’d hate to play against them. They just keep at it and keep at it.’’

Lyons added: “Honestly, I can go away peacefully now. This club …’’

The premiership made for a triumphant return to Werribee for Allan, who was taken on as an untried senior coach to replace Barlow. He played at the club in 2005-06 before going to the SANFL and becoming a Magarey Medal winner three times over.

Allan was part of the 2005 Werribee team that lost the grand final to Sandringham. “We had a horror day and only went down by nine points,’’ he said.

Allan’s first thoughts on this grand final related to Southport.

“They’re such a good side. They were way better than us in the first half,’’ he said.

“But I’m so proud of our guys. They never give up. We were only 13 points down (at half-time) … I know with these guys that they’re going to find a way, and they did. I had a feeling they would.’’

Allan said he felt lucky to go back to such a well-administered and resourced club.

“Great leadership, great staff, great players, great people … I landed in the right spot at the right time,’’ he said.

Allan quickly switched back to Southport: “To be honest, I feel for them, because I know what it’s like being on the other side. They were so good. And there will probably be things that they think about in the game where, if this had happened or that had happened, they could have won.’’

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His last word was on Henderson.

Was he ready to play big football?

“You saw it. He’s a star mate,’’ he said. “When you need your leaders to stand up, our guys have done it all year and it hasn’t always been the same ones. He’s kicked two clutch goals from outside 50 in the third quarter and he just kept winning every moment and every contest. I’d love him to go to the next level, because he’s a better bloke than he is footballer and that’s a big call because he’s a superstar.’’