How Lions star chimed in to make ‘Wharfie Time’ his own
Anna Harrington |
Will Ashcroft heard Fremantle’s “Wharfie Time” bells sound around the MCG, then knew the best way to silence them.
With minutes left, Docker Patrick Voss delivered a 17-point lead and someone at Fremantle hit “go” on the crowd activation.
“I thought we were cooked to be honest,” Ashcroft told AAP.
Then the 22-year-old took matters into his own hands to earn the Lions a third straight premiership.
Ashcroft, already a two-time Norm Smith Medallist, went ballistic, recording four clearances and six disposals as Brisbane reeled off the final four goals of the game to snatch a victory for the ages.
“When the Wharfie Time hit and they went up by that much, I found a bit of freedom in myself,” Ashcroft said.
“Like ‘there’s not much to lose now, let’s just go for it and try and win the game’.
“So that’s what I was thinking, I just wanted to go for it and lucky it paid off.”
Ashcroft had 12 disposals and four clearances in the final term and 31 disposals and nine clearances overall.
He said whether his performance could have earned him a third Norm Smith Medal hadn’t crossed his mind.
“If they were giving the Norm Smith Medal for five minutes of footy at the end of the game, Will would have won it,” coach Chris Fagan said.
Ruckman Sam Draper was in awe at how his star midfielder handled the crucial final minutes.
“We just stayed calm, had a plan and then I just let the young prince cook,” he said.
“He’s a freak, I love playing with him.”
Younger brother Levi, now a two-time premiership player, marvels at Will.
“He just seems to go to another level when the pressure goes up and the game time goes up,” Levi said.
“Unbelievable again.”
Ashcroft follows in the footsteps of father Marcus, who played in Brisbane’s three-peat from 2001-03, and is already dreaming of a fourth premiership on the spin.
“It’s pretty crazy,” he said.
“Only one team’s done it and no one in the modern era, so it’d be pretty amazing to get that done.”
AAP