After two years of steady development, it was only fitting that Murrumbateman Eagles president and coach, Andy Ingold, had the opportunity to kick the goal which gave them their first win.
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With seconds left in the match and after taking a bone-jarring mark, Ingold lined the ball up 30 metres out on a sharp angle at Goulburn's Goodhew Park on Saturday afternoon.
The Goulburn Swans were up by two points, and had led for the last three quarters of the game.
So, of course, Ingold kicked it.
As soon as the ball left his boot, he loosed a guttural roar and was quickly engulfed by teammates.
"It's made it all worth it," an emotional Ingold said moments after the Eagles' 12.6.78 to 11.8.74 win over the Swans.
"The hard work has paid off, that's all it is."
'Hard work' is an understatement in the context of what was an even and physical match between two of the hardest-working teams in the competition.
After they took the lead, 0.4.4 to 1.1.7 in a low-scoring first quarter, the Eagles struggled to keep up with the Swans' run-and-carry game style. A 4.6.30 to 4.3.27 half-time deficit became 8.7.55 to 7.4.46 at three-quarter time, and Goulburn looked likely to run away with it in the final term.
However, the fighting spirit which the Eagles have shown since their first game, which was also against the Swans, then came to the fore.
Both sides traded goals early in the quarter, and at one point the Swans' lead blew out to 15 points, but Murrumbateman's haul of five goals put them right back in the contest.
Eventually, the match came down to Ingold's steady foot, but he said that it was only through the team's efforts that his goal meant anything.
"We just stuck to it all day, we stuck to our structure," Ingold said.
"The boys didn't give up, they didn't stop, they kept their pressure and it paid off. I'm ecstatic."
The Eagles' discipline and structure was key in their victory. While the Swans were depleted by injuries and fielded a young and inexperienced side, they still posed a significant threat due to their pace and strong midfield.
But the Eagles' ability to stick to their gameplan allowed them to thrive under pressure, and it was worth it in the end.
This Saturday, Murrumbateman will take on the Cootamundra Blues at Clarke Oval from 2.00pm.
