MDU captain Tom Corry named ‘best’ in 200th senior game

A FEATURE of the post-game at Newborough on Sunday, after Fish Creek had come away with an eight-point victory in the Mid Gippsland league semi-final against near-neighbours Meeniyan-Dumbalk United, was the fitting acknowledgment of Demons’ captain Tom Corry’s 200th senior game for the club.

There have been few better servants of the club.

It’s been a long time coming, though, with COVID intervening and a four-year stint with Casey Demons along the way.

And while it might not have been the best way to celebrate such a milestone, by exiting the 2026 final series, Corry was content that his team had at least given a good account of themselves on the day.

“They jumped us at the start, but it was pleasing how we fought back and only went down by eight points in the end, better than last year against Yinnar,” said Corry after the game.

They went out in the corresponding finals’ round last year, barely giving a yelp against Yinnar, trailing by 50 points at three-quarter time, before adding some respectability in the last quarter.

This time, against Fish Creek, they were similarly slow out of the blocks but managed to fight their way back into it by half time, from which point onwards, they went toe-to-toe with the Creekers, especially after their spearhead Charlie Wilson left the field in the third quarter with a hamstring injury, after kicking seven of the team’s nine goals.

Corry said he was always coming back to MDU after his Gippy Power and Casey Demons days, and rated the club as good a local footy club as any in country Victoria.

“We’ve got a strong family connection to the club through the Opreys and yeah, I was always going to come back,” he said.

He’s had an auspicious run, winning five club best and fairests, and capping it off by being named ‘best’ for MDU in Sunday’s match.

In his time at Gippsland Power, where he played with Dyson Heppell, Power made the grand final in his senior year but went down by 80 points to a star-studded Calder Cannons team.

“They had a pretty good side; Dion Prestia, Cam Guthrie and Tom Liberatore among others.”

Corry was chaired off the ground by Jaymie Youle and Steve Forrester, through a guard of honour by the players and a warm round of applause from not only his own supporters but the Fish Creek faithful as well.

And there were some nice words from the coach, Rhett Kelly in a pack Demon rooms after the game.