Horsley in historic triumph
Neale HarveyKalgoorlie Miner
Tue, 25 September 2018 10:05AM
Camera IconFormer Goldfields player Kyal Horsley shows off his premiership medallion and the Simpson Medal he won as best afield after captaining Subiaco to the WAFL flag against West Perth at Optus Stadium. Credit: Getty Images
More accolades rolled in for former Goldfields footballer Kyal Horsley last Sunday when he captained Subiaco to an historic win over West Perth in a one-sided WAFL grand final at Optus Stadium.
Horsley, the 2006 Mitchell medallist as the Goldfields Football League's premier player, claimed the Simpson Medal as best afield in the Lions' 81-point win, 19.13 (127) to 7.4 (46).
Six days after finishing runner-up in the Sandover Medal voting for the second time, Horsley racked up 34 possessions to lead his team to an unbeaten WAFL record for the first time in 72 years.
It was just the third time in WAFL history a team had emerged undefeated, joining East Perth (1944) and East Fremantle (1946).
Subiaco also made history as the first club to win all three flags after the Lions' colts and reserves were successful in their respective grand finals.
On a memorable day that saw two other GFL products, Hayden Kennedy and Jacob Miller join Esperance's Clancy Wheeler on the big stage, Subiaco held West Perth goalless in the first term and led by 47 points at half-time.
The Lions nailed down the win with a 10-goal to five second half.
Horsley, who is now a four-time premiership player, had gone out of his way before the game to ease the nerves of his teammates.
"This is absolutely special," he said.
"We got here (to Optus Stadium) and it was very serious, but I just wanted everyone to enjoy it.
"I started cracking jokes and getting around the blokes, just to break that mould ... of being undefeated.
"That meant absolutely nothing, but what did matter was the four quarters of footy we had to play.
"Probably in that first two minutes, we were a bit rusty but then we got going.
"We believed in one objective and carried it out well."
Horsley has enjoyed a long list of honours since debuting with Subiaco in 2007.
In 2011, the prospects of fulfilling his ambition of playing in the AFL were significantly enhanced when he finished runner-up for the Sandover Medal.
But despite what was understood to be widespread interest, Horsley was passed over at the November national draft.
In December 2011 he was working on a reticulation job in Scarborough in Perth's northern suburbs when a mate called to tell him he had been picked up by the Gold Coast Suns.
He played 14 games across two years with the Suns, but was let go by the club after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury.
Four years ago, Horsley was best afield when Kalgoorlie-Boulder hosted a clash between Subiaco and Perth at Sir Richard Moore Sports Centre.
Last season, Horsley was WA captain when the team recorded an historic win over Victoria.
The fact Subiaco's latest success was at the expense of West Perth was ironic. As a youngster, Horsley dreamt of playing for the Falcons.