Two spearheads, two days, two tons: The story behind Jack Exell and Damian Cupido

While the task was a little bit tougher for Girgarre playing coach Cupido, who needed 13 to reach triple figures as his team made the trip to Longwood to face the winless Redlegs on Sunday.

Just like any great story, this goal-kicking quest had been set up for a fairy-tale finish.

But not even the best authors could have scripted what occurred last weekend, as incredibly different, yet equally remarkable circumstances surrounded what ended up being a special day for both players.

So read these stories as told by the two men themselves, after they etched their names into the KDL history books.

For Exell, the back story to his extraordinary goal-kicking feat is a little different to the usual spearhead.

His first season playing for the Towners, 2022 marked a return to football for the ex-VFL talent, who after a string of broken collarbones took a three-year hiatus from the game.

What brought him back was the chance to play with his best mates at Violet Town and he quickly formed a devastating duo with well-renowned Josh Mellington.

Playing in defence for the majority of his junior days, Exell quickly warmed to the forward 50 and quickly cemented himself as one of the best in the KDL.

But the quest for triple figures really ramped up in the back half of the year, booting 54 goals in six games from rounds 10-15 to be perfectly placed to raise the metaphorical bat in the home and away season finale.

“Over the past few weeks it has certainly been something that’s played on my mind, growing up playing footy in Bendigo I always played across half-back, so never really had the opportunity before,” Exell said of the build up to Saturday’s game.

“Especially the week leading in (being four away), I was getting a bit toey about it, it’s something that may never happen to me again, so the nerves were high.”

The circumstances surrounding Cupido’s season are slightly different.

A household name among football followers, he first rose to fame during his time in the AFL, playing 53 games and kicking 66 goals for Essendon and Brisbane from 2000 to 2005.

His career in the Goulburn Valley, however, began in 2014, where he coached Rumbalara to a famous Murray Football League premiership.

Staying on at the Shepparton-based club until 2016, Cupido then took an extended break from the coaching caper, before the opportunity at Girgarre brought him back into the mentor role prior to season 2022.

Tasked with breaking a 21-year finals drought, Cupido quickly got to work, becoming the focal point of the Kangaroos’ attack, with double-figure hauls of 16 (against Longwood in round three), 11 (against Rushworth in round 13) and 12 (against Tallygaroopna in round 15) having him at total of 87 come the final round.

Arriving at Longwood knowing another big day was required, he explained his mindset as the match began.

“The state of the ground (at Longwood) actually took my mind off kicking the 100 goals to be honest,” Cupido said.

“It certainly wasn’t conducive to kicking goals, but I suppose until I was a couple of goals away I didn’t really think about it and it wasn’t until right towards the end until I started to get nervous.”

With their eyes set on triple figures, both players began in typical flying fashion, with Exell taking it right up to the competition’s top team, and Cupido feasting on the hapless Redlegs defence.

For Exell, the big moment would come early in the third term, as he described what would forever be a highlight of his football career with his family watching on from the sidelines.

“I was lucky enough to kick three in the first half, so I was feeling good,” he said.

“And then early in the third (Josh) Mellington gave me a handball, which is a fairly rare sight, and I happened to kick it through.

“Reaching the ton was an unbelievable feeling, something that will probably never happen again, and with my dad having done it in the same league and being there with family to witness it was very special.”

Cupido’s big moment would come later in the game, with his team’s number one priority in the latter stages being to get their coach to the ton.

As the game reached the final 10 minutes, he found himself still one shy of the elusive figure, before he eventually managed to find a mark close to goal and line up for his 13th on the day.

“It was a mark and set shot at goal directly in front, not anything too difficult which was nice,” he said.

“The moment after was very special, a few of the Girgarre people running onto the ground and getting around me, stuff like that is what makes footy great.

“It is certainly something I will remember forever.”

But what happened next would turn the moment into a social media sensation.

With phone in hand, Girgarre supporter Jackson Ryan stormed onto the field as the goal went through, armed with a carton of Nippy’s chocolate milk in hand.

As he reached the senior coach, he handed over the dairy treat screaming “give him a choccy milk” before Cupido proceeded to skull.

A moment that caught the attention of thousands, Cupido explained the back story.

“At Girgarre I’m known for my play with milk and our canteen lady supplies me with Nippy’s flavoured milk every week whether it is at training or before the game,” he said.

“I prefer choccy milk to having a beer to be honest and that is the reason why the old give him the choccy milk is now famous and now viral with the video of the celebration.

“Jackson Ryan did a fantastic job covering it and I think he’s now been credited by a lot of media outlets for the video, and good on him.”

The scenes at Avenel Recreation Reserve were far more tense.

Despite Exell’s magical moment, the Towners found themselves struggling after three quarters, trailing by 25 points at the final change.

What happened next capped a fairy-tale ending to Exell’s story.

Finding a second wind, Violet Town booted eight of the last 11 goals to steal a famous victory, with the final major shrouded with controversy.

As the final siren sounded the Swans were five points up, but a melee resulted in the Towners receiving a 50m penalty, before a Swans player running through the mark brought about another.

This brought Nick Brazill 15m from goal and he duly converted, securing an extraordinary one-point win.

“The game was outrageous, they kept screwing the scoreboard up and I kept telling everyone that we were still in it and before we knew they fix it up and we are only down by five points,” Exell said of the dramatic conclusion.

“Then at the end, the first 50 was there and the second I don’t know what happened, but it was just awesome.

“It was the perfect way to finish such a special day.”

With it now all said and done in the KDL home and away season, which forward reigned supreme.

Well in what ended up being a thrilling finale, Exell ended up on top, with his season tally of 102 narrowly eclipsing Cupido’s 101.

But with both teams now playing finals who knows what might happen next and whether these two spearheads are saving their best performances for September.