![MAN OF THE LAND: Alex ‘Mouse’ Ellifson at his Longerenong property. Pictures: SAMANTHA CAMARRI MAN OF THE LAND: Alex ‘Mouse’ Ellifson at his Longerenong property. Pictures: SAMANTHA CAMARRI](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-wXSrs9XppJGVSxs2CdhZ5N/192cec2c-f2de-4c51-aa2f-a6f75350771f.jpg/r0_0_2200_1467_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
LAHARUM is a team full of stars.
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The Mountain Men boast a midfield and forward line that is the envy of every other Horsham District Football Netball League team.
The team’s defensive unit is however perennially overlooked.
Week in, week out, the backline gets the job done with little fuss, conceding a league-low 41 points a game.
Only once in 2014 has a team kicked 10 or more goals against the undefeated Mountain Men – Kalkee did it all the way back in round one.
There is one member of Laharum’s back six who has developed something of a cult following among Laharum and opposition supporters alike – Alex Ellifson.
Known universally by his nickname ‘Mouse’, Ellifson has been one of the key pillars in the reigning premier’s defence.
His importance to the side only increased when fellow defender Kane Parish went down with a knee injury half-way through the year.
Ellifson played only four senior games last season but was part of the Mountain Men’s drought-breaking premiership team.
He started this year in the reserves again before being recalled to the seniors at the end of May.
He has not missed a game since.
![ULTIMATE SUCCESS: Alex Ellifson is tackled by Kalkee’s Adam Carter in last year’s grand final victory. Ellifson played only four senior games in 2013 but collected a premiership medal. ULTIMATE SUCCESS: Alex Ellifson is tackled by Kalkee’s Adam Carter in last year’s grand final victory. Ellifson played only four senior games in 2013 but collected a premiership medal.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-wXSrs9XppJGVSxs2CdhZ5N/51f3698f-b526-401e-aecf-315dfc7092dd.jpg/r0_0_2200_1467_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
“I started playing reserves at the start of last year and then went to America for six weeks,” he said.
“When I came back they said there was a spot in the ones if I was keen to train.
“It was a pretty interrupted season, but it was good nonetheless to play in a premiership.”
Ellifson said it was an interrupted start to this season.
“I have a lot of work commitments with having my own business, so I struggle with pre-season and training,” he said.
“I played about five games in the twos and then once I got my fitness up they said ‘if you’re right to come up to the ones you can have a spot’.
“I’m enjoying my footy a lot this year.”
Ellifson’s ‘Mouse’ moniker is often heard from both Laharum and opposition supporters during games.
He said he was unsure why the nickname had become so popular.
“A long time ago when I was in my teens, I was at some footy cabaret and I wore a Mickey Mouse outfit,” he said.
“A couple of the Laharum boys picked up on that and it’s stuck ever since.
“It’s really pretty pointless, but I’m not sure anyone even knows my real name anymore.
“I’m not sure why I’ve turned into a bit of a cult figure in the district league, but it’s okay I guess.”
Ellifson said cohesiveness was the key to Laharum’s defence.
“We’re in the position Kalkee was in last year – we’re the hunted team now and everyone wants our head, so we’ve got the most to lose.”
- Alex Ellifson
Alongside fellow backs such as Brett Ervin and Brenton Askew, he said the team was capable of shutting down any opposition forward line.
Ellifson said the side would need to be at its best against the likes of Swifts tall forwards Julian Carr and Ben Martin on Saturday.
He said the chance to complete an undefeated season with victory in Saturday's grand final against Swifts was a big opportunity for the club.
“Shannon Argall brought that up at training the other day and said this is probably something that none of us will have a chance to do ever again,” he said.
“Only maybe five teams in the past 20 or so years have gone through a season undefeated.
“We’re in the position Kalkee was in last year – we’re the hunted team now and everyone wants our head, so we’ve got the most to lose.”
Laharum chairwoman Nadine Miller agreed there was plenty on the line for the Mountain Men.
She said back-to-back premierships would be a huge result for the club.
“After the start of the year we’ve had with the bushfires and losing a lot of members’ houses, another premiership would mean everything to the community south of Horsham,” she said.
“It’s put a bit of fire in our bellies.”
Miller said the Laharum community had rallied together in the aftermath of the fires.
![PRESSURE: Laharum's Tom Crawford and Alex Ellifson put pressure on Kalkeee's Matt Nield in the second semi-final. PRESSURE: Laharum's Tom Crawford and Alex Ellifson put pressure on Kalkeee's Matt Nield in the second semi-final.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/storypad-wXSrs9XppJGVSxs2CdhZ5N/01139e02-8e51-4e1f-8937-5d6cec8e4575.JPG/r0_73_2200_1310_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
She said a grand final win would also help the club, which is in the process of trying to update its clubrooms.
“We’ve been classed as probably the most wanting in terms of changerooms, and that’s probably all we’re missing because our ground has the best view in the southern hemisphere,” she said.
“The board is moving with that, so we’ve got to bide our time.”
Miller said the club was confident but not cocky heading into the biggest match of the year.
“We don’t want to count our chickens before they hatch,” she said.
“Anything can happen in a grand final as we proved last year.”