THE mantelpiece at the Bushfield Recreation Reserve finally has a maiden reserves premiership crown to encapsulate the blood, sweat and tears of almost 20 years’ work.
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North Warrnambool Eagles overcame their grand final demons to crush Terang Mortlake in the Hampden reserves grand final, booting 13.7 (85) to 10.9 (69) to take the historic victory.
They controlled the game from the get-go, with a six-goal effort to spearhead Nick Butters only soured when he was assisted from the ground late in the last term after allegedly copping a knee to the eye.
Eagles mentor Sean James, who put his post-game celebrations on hold to witness his sons Tom and Sam compete in the seniors grand final, said the victory was the culmination of a season’s work on the track.
“It’s awesome and the boys got the result they’ve been working towards all season,” he said.
“We’ve had a core group of 15 or 16 from last year and that same group has carried on this year. It’s made a massive difference to our side and that has been proven in the result today.
“Our first quarter was brilliant and with the week off, everybody was fairly keen to get out there and have a crack.”
For North Warrnambool Eagles defender and Warrnambool Rangers soccer coach Cameron Pyke, the win was the perfect ending to a season of swapping the round ball for the Sherrin.
“There’s some games where I did pull up a bit sore,” he laughed.
“But you do it for this. The group of mates you have playing alongside side makes it so much fun and you don’t have to worry about anything.
“We knew they’d come back strong after a really close first quarter, but we held together really strong. It was a strong effort.”
Cobden claimed back-to-back under 18.5s premierships after an emotional four-point defeat of North Warrnambool Eagles.
In a game dominated by swings in momentum, Cobden fell behind late in the last term but rallied to edge in front with just seconds remaining.
North Warrnambool Eagles made up for a lacklustre first term with a brilliant second, slotting three goals to none from eight scoring shots.
But the Bombers hit back, slotting five goals to three in the second half to run away with the game.
“It’s a different group of kids this year (compared to last year’s victory). We only had four or five top age players this season,” Cobden under 18.5 coach Leigh Walsh said.
“We had inclusions from under 16s to help us field a side and its a credit to our boys in the way they went about the season and win.”