2000 PREMIERSHIP
Match Summary - 1st XVIII
By John Doody
The Lavington Sports Ground was saturated on Saturday. Some 25mm of rain was dumped in most of Albury in a freakish turn of spring time nature.
The likelihood of a dry Ovens and Murray League Grand Final on Sunday looked uncertain.
The heavy cloud cover which greeted early arriving footy fans lasted through the Under 18’s and Reserve Grade Grand Finals. The threatening precipitation had all but gone as the North Albury and Corowa-Rutherglen Clubs ran out on to the surprisingly stable L.S.G. arena to contest the last Grand Final of the 20th century.
Reigning Premier, North Albury elected to play 30 year old veteran, Tony Geddes; 20 year old, Matt Chilton had been named but was relegated. Chilton played a major role in the Hoppers’ Reserve Grade Grand Final victory over Wodonga Raiders.
North Albury forward, Adam Williams was on the end of a Tony Trevaskis initiative in the opening minute of the match. Williams hauled in a "screamer" in the scoreboard pocket and converted, posting the first goal of the Grand Final.
Then it rained. It rained goals, goals and more goals.
Corowa-Rutherglen took complete control in virtually every position on the ground. Its dominance in the central proceedings was outstanding. In-form ruckman, David Lucas overcame the early threat of representative giant, Tony Trevaskis. Clearly the best big man on the ground, Lucas tragically sustained a leg injury in a marking duel just two minutes into the second half of the match. He had been outstanding in the first half in which an inspired Combine slammed on thirteen goals to its oppositions.
Five majors and having the match well in hand at the long break. Lucas was replaced by Marc Harrap who played a fine role in the second half of the match.
Carl Dickins, Simon Mayhew, Glenn Joyce and dynamo, Scott Easdown were playing like men possessed. They were of course, possessed with the desire to win a Premiership. The whole side was.
Damien Houlihan was sensational. In a display of class not seen for many seasons, the Assistant Coach was enjoying licence to run anywhere. He did so, booting ten goals two behinds, one a poster and earning the Did Simpson Medal in a best-on-ground performance.
Houlihan had booted five goals before spearhead Scott Thomson joined in the shoot-out. The first of Thomson's match total of seven goals came at the 18 minute mark of the second term. His also was a display of class, his leading, strong marking and albeit, indifferent conversion being a feature of the match. Thomson also kicked seven points in an awesome display at full-forward.
North Albury tried everything to stem the tide but had too few players who could match their immediate opponents.
Matt Nagle, Shannon Gilson, Mark Hilton, Ben Neve and Craig Parsons didn't ever stop trying. Trevaskis was threatening around the ground in general play in the first half but there was little else to enthuse about.
Brett Piltz and Brett Jukawics did provide a target at times. The footy nomad was no match for Craig Tafft and banished to the lesser rigours of a flank in the second quarter. Piltz did not fare much better and, although he booted a goal 8 minutes into the third term, had little influence. Piltz spent most of the final term in the dug-out exiting the contest with a cut to the head.
Jukawics threatened to explode at times and not for all the right reasons. The journeyman's blatant attempt to unsettle the brilliant David Teague mid-way through the third term was adjudged correctly as a deliberate strike. His subsequent "yellow card" banishment did not help the Hoppers' already doomed cause. Teague treated the negative tactics of his several tormentors with absolute contempt. His also was a display of footy poetry in motion, gathering the ball seemingly with ease and, either instigating or participating in a passage which so regularly brought up dual flags.
Of course, the defense also was good; great in fact. Paul Bartlett was in superb touch in his familiar springboard role out of half back. Jay Campbell, Murray Longmire, Jarrod Hanrahan with Teague and Tafft were magnificent.
The 108 point whitewash is the greatest Grand Final winning margin by any club in the history of the League. It looked as if that margin would blow out even further 7 minutes into the final term. The Houlihan-Thomson show continued. The Combines' lead stretched to 125 points with David Willett's second goal 12 minutes into the final term. Hilton, Matt Nagle and Rob Murray scored late goals but it was Thomson's seventh goal at the 31 minute mark which re-wrote the O & M League history books.
This Premiership Flag appearance probably will bring to an end the careers of three of the most enduring and respected players in the competition. Paul Bartlett, John Kingston and Mark O'Donoghue have represented the club on a combined total of 678 occasions, were each regular O & M League representative players in their prime and are all Best & Fairest recipients with the Kangaroos.
Peter Tossol's vision upon his appointment at the commencement of the 1999 season has come to early fruition. The victory is just reward for the club which has stuck to a formula of having complete faith in its elder statesmen and complimenting this faith with the challenge to its youth to reach for its potential.
Score: Corowa-Rutherglen 27.18 (180) def North Albury 11.6 (72)
Goals: Corowa-Rutherglen Damien Houlihan 10, Scott Thomson 7, Luke Henderson 3, David Willett, Simon Mayhew, Glenn Joyce 2, Darrell Spencer 1
Goals: North Albury Ben Neve 3, Rob Murray, Matt Nagle, Shannon Gilson 1 each
Best: Corowa-Rutherglen Damien Houlihan, Carl Dickins, Scott Easdown , Scott Thomson, Simon Mayhew, David Teague, Craig Tafft, Paul Bartlett, Glenn Joyce
Best: North Albury Mark Hilton, Ben Neve, Craig Parsons ,Tony Trevaskis ,Shannon Gilson, Matt Nagle, Murray Leahy
Injuries: Corowa-Rutherglen David Lucas (ankle), North Albury Brent Piltz (cut head)
Crowd: 11500 at L.S.G.
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Match Summary - 3rd XVIII
By John Doody
An early morning start at Lavington on Sunday started with many well wishes that had come in by post, fax and phone. The ground was heavy but the skies looked reasonably bright and the emotions were high with support around everywhere. The atmosphere was certainly encouraging as the crowd numbers increased.
The Roos got the first score although it was a minor, but not without plenty of opposition. Wangaratta were fast and strong and were going to be tough. At quarter time Roos had scored one major and three behinds to Wangaratta's three points. Goals were going to be difficult.
In the second quarter it was again a hard slog with Corowa Rutherglen adding another goal and three behinds and kept Wangaratta scoreless. The Roos looked in good contention at this point.
A third quarter spurt by both teams looked like dry ground football. Wangaratta outscored Corowa - Rutherglen 4 goals 2 behinds to 3 goals 3 behinds. Wangaratta looked dangerous and were combining together well. The last quarter was going to be tight.
As in the second quarter play was very tight and goals again difficult. Corowa-Rutherglen put on one goal three to Wangaratta's nil score.
It was a deserved grand final victory and one that was timed well with development. Congratulations to Mark Mills and all of the team who not only played on the day but also throughout the year. It has been rewarding and satisfying to see each member of the team develop as an individual and a team member as the year has progressed.
Score: Corowa-Rutherglen 6.12 (48) def Wangaratta 4.5 (29)
2003 PREMIERSHIP
Match Summary - 1st XVIII
By John Doody
Corowa Rutherglen's resurgent second half of season 2003 has been well documented. Since confronting footy oblivion following it's round seven loss to Wodonga Raiders the combine has climbed from dispairing depths to capture this season's premiership flag. Since thier round eight, 53 point eclipse of Wangaratta Rovers, the Kangaroos have dropped just one match in their charge to a final five berth.
Corowa Rutherglen completed the home and away series with a win/loss ratio of 11-6 and a draw to secure fourth position on the ladder. It entered Sunday's Grand Final on the back of an aggregate 219 point charge through three knock-out encounters and a firm favourite to defeat the Wodonga Pedigree Bulldogs.
Before a crowd of almost 15,000 fans, the Kangaroos opened the Grand Final in typical fashion. Renowned this season for their explosive openings, the Carl Dickins inspired Kangaroos had two Ricky Symes conversions on the board within five minutes. Dickin's recuperation from a badly corked thigh sustained in the Preliminary Final has been amazing. Obviously still inconvenienced, the Little Master confronted the pain with typical grit and courage to be a mjaor playmaker in the game busting opening term.
The Kangaroos lost Matt Witherden just six minutes into the first quarter. Witherden who had been assigned the vital role of running with Morris Medal runner up, Ben Hollands, had sustained a match finishing shoulder injury.
The Kangaroos with four goals from the boot of Symes, a long conversion to Brendan Eyers and a 50-metre penalty assisted goal from Matt Mills had six goals two behinds on the board at the first change. It was an ominous opening in which the Kangaroos dictated the terms. Ryan MacKenzie, Glenn Joyce, Jason Macfarlane, Dickins and Simon Mayhew who had replaced Witherden were terrific. MacKenzie contemptuously outplayed his minder, Danny Cohen to be a contributing force in the first term onslaught.
Strangely, the Bulldogs elected to start the match with specialist wingman, Ben Margery in the dugout. He was in the action early in the second term when Cohen was reprieved, re-assigned to runnign with the influential Macfarlane.
Martin Dillon kicked the Bulldogs only goal for the term eight minutes in before equally as puzzling, being benched at the 17-minute mark. Brad Thompson and Jarrod Twitt missed very gettable opportunities as the Bulldogs ended term, 30 points in arrears.
The Kangaroos back half, which has been lauded for most of the season, was again compact on Sunday. Craig Tafft and Murray Longmire occupied the keys and kept their respective opponents, Thompson and Leigh Cameron quiet. Thompson later moved to defence and Cameron would finish the match his side's highest goal scorer with three majors. The spearhead kicked two goals in the final term in which the Bulldogs raised some anxiety in the Kangaroos camp.
Corowa Rutherglen should have had the back of a spirited opposition broken at half time. It scored risky three goals six behinds in the second term. Symes added a fifth major at the 15-minute mark. Matt Mills scored his second and Brad Campbell, brilliant out of defence, drifted into the arc to add another. The Bulldogs were handing in. Matt Moylan was coming to grips with Symes. Jarrod Twitt, Dean Stone and Leon Higgins were influential and giant follower, Paul Nugent was a tower of strength for his side.
Thompson's deployment to centre-half-back in the third term was not a good move. Jay Campbell had had a dour struggly with Nick Pole. Campbell made space on Thompson on several occasions, booting goals at the 17 and 25-minute marks. The Bulldgos, under pressure were now wayward. Travis Hansford, Margery, Liam Collins, Twitt and Hollands, including a poster, missed gettable opportunities.
Dickins who had negotiated footy's Kakoda Track, finally succumbed at the 20-minute mark of the third term. The champion was sore, exhausted but still with spriit raging. Ryan Richardson and Hollands each kicked a third term goal. Whilst Campbell's pair and a Darrell Spencer point kept Wodonga at a 45 point buffer at the final change. Brad Campbell, Tafft, MacKenzie, Kade Kuschert, the irrepressible Guy Chisnall and Cade Mills minding Hollands were each magnificent.
Brendan Eyers rucked magnificiently against Paul Nugent and Hayden Heta. He was given support when Marc Harrap and Simon Palubiski were summoned to battle mid way through the third term.
Wodonga was fantastic in the frenetic final saga. Stone missed two gimmees within the first three minutes of the resumption. Cameron then erred before Paul Nugent found space in the square and goaled. The Bulldogs sensed the opposition was tiring and mounted a concerted attack. They had scored three goals five behinds in eleven minutes to reduce the leeway to 22 points.
Recognition of courage award should be struck and awarded to the player adjudged the seaon's bravest. It would be appropriate to name such an award after the most courageous player in this memorable battle. Carl Dickins watched from the dugout as Thompson booted that goal at the 11-minute mark. Eight unanswered scoring shots and the Kangaroos were vulnerable. The warrier was re-introduced into the battle with immediate effect. The Kangaroos lifted weary bodies, tired in the concluding moments of a hectic finals campaign. Ricky Symes extended the lead to 34 points with goals at the 12 and 14-minute marks. Cameron answered with his third a minute later but time was running out. That magnificent defence drew uppon it's collective strength to resist the gallant but fading Bulldogs' side. Matt Mills kicked a miracle banana goal from the scoreboard flank 24 minutes into the term to clinch game, set and match.
SCORES:-
COROWA RUTHERGLEN: 6.2 9.8 13.12 16.14 (110)
WODONGA BULLDGOS: 1.2 4.3 6.9 10.15 (75)
GOALS:-
Corowa-Rutheglen: Ricky Symes 7, Matt Mills 4, Jay Campbell 2, Brendan Eyers, Simon Mayhew, Brad Campbell 1 each
Wodonga Bulldogs: Leigh Cameron 3, Paul Nugent 2, Brad Thompson, Martin Dillon, Ryan Richardson, Travis Hansford, Ben Hollands 1 each
BEST:-
Corowa-Rutherglen: Brad Campbell, Cade Mills, Carl Dickins, Ricky Symes, Craig Tafft, Ryan MacKenzie, Brendan Eyers, Glenn Joyce, Matt Mills, Jay Campbell, Jason Macfarlane, Guy Chisnall, Kade Kuschert
Wodonga Bulldogs: Jarrod Twitt, Dean Stone, Paul Nugent, Travis Hansford, Leon Higgings, Matt Moylan, Leigh Cameron, Nick Pole