The Collie Junior Football Club’s Year 7 team took out this year’s South West Junior Football League premiership with a hard-fought victory over South Bunbury at Hands Oval on Saturday, September 15.
In perfect conditions, the young Eagles continued their fantastic season against the only team to have beaten them this season.
It was always going to be a close contest, with both previous games between the two teams decided by less than two goals, but Collie started well and was a goal in front by quarter time.
The second quarter was a tight contest with Judd Rinder defending well at half back, setting up onballers Josh Elliott and Odinn Kirk to move the ball forward.
George Fuller and Deegan Cummings played will in the forward line and by half-time the Eagles still held their six-point lead.
The Eagles defenders were put under pressure in the third quarter with South Bunbury pushing the ball forward and kicking two goals to take the lead.
But with Rinder holding solid in defence and assisted by his fellow defenders, Collie was able to withstand the pressure and then move the ball forward to kick a goal just before the siren to level the scores at 3.2 (20) apiece.
Coach Craig Rinder addressed his team at three-quarter time, asking for the team to put in a big effort during the final quarter and to continue the focus on pressure and ball movement.
The last quarter followed the trend of the game and was as tight as previous three with neither team letting up in pursuit of the premiership.
It wasn’t until the 10-minute mark of the quarter that Collie was able to get its nose ahead with a goal.
With Collie controlling the ball and moving it into the forward line regularly, while also holding strong in defence, the Eagles were able to kick the sealing goal with just two minutes to go.
Collie was able to hold off South Bunbury’s charge for those final two minutes to finish the grand final with a 5.2 (32) to 3.3 (21) victory, in what was a great game of football.
Deegan Cummings kicked two of the Eagles’ goals, while Josh Elliott, Odinn Kirk and Jock Abraham each kicked one major.
Judd Rinder was presented with a medal and the game ball after being adjudged as the man of the match while Kirk, Cummings, Elliott and Seth Rushton were the Eagles’ other standout performers on the day.
After the game, coach Rinder praised the whole team for the way each member played in the grand final.
He said the result was a great team effort and everyone had contributed on the field to ensure the Eagles claimed the hard-fought victory in the season’s decider.
