PHOS Camden set to face Old Ignatians in division three amateur football grand final
AARON Bergsma has suffered two relegations and a losing grand final since joining PHOS Camden. Now he wants to lead the club to its first flag in 13 years.
AARON Bergsma has suffered the disappointment of two relegations and a losing grand final since joining PHOS Camden in 2008.
But the Phantoms captain, who was awarded the division three amateur football best and fairest medal last week, has never been tempted to jump ship.
“It’s pretty close to home and a great club to be involved in,” Bergsma, of Underdale, says.
“We were unlucky to be relegated last year, but everyone stuck around and it’s paid off this year.”
The Phantoms were playing division one in 2013 until consecutive demotions left them in the third tier.
The Novar Gardens club will take a step towards redemption when it lines up in the grand final against Old Ignatians at Thebarton Oval on Saturday.
“We haven’t played finals for five years so everyone is pretty upbeat,” says Bergsma, who played in the 2010 division two grand final defeat to Eastern Park.
“We’re a very young side so we’ve been able to give a lot of youngsters a crack at A-grade footy.
“It’s paying dividends now because they’re starting to get more experience.”
This season PHOS has racked up a 15-1 record on its way to the minor premiership under former South Adelaide player Simon Quinn.
It dispensed of Athelstone by 26 points in its semi-final to edge closer to its first A-grade flag since 2002.
Midfielder Bergsma, who was attracted to the Phantoms during ex-Adelaide Crows cult figure Wayne Weidemann’s reign as coach, says continuity has been central to the club’s revival.
“We’ve kept the group together for two or three years now and have just topped it up with a few players that we needed,” the former Woodville-West Torrens junior says.
“It’s been over 10 years since we won an A-grade flag so they’ve been few and far between.
“Hopefully we can get it done and make a lot of people at the club very happy.”