‘Like winning a grand final’: Riverland battlers Cobdogla break four-year drought

AFTER 55 agonising matches, one of South Australian footy’s longest losing streaks has come to an end. Watch as the club belts out its first victory song in nearly four years.

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THE tears flowed as freely as the celebratory beers as the Cobdogla victory song rang out across the Murray for the first time in nearly four years on Saturday, bringing an emphatic end to one of the longest losing streaks in SA footy.

The bush battlers from Cobby held their nerve on their home deck to outlast Riverland Independent League rival Blanchetown Swan Reach and relegate to history an agonising 55-game winless stretch.

Second-year Eagles coach Sam Mitchell compared the feeling to winning a grand final.

“It wasn’t as big as that obviously but the families ran on the ground, the community was all there. It was a mixture of joy, relief all that sort of stuff,” the footy journeyman said.

“It was a great team effort.

“Our captain Paul Ryder has played for 18 years played when they won three in a row. He’s never hugged me like that before.

“The celebrations did go on for a while. There was a few sore heads the next morning at recovery.”

Cobdogla Eagles players celebrate their first win in three years against BSR in Riverland Independent Football League. Picture: Supplied

It has been lean times at Cobby since the club won a hat-trick of flags between 2006-08, with the Eagles claiming the past three wooden spoons in an agonising 55-game stretch of losses dating back to Round 8, 2014 when they had a good win against Ramco.

While only five points up, Mitchell knew his side was in with a real chance of finally breaking the drought when they went into halftime.

“I watched the boys’ body language as we went in compared to BSR’s,” he said.

“We are generally how they looked. Heads are down, bodies slumped over. There was a totally different feeling at halftime. We were in control of it.”

With the margin still only two points in their favour at three-quarter time, Mitchell said he kept the message simple — control the ball and show some pride.

“I told them that the feeling that we have now, don’t let it go. Because we have been losing for three and a half years, a lot of the clubs when they play us, it is like ‘We are going to get an easy win’. It is a bit like being bullied. I said we are sick of people coming here and pushing us around.”

The Eagles responded, dominating the midfield while locking down the Redbacks forwards to keep them scoreless and run away with a 23-point victory.

Mitchell said the last quarter was the longest of his career.

“People kept telling me the time, and I said ‘It’s a bloody long eight minutes!’,” said Mitchell, who coached the Redbacks in 2016.

“I didn’t have any fear of the boys letting it go, but I’ve never been that anxious before in my life.

“Even now I’m getting excited thinking about it. We all got excited in that last quarter. There was that want and desire because they didn’t want to lose it. I sent the runner out about 15 times and said just calm down, slow it down.”

Cobdogla coach Sam Mitchell. Picture: Supplied

Mitchell said the win was a reward for his players’ persistence and perseverance and a great result for the club and the tight-knit Cobdogla community.

“I keep telling the boys, footy’s a bit like life. You have your ups and your downs. But you all stick together though,” he said.

“We’ve got a really young side. They could have easily chucked in the towel a number of times, but they’ve stuck in there and got the points.

“To see the smiles on the little kids’ faces, the player’s partners.

“We don’t have a clubrooms, but went back to the community club around the corner and did our presentations. There was old people coming up and shaking my hand. Just that general community feel.

“It’s just an amazing club and an amazing group of people to be around with. Where a lot of country clubs are leaning towards the money side of things, our players don’t ask for anything. Week in week out they do it for the guernsey and each other.

“It gets a bit hard sometimes when you haven’t won.”

Despite the win, the Eagles remain anchored on the bottom of the table behind the Redbacks on percentage.

But Mitchell hopes the tide might have finally turned.

“There’s belief. Footy is a funny game. Anything is possible if you can put your mind to it.

“And now I’m getting messages from old mates who have played footy with me asking ‘What do I need to do to play?’”

Cobby’s win now leaves Mid South Eastern Football League club Nangwarry languishing as a runaway leader in the state’s losing streak stakes.

The Saints’ streak extended to 59 on Saturday with a 177-point thumping from Robe, the club they last tasted success against in Round 15, 2014.