SANFL Grand Final 2016: Sturt coach Marty Mattner hoping flag win just a chapter in Double Blues’ long journey

STURT champion Peter Motley was there with a smile from ear to ear. Brodie Atkinson, who played in the club’s most recent flag in 2002, was wiping away tears.

Marty Mattner on the podium. Picture: Sarah Reed

STURT champion Peter Motley was there with a smile from ear to ear.

Brodie Atkinson, who played in the club’s most recent flag in 2002, was wiping away tears.

Chris Thredgold and Jade Sheedy congratulated players as they passed by.

Chief executive Sue Dewing was proud as punch, while Jarrod Lienert cried as he gave his father a massive hug.

Then there was captain Zane Kirkwood singing Queen’s We Are the Champions and struggling to speak, such was his jubilation at what had just happened.

This premiership meant so much to so many Sturt people, particularly given where the club was just a few years back when it almost shut the doors due to financial problems.

The Double Blues’ change rooms after the 27-point victory over Woodville-West Torrens Sunday was full of emotional past players, support staff, family, friends, as well as the squad that lifted the club from eighth last season to an unlikely premiership in just 12 months.

Kirkwood, a two-time Magarey Medallist who joined the club from Port Adelaide, said the win was result of a lot of hard work from everyone at the club.

Mattner and Zane Kirkwood hold up the SANFL Premiership trophy. Picture: Sarah Reed

“You just can’t describe this feeling,” Kirkwood said.

“This is exactly what you play footy for, these moments.

“We always had that feeling we had the players to do it. I can’t speak highly enough of the boys.

“They got together in pre-season, wanted to work hard and they did.”

Atkinson does not hold an official role at Unley any more but was not going to miss Sunday’s game.

“I’m just so proud of them,” Atkinson said.

“There’s a lot of people here that have done a lot of hard work so I’m so happy for them.

“The club was about to shut its doors a couple of years ago and we weren’t sure if we were rocking up to pre-season training or continuing on.

SANFL 2016 Grand Final

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“So that’s where a lot of it (emotion) comes from — a lot of people have done a lot of hard work, including the board, to get the club in the position it is today.”

Coach Martin Mattner said this year had far exceeded his expectations after rejoining the club from AFL ranks with Sydney.

“We sat down and set some goals and talked about maybe playing finals and just winning a final,” said Mattner, who also played in the club’s 2002 flag.

“The boys have worked so hard — don’t doubt what they’ve done.

“It’s just happened quicker than we would’ve thought.

“Now we’ve got to set new goals because teams are going to come for us.

“We’ve got to look at how we get better and that’s something we will look at in the next few weeks but we’ll enjoy this for the next couple of days.

“Today, we knew our best was good enough, we just had to execute for four quarters and we did today.

“This is the journey we’ve started and hopefully it’s just one chapter in the journey.”