Sturt is back from the brink and ready to be great again

THE Sturt Football Club is a truly incredible story.

Sturt coach Martin Mattner and Scott McMahon celebrate after defeating Port Adelaide in the SANFL grand final.

THE Sturt Football Club is a truly incredible story.

Just five years ago the club was receiving the last rites, broke off the field, struggling on the field, and seemingly with no future.

Last weekend, the Double Blues claimed the under-18 premiership. On Tuesday, the club received council approval for a major revamp of its Unley facilities. And on Sunday, it triumphed in the reserves and league.

It has been the most stunning turnaround in fortunes. Unbelievable, really.

“This is good to great,” Double Blues CEO Sue Dewing said in the triumphant changerooms after the grand final victory over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval to secure back-to-back flags.

“This is what we have always wanted, we did not want to be a one-hit wonder.

“We wanted to do it again and again and again. We want to be the premiership club of the SANFL on and off the field.”

Double Blues coach Marty Mattner has often spoke of the desire to be the best club in the SANFL, and he would always add it was not quite there and work was still necessary.

He still spoke of more work, the need to play finals regularly. Not just in league, but the reserves and under-18s.

“We are good and going towards great, but we have still got to be good enough to make finals next year and compete,” he said.

Mattner deflected praise for the victory, mentioning Dewing and football manager David Oatey among others as having had crucial roles.

“It is a credit to the club as a whole, we have got some quality people at the club,” Mattner said.

As the players returned to the changerooms feted as heroes following the lap of honour, the crowd in the room rapidly grew. Peter Motley, who does not miss a Double Blues game, looked emotional and John Halbert was among the former club greats enjoying the moment.

Sam Colquhoun, who joined the Double Blues this season after being delisted by Port, described it as one of the best days of his life.

“You could not write a script better,” Colquhoun said.

Scott McMahon, the veteran of the group at 31, ended his SANFL career in glory.

“I’m getting too old for this caper,” he said. “I’m going to Imperials in Murray Bridge as playing coach. I want to get into coaching and this is the next step, it’s time to move on.”