Rostrevor OC wins first SAAFL division one premiership in grand final replay with Salisbury North
IT TOOK a week longer than expected, but Rostrevor OC claimed its first SA Amateur Football League division one premiership on Friday night.
IT TOOK a week longer than expected but Rostrevor Old Collegians claimed its first SA Amateur Football League division one premiership at Thebarton Oval on Friday night.
Rossies beat Salisbury North 17.9 (111) to 10.9 (69) in the first top-flight grand final replay in the league’s history after the sides played out a draw at the same venue the previous week.
In a physical and at times spiteful clash, Rostrevor kicked seven goals to two in the first term on the back of some ferocious tackling, slick ball movement and immense forward pressure.
It led by 27 points at half-time before killing off the contest with two majors in a minute to start the third quarter — one a crafty snap from the northern pocket by goalsneak Peter Baccanello the other a Brendan Littler dribbler from the goal line.
Rossies coach Tom Wigley said the result was “good reward for the lads’ hard work throughout the year”.
“I couldn’t have had a better bunch of blokes to coach,” Wigley said.
“I was surprised by the margin but it’s just happy days.
“For the guys that have been around the club from day one, a div one flag will be huge.”
Poor goalkicking hurt Rostrevor in the first grand final but it had no such issue in the replay.
It had kicked 17.7 to three-quarter time when the game was all but over.
Rossies were goalless in the final term but it mattered little.
“We kicked goals, not points and that was huge for our confidence after all the points we kicked last week,” Wigley said.
Salisbury North coach Eugene Warrior, who announced he would leave the club after the match, said his players were shattered by the loss.
“It felt as though we were in the game at half-time,” Warrior said.
“They gave us another opportunity last week when we came home with a wet sail and we thought we could do it again.
“Footy is a cruel game.”
ROC’s Craig Holm, who won the league best and fairest medal earlier this month, was named best on ground in the grand final.