Southport Sharks overcome head count for extra man to beat Sydney Swans in NEAFL grand final
SOUTHPORT has beaten Sydney for the first time to win their maiden NEAFL premiership but they were under threat of having the title ripped from their grasp after starting the fourth term with an extra man.
THE Southport Sharks are NEAFL premiers but their win over the Sydney Swans has come with a touch of controversy after the Gold Coast team was found to have had an extra man on the ground.
The Sharks beat the Swans by 55 points, their most nervous moment coming in the opening minute of the last term when the Swans called for a head count.
Southport were found to have an extra man on the ground. AFL rules dictate the offending team loses all their points, meaning Southport’s 60-point lead would have turned into a 16-point deficit.
But umpires instead awarded a free kick and 50m penalty to Sydney. The Swans booted a goal from the free kick but were never in contention to mount a serious comeback.
The Sharks made history at their home ground at Fankhauser Reserve, eventually winning 14.6 (90) to 5.5 (35).
It’s the first NEAFL flag in Southport’s history while they have handed Sydney their fifth grand final loss.
It’s the first senior flag Southport have won in 10 years, with the last coming in 2008 in the QAFL.
Cody Filewood kicked the first goal in the opening minute and the Sharks never gave up the lead, taking a 17-point margin into the first break before extending the gap in each term.
The wind played havoc for both sides but Southport’s pressure, dominance at stoppages and their running game on a big ground enabled the Sharks to gain the ascension of the Swans, who fielded nine AFL-listed players.
Southport had never beaten Sydney, losing by an average of 68-points. The latest was a 78-point loss at the SCG in Round 7.
The grand final victory is the pinnacle of what has been a stunning transformation of the Sharks under new coach Stephen Daniel.
The club finished in ninth last season with just four wins to their name but an overhaul of the coaching department and playing group, that included 26 new recruits, has made Southport a powerhouse in Queensland footy again.