Bakers delight as Tigers take out pair of AFL Mackay premierships

Bakers Creek’s reserves and senior women’s teams have historically been at opposite ends of the spectrum success-wise. Learn how the two teams combined to secure a milestone day for the Tigers.

Bakers Creek Tigers Women's team was victorious in the AFL Mackay 2024 grand finals. Picture: Daniel McLean

Bakers Creek’s second year of hosting the AFL Mackay grand finals could not have gone better.

The Tigers lifted the premiership cups for both the men’s reserves and senior women’s grand finals in a pair of milestone moments for the club.

While the women of Bakers Creek have been a force in the competition for over a decade now, for much of that time the Tigers’ men’s teams have sat at the other end of the spectrum, languishing at or near the bottom of the ladder and regularly suffering large defeats.

But on Saturday the reserves were able to join the women at the mountaintop, defeating North Mackay Saints 7.5 (47) to 3.5 (23).

“I’m just so proud of the belief that the boys had in themselves after years and years of being flogged to finally get to this point,” Tigers reserves coach Corey McGrath said.

“It hasn’t just been this year, the last three years have been devoted to getting to where we are today.”

Bakers Creek Tigers Reserves team was victorious in the AFL Mackay 2024 grand finals. Picture: Daniel McLean

McGrath took over when the club was in the midst of a very challenging period without much on field success, but hard work and dedication from both himself and the rest of the community of Bakers Creek lifted them to the pinnacle of the competition.

“I’ve only been here myself for the past four or five years, but I know we’ve struggled even to just get numbers on the field in past years,” McGrath said.

“We’re finally getting numbers and we’re seeing the young kids come through and start playing senior football and building the club up.”

Riley McGrath was named best on for Bakers Creek Tigers Reserves team their premiership victory. Picture: Daniel McLean

While the premiership podium is far less foreign to Bakers Creek’s women’s team, their success in this particular season is no less remarkable.

Coming up against a previously undefeated North Mackay opponent, the Tigers looked destined to finish the season runners-up after conceding two first quarter goals and remaining scoreless up until half time.

However, the Tigers found their mojo in the third quarter, kicking their first goal of the contest midway through the term to give themselves some hope.

The Tigers dominated possession and territory throughout the fourth quarter, and we rewarded when a second goal brought them to within a couple of points of the Saints.

And just when it looked as though maybe North Mackay would be able to hold on, the Tigers’ Indiana Brough won a free kick 25 metres from goal.

And despite spending much of the season as a defender, Brough remained unperturbed, and coolly slotted the match-winning goal, with the final siren sounding just moments later.

Bakers Creek Tigers Women's team was victorious in the AFL Mackay 2024 grand finals. Picture: Daniel McLean

“Indiana normally sits behind the footy, that’s probably one of the first goals she’s ever kicked,” Tigers reserves coach Josh Rubira said.

“She’s a brilliant midfielder who does the team thing and plays a defensive game, for her to go back and slot that goal like it was nothing is just a demonstration of the kind of player she is.”

Rubira, who won his first premiership as a player right before he stepped out to coach the women’s team, said the significance of the day was difficult to process at the time.

“I was struggling just to get down to the girls and just help prepare them before the game, but credit to them they didn’t let it faze them,” he said.

“After being beaten by Saints in the semi-final, to come out this time around with the belief that we could get it done is just incredible.

“We did this to them once before during the season, we gave up a lead and were almost able to come all the way back, just glad we managed to do it this time.”