FQPL Central Coast men’s grand final: Frenchville claim fourth straight Wesley Hall Cup, beating Clinton 1-nil
Victorious coach Mat Wust says what his team did after a trialling year was amazing. Read who starred for Frenchville in their hard-fought win over Gladstone rivals Clinton here.
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Coach Mat Wust has hailed Frenchville’s fourth straight Wesley Hall Cup win as possibly their best given the adversity they had to overcome this year.
The team was racked with injury, losing three of the starting players - Cooper Lems, Sam Reynolds and Ryan Hickey - to ACL injuries in the first quarter of the season.
Wust had to use more than 30 players in first division in 2022, which he said showed the depth in the club.
He said the Roos’ 1-nil win over minor premiers Clinton in the Football Queensland Premier League Central Coast men’s grand final on Saturday night was incredible.
“It’s been a very trialling season; we’ve had so many injuries and adversity to overcome so to do what we did was pretty amazing,” he said.
“The composure they showed in a big game like that was incredible.
“It’s great where we are at the moment as a club going forward.
“We’ve got all the great players like Robert Day and Paul Jackson who have eight Wesleys already and we’ve got the young fellas coming through learning off them, which is great.”
Among the “young fellas” is Tyler Wetzler, who now has the proud boast of having won two senior premierships at just 16.
Clinton Football Club was to host grand final day but torrential rain in Gladstone meant the four deciders were moved to Ryan Park, Frenchville’s home ground.
Wust acknowledged the efforts of groundsman Clay Crouch, who mowed and marked the field and was instrumental in making the venue switch possible.
It was disappointing for Clinton to miss out on hosting the four finals, given their teams featured in all of them.
They ended up taking home two trophies with wins in the women’s and the under-23 divisions.
The Berserker Bears won the under-14 final.
Wust described the men’s decider as a “great display of high-level regional football”.
“Both teams were tussling, both teams had opportunities, it was a really good game of football,” he said.
Frenchville lost Liam Mclean, the team’s leading goal scorer, when he tore his hamstring at the 75-minute mark.
Teammate Daniel Trim suffered a similar injury just minutes later.
It was Harry Dean, who Wust moved from midfield to wing for Saturday’s showdown, who slotted what would be the winning goal in the 80th minute.
Goalkeeper Day, striker Jordan Miller and midfielder Ryan Hawken produced outstanding performances.
But it was right back Shane Lubbe who was the team’s best, shutting down Clinton dangerman Daniel Jackson, who scored four goals against Frenchville in the semi-final.
Wust has an impressive record as coach, having won four premierships in his five years at the helm.
“It’s the players and the culture we’ve got at the club that create that winning mentality,” he said.
“It’s a special place to be on nights like last night when everyone’s on fire, when everyone knows their job and they’re doing it well.
“All four wins have been great but this one probably rates up there with the best because of how hard we had to do it this year with injuries.”
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