Sorrento overwhelms Crib Point to surge to its fifth premiership in seven seasons
COACH Troy Schwarze is best-afield as Sorrento leads all the way to win the Nepean Football League grand final over Crib Point
Inner South
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IT was Sorrento’s day.
It’s been their era.
The mighty Sharks, brilliantly led by their champion playing-coach Troy Schwarze, made it five flags from a record-equalling seven successive grand final appearances after leading throughout to beat Crib Point by 58 points in the Nepean league season-decider on Saturday.
Schwarze, the ex-Saint, got the first kick of the game and was at his aggressive best — awarded the best-on-ground medal — in the dominant 15.10 (100) to 5.12 (42) win at a windswept Hastings.
Sorrento booted the first three goals of the game, and the last six. In between, Crib Point played some good football but never looked a winning hope.
The Sharks led by 15 points at quarter time, 29 points at half-time and, after a wet third quarter, 26 points at the last break.
It was Sorrento’s sixth premiership in 11 seasons — the Sharks also won the 2004 grand final — and four players, Trevor Mattison, Guy Stringer, Ben McCormack and Grant Johnson, have played in all six flags.
Stringer, at 42, continues to defy age; he’s still a star.
When Schwarze arrived at Sorrento in 2007, he’d never won a flag.
He’s now played in — and coached — five.
“When I started (at Sorrento) I didn’t envisage playing in a flag,’’ he said.
“Early days I just wanted us to be competitive and play a good brand of footy. We’ve been able to do that.’’
Schwarze said it was impossible to tire of winning premierships. “You don’t and you can’t because it’s the reason you play,’’ he said. “You’ve got to be able to celebrate them and enjoy them because they are unique. It’s the only reason you play; there’s no other reason.’’
Former Port Melbourne forward Myles Pitt booted six goals for Sorrento to cap an outstanding finals series; his three finals outings returning hauls of 6, 6, and 6 goals. Pitt slotted three successive goals in the last quarter — including a 60m rocket — as Sorrento bolted clear.
Sorrento’s opening goal of the last term was a stunner from Zac Byrns that put the Sharks 32 points ahead. Leigh Poholke (88 goals for the season) slotted the next goal and Sorrento was home.
Athletic Sharks midfielder-forward Tyrren Head was one of the best players on the ground.
Livewire Daniel Grant came into the Sorrento side and made an impact with his dash, while defenders Chris Bagot and Ben Schwarze were influential and captain James Hallahan racked up possessions.
Crib Point’s best were Dean Warry, Brad Arnold, Paul Smith and Zack Condick.
Magpies full back Matty Sloper was in hospital after the game with suspected broken ribs after a collision in the second quarter. Crib Point missed his height.
Crib Point teenager Kyle Arnott showed amazing courage in the second term when he kept his eye on the ball and crashed into a Sorrento opponent, but bounced up and kept going.
Teammate Beau Monty also took a heavy hit but dusted himself off and played on.
Crib Point was playing in its first grand final since 2001 and coach Duane Annable said the pressure told on his men. He said Sorrento was “by far the better team’’.
“They are seasoned campaigners and our boys were first-up in a granny,’’ he said. “We weren’t clean, we didn’t use the ball well under pressure. The occasion maybe got the better of us a little but it was great experience nonetheless for our boys; a bit of a taste and it will help the fire burn harder, being that close.’’
Along with Red Hill, Crib Point was the big improvers of ’14, rising to top of the ladder.
On the morning of the grand final, Port Adelaide president David Koch sent a message to Sorrento wishing the Sharks good luck.
In it, Koch said the two clubs ‘’will forever have a bond’’ through the late John McCarthy, who played with both.
The message meant a lot to the people of Sorrento.
Emotions whirled after the siren, especially in Sorrento’s David Lawson. He coached Crib Point for four seasons before returning to Sorrento and he felt the pain of his former teammates.
“He was pretty upset after the game because he’s pretty close to a lot of those Crib Point players,’’ Schwarze said.
Lawson played a pivotal role, tagging Cribby star Luke Herrington.
“It went a long way to us winning,’’ Schwarze said.
In the reserves, Somerville hoisted the premiership cup after beating Devon Meadows by 20 points, 13.8 (86) to 10.6 (66).
The Under 18s flag was won by Rosebud, which defeated Mt Eliza 13.10 (88) to 5.7 (37).
Nepean Football Netball League
Bendigo Bank Nepean Seniors
Sorrento 3.4, 7.7, 9.9, 15.10 (100)
Crib Point 1.1, 3.2, 5.7, 5.12 (42)
GOALS, Sorrento: M. Pitt 6, D. Lawson 2, L. Poholke 2, T. Schwarze 1, Z. Byrns 1, D. Grant 1, T. Head 1, G. Johnson 1. Crib Point: J. Flack 1, P. Smith 1, B. Monty 1, S. Austin 1, G. Boyd 1. BEST, Sorrento: T. Head, T. Schwarze, D. Grant, M. Pitt, C. Bagot, B. Schwarze. Crib Point: D. Warry, B. Arnold, P. Smith, Z. Condick, K. Arnott, B. Monty.
Medal for best on ground: Troy Schwarze, Sorrento
Bendigo Bank Nepean Reserves
Somerville 2.2, 4.5, 10.7, 13.8 (86)
Devon Meadows 1.0, 4.1, 6.4, 10.6 (66)
GOALS, Somerville: M. Vamplew 3, A. Ridout 2, J. Kennedy 2, J. Carter 2, W. Shields 1, M. Maltman 1, R. Twyford 1. Devon Meadows: A. Adams 3, D. Collins 2, A. Bower 1, L. Carroll 1, S. Mihevc 1, L. Duhig 1, T. Anderson 1. BEST, Somerville: M. Maltman, T. Woodall, M. Vamplew, M. Moran, R. Peirson, N. Brown. Devon Meadows: T. Douglas, B. Wapshott, A. Bower, M. Bond, T. Cotton, R. Attwood.
Medal for best on ground: Matthew Maltman, Somerville
Bendigo Bank Nepean Under 18
Rosebud 3.1, 4.4, 7.8, 13.10 (88)
Mt Eliza 0.2, 2.4, 3.4, 5.7 (37)
GOALS, Rosebud: T. Stoffels 3, S. Downie 2, T. French 2, K. Corrin 2, R. Bos 2, J. McRae 1,
L. Bradford 1. Mt Eliza: N. Holland 1, S. Danks 1, J. Stanes 1, M. Richardson 1, N. Lowe 1. BEST, Rosebud: J. McRae, F. Hustwaite, K. Corrin, D. Wilson, T. Stoffels, S. Downie. Mt Eliza: J. Ristrom, A. Ferry, M. Richardson, B. Whitfort, J. Pirpiris, R. Thorpe.
Medal for best on ground: Jackson McRae, Rosebud
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