Historic back-to-back Premier League flags the main prey NTFL club Nightcliff wanted

NIGHTCLIFF president Mark Dodge says back-to-back Premier League titles were the jewels in the crown his club had set out to achieve this season

The Nightcliff Tigers celebrate their first back-to-back Premier League flags. Picture: GLENN CAMPBELL

NIGHTCLIFF president Mark Dodge says back-to-back Premier League titles were the jewels in the crown his club had set out to achieve this season.

The Tigers only lost two games on a five-month trek that ended in a fifth senior flag and second in a row.

Dodge said a second successive flag after more than half a century in the football wilderness was something the club desperately wanted.

“Back-to-back was definitely our aim,’’ he said.

“We wanted to keep a lid on it as you would expect because you don’t want to give the opposition any chance to kick you in the backside.

“But we were very focused on going back-to-back, we thought we had the playing group to do it, the coaching staff and the game plan and I think we proved that.’’

Dodge was quick to praise Nightcliff’s opponent St Mary’s, who could have won the game with a little bit of luck and a more efficient forward line.

“Look, all credit to St Mary’s, they had a great game, never gave it up and certainly made us earn the win,’’ he said.

“Right now we’re a club on the rise. We had an under-14 side and a couple of men’s sides in grand finals which showed we are thereabouts.

“We didn’t quite get the chocolates on those ones, but we got one in the Premier League which is the one that really counts.

Dodge said his club’s junior development was going very well, with one of Nightcliff’s U12 sides winning a flag and big numbers right through the youth sides.

“That shows the development is going all the way through and we want that to happen,’’ he added.

Dodge made another interesting point — the decade long habit of southern recruits making 32-time premier St Mary’s their first port of call was slowing down.

“They’re coming to us now and we talk to them about what we can do for them and that we’ve got a strong community spirit at Nightcliff footy club,’’ he said.

“And we’re a family club which is important.’’

Meanwhile, the Tigers have postponed their senior presentation night previously set down for this Saturday night, March 21.

Dodge said the threat posed by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic had prompted the date change.