Waves win grand final, with another big game on the way

The Waves Football Club is riding high on the back of a big win at the weekend, but they’ve got no time to rest on their laurels with another big match just days away.

Bundaberg football side Across the Waves is hoping for back-to-back wins a week apart after defeating fellow locals Bingera 7-0 at the weekend.

Coach Peter Bock said the side’s win against Bingera in the FQPL men’s champions at Martens Oval on Saturday night was a testament to the team’s sense of camaraderie.

“It was a great team performance by everybody,” he said.

“It’s just been that way all season.”

But the win isn’t the only one the side has its eye on - the team will play Cairns in Brisbane this coming Saturday, September 24, in the Champion of Champions match to be held at the Brisbane City grounds in Newmarket.

If the Waves are victorious against their northern neighbours, they will face Redlands in a match to be held in the Rum City.

The competition is a first, and a win for the Waves will be a boon for Bundaberg.

The Waves had a stunning victory over Bingera.

“We’ve been fortunate to make it into this semi-final,” Bock said.

“It’s just a good thing for the Waves to represent the Wide Bay region.

“It’ll be a great spectacle of football for anyone to watch.”

A squad of 16 will be headed to Brisbane for the big match against Cairns, with the team training this Tuesday.

While the pandemic took its toll on sport just as much as anything else, Bock says football in the region is going strong.

“Everybody seems to be getting back to some kind of normality,” he said.

A lot of juniors were coming through the system, and Bock said it was a job well done by Football Queensland.

For the Waves, their success is all in their winning attitude.

“The boys are on a high,” Bock said.

“They’ve been on a good emotional run for a very long time now.”

Bock said it was a winning day for all, with three out of four of the Waves’ teams victorious.

The side had winners in FQPL Men, FQPL Under-23s, FQPL Under-15s and a gallant effort from their WBL 1 Men who finished runner-up.

Bingera coach Glen Sparozvich said there was no shame in losing to a top team.

Bingera coach Glen Sparozvich said while it wasn’t the result his side was looking for, there was “no shame” in losing to a better team.

“We’ve had an exceptional season battling low numbers and injury all season,” he said.

“To finish one point off second spot and then win two knock-out semis to reach the final was a fantastic effort in our club’s 100th year.

“We were on a nine-game winning streak and looking for our 10th, but came up against a red hot team in ATW.”

Sparozvich said the loss would be a lesson and was a “fantastic effort” regardless.

“We’re all hurting at the moment, but the young lads especially will learn from this and will help going forward in their football careers,” he said.

“There are a lot of clubs who would have liked to have played in the grand final, so despite the loss the experience gained is valuable.

“This was our sixth year in a row of playing finals football. A fantastic effort.”

Originally published as Waves win grand final, with another big game on the way