Two Blues throttle the Lions to make it back-to-back premiership
A new dynasty is forming at Lindisfarne with the Two Blues making it back-to-back premierships after a 65-point thumping of Huonville Lions in the SFL grand final at North Hobart Oval.
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A NEW dynasty is forming at Lindisfarne with the Two Blues making it back-to-back premierships after a 65-point thumping of Huonville Lions in the SFL grand final at North Hobart Oval.
But the club must move forward without its now dual premiership coach Daniel Willing, who sang the Two Blues’ team song as loud as anyone as the joy of another premiership sank in, and then announced he was stepping down.
Willing’s’ team had just handed an extraordinary hammering to arguably the SFL’s most dangerous team, the boys in blue taking it 17.13 (115) to 7.9 (51).
It was a dream performance on the day it counts most, and Dan is the man at Lindisfarne Football Club.
“I am unbelievably proud right now,” Willing said.
“But that’s it for me. I’m done. I’m finishing up. I’m handing over.
“I didn’t plan to coach for five years, I only planned to be here for two or three years to help the club get back on track.
“I’ve stayed for five. I’m now a back-to-back premiership coach and I am just really proud of these players.”
Huonville beat Lindisfarne the last time out and in the opening part of the first quarter the Lions looked ominous, peppering the goals albeit for nothing more than a few behinds before their opponent had even been inside forward 50m.
Then the Two Blues got serious, kicking four goals in 11 minutes to lead by 22 points at the first change, and put the pedal to the metal to fly ahead by 43 at the half.
Huonville hit back hard after half-time, narrowing the gap to 14 points at three quarter-time and the stage was set for a thriller.
Not to be. Lindisfarne piled on eight unanswered goals to Huonville’s two behinds, both off the boot of Lions coach Billy Lamprill, in the run to the premiership.
“I’m just lost for words,” Willing said.
“We’ve been under a lot of pressure since about half-way through the year.
“There has been adversity and we’ve been written off from outside our four walls and we’ve had injuries and players unavailable and poor form in different parts of the year.
“We still managed to fight our way through and get to here, so I told the boys to embrace it and that’s what they did.”
Lindisfarne’s engine room gave it tremendous drive, the chief destroyer Brad Tennick, who was voted best afield for his feats onball, followed closely by Troy Cunliffe.
Up forward, Tom Roberts kicked a game-high four goals while Sam Adams and Teege Westbury each kicked three, and Michael Blackburn and Dan Blazely two.
Defender Ryan Edmondson was brilliant in the back half and Matt Phillips was a tower of strength in the ruck.
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