Marrar sent retiring champion Clint Taylor out on a high with the 35-year-old heading into retirement with a fifth career premiership.
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You could argue the ageless backman was the one handing out the gifts, delivering a vintage display in defence with brother Mitch to ensure consecutive flags for the club.
It was sweet reward after he’d considered giving it away following last year’s flag.
“Yeah pretty pleased. It’s pretty special to get another premiership in the 100 years,” Taylor said.
“You’ve got to really make the most of it when you’ve got a good group out there. They worked super hard and fully deserve back-to-back.”
Taylor, 35, wasn’t far off winning best-on-ground honours with an outstanding performance in his last game. And Mitch wasn’t far off that as the pair proved North Wagga’s nemesis again.
“It means everything to have Mitch there alongside you every week. To win another premiership with him is pretty special,” Taylor said.
“I’ve been pretty blessed with the career I’ve had. I’ve won good premierships, a league best-and-fairest and a couple of club best-and-fairests and I’ve been involved with a couple of really good clubs so, yeah, I’m pretty happy with how things have panned out.”
A former Bombers coach, Taylor played 235 games with Marrar, either side of a stint at Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong, where he won three Riverina League premierships.
He sees similarities between the Lions’ golden era and Marrar today and believes the club is well-placed for the future.
“There is, there is,” he said. “Sparks (coach Shane Lenon) has sort of instilled that amongst the boys. Just that winning culture – you’ve got to believe in yourselves. That belief’s there now and when it’s there you’ve just got to keep going and win as many as you can.”
Nowhere is the change in eras more evident than in the Bombers’ key defenders.
It was 17 years between the centre-half-back’s club debut and tasting success.
But full-back Adam Whyte only turned 17 last week and he’s already won two senior flags.
“This is my second in two years, it’s unreal and it’s just really good to see the boys retiring finish off on a good note,” Whyte said.
“I’m really grateful for it and definitely going to make the most of it.
“Clint’s been a bit of a leader for me down there, always letting me know what to do and what not to do. He’s been real good.”
He said skipper Josh Hagar has been the other big influence on his football in the past two years.
Whyte had the daunting task of manning up on one of the most damaging forwards in the league, North Wagga’s Daniel Jordan, who kicked two goals.
“He’s a really good player. I just tried to stick to my game. He’s a big boy. I tried to hang off him a little bit. He got a couple on me but I just tried not to drop my head and keep going,” Whyte said.
As for Taylor, well, he says it only confirms the time is right for him to make way for a new generation.
“Young guys like Whitey, Jed Jenkins, Jack Reynolds… it’s a good little group we’ve got back there and I’m very proud of them,” Taylor said.
“Under 17s netballers winning this year. Under 17s footballers. The future’s pretty good out there, so it’s a good time to slip out the back door I reckon.”
- FULL GRAND FINAL DAY COVERAGE RIGHT HERE including:
- Marrar go back-to-back in centenary year
- Saints philosophical after disappointment of defeat
- Reynolds rewarded with best-on-ground