Collingullie-Glenfield Park are back on top of the Riverina League, courtesy of a thrilling two-point win over Griffith on Saturday.
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The Swans kicked five goals to one in the final quarter only to fall two points short of an fairytale comeback at Narrandera Sportsground.
The Demons, who led by 32 points late in the third quarter, fought doggedly for the final three and a half minutes to hang on and claim a famous premiership win, 12.8 (80) to 12.6 (78).
It gave Collingullie-GP a third Riverina League flag in five years and cemented their position as the competition powerhouse after joining from the Farrer League in 2011.
The victory also eased the pain of last year’s six-point grand final defeat.
“It’s bloody great. My first premiership and to bring it up in this fashion and to get there with this bunch of boys, there’s no better bunch, I just love it,” Collingullie-GP coach Luke Gestier said.
“I thought we played the better footy throughout the day but we just couldn’t get that extra goal to nail it, to really put the nail in the coffin.
“When we let them back in, they’re a good side, they came hard, momentum’s a great thing but we just bloody held on.”
After an even first quarter, the Demons edged clear in the second quarter only for Griffith to kick two late goals, one after the siren, to draw back within eight points.
The Swans kicked two goals within the first two minutes of the third quarter to hit the front before Collingullie-GP responded and kicked into overdrive.
The Demons kicked six consecutive goals to blow the game apart and open up a 32-point lead.
Again, Griffith kicked a crucial late goal to narrow the margin to 26 points at three-quarter-time.
Will Griggs booted the first goal of the term seven minutes into the quarter, before Luke Gestier replied moments afterwards to put the margin back to 25 points.
Jacob Conlan’s fourth goal 14 minutes into the final term ignited the Swans, as Griggs and Ben King followed suit to cut the margin to seven points at the 19 minute mark.
Heath Northey then snapped a goal to close the lead to two points with three minutes 40 remaining on the clock.
The Swans continue to attack and went deep inside 50 on a couple of occasions only for the Collingullie-GP defence to hold strong.
Ron Hutchins Medal winner Dan Kennedy’s sensational pack mark in the Demons defensive goal square inside the final two minutes typified Collingullie-GP’s resolve.
Gestier never lost faith.
“I was pretty confident with where we sat. Throughout the year we were the best four-quarter side but geez you just never, never know and lucky we had that little bit of a breather because they were coming hard,” he said.
“It was just like last year but roles were reversed and that siren went at the right time. That last mark there pretty much summed it up.”
Dan Kennedy, Jayden Klemke, Ed Perryman, Luke Murray, Sean Keith, Nick Perryman and Matt Klemke were among those to shine for the Demons.
FULL-TIME
COLLINGULLIE-GLENFIELD PARK (80)
2.0 5.4 11.6 12.8
GRIFFITH (78)
2.2 4.2 7.4 12.6
Goals: (Collingullie-GP) E Perryman 2, J Klemke 2, L Gestier 2, J Kennedy, M Klemke, N Perryman, N Kennedy, M Geppert, B Harper; (Griffith) J Conlan 4, S Daniel 2, W Griggs 2, Thomas Valeri, H Northey, J Iudica, B King.
Best: (Collingullie-GP) D Kennedy, E Perryman, J Klemke, J Kennedy, L Murray, N Perryman; (Griffith) I Campbell, J Toscan, J Conlan, W Griggs, H Northey, B King.
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