Collingullie-Glenfield Park’s third Riverina League premiership was a win for the ages and one the Klemke family will never forget.
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Ben, Jayden and Matt Klemke came together for the first time in their senior careers this year at Collingullie-GP and walk away with the ultimate prize.
The three Klemke brothers filled the top three placings in the Demons’ best and fairest this season and capped it off with stellar performances in a premiership win.
Playing together was something the trio always wanted to achieve and to win a premiership together was a dream come true.
“I couldn’t be happier. I just don’t know what to say, I’m speechless,” Jayden said.
“It’s a dream.The dream’s turned into reality.”
Ben, the eldest, was equally excited.
“I’m speechless. To do it this year with the brothers and this group of boys, it’s just a special club. It’s just a family club, it’s awesome,” Ben said.
The youngest of the trio, Matt, has enjoyed his finest season at Crossroads Oval and produced a big grand final performance for the second year in a row.
Ben and Jayden both overcame obstacles to be there on grand final day alongside him.
Ben is based in Sydney and made the car trip each week to play alongside his two brothers for a year.
He admitted the travel took it’s toll at different stages.
“It was tiring,” he said.
“Thankfully with work they let me knock off Friday lunchtime so I was always down by Friday night but 1100 kilometres each week certainly takes it out of you.”
Jayden’s battle was a little more intense. Consecutive hamstring injuries in the back half of the season meant he almost missed Saturday’s grand final.
He re-injured his hamstring in his first game back, the qualifying final win over Ganmain-Grong Grong-Matong.
That was three weeks ago but the two-time Jim Quinn Medallist did everything possible to ensure he ran out alongside his brothers in the premiership decider.
“You don’t know how much I’ve done. I’ve broken myself to get fit in four weeks,” Jayden revealed.
“It felt good, I proved a lot of people wrong to get up and play, I’m pretty happy. Everyone was doubting me.”
Jayden said the hard-fought nature of the win made it better.
“I was a little bit worried, they’re a great side and they didn’t finish on top for nothing,” he said.
“It was a hard fought game, credit to the boys, we just held on.”
Ben was less diplomatic.
“I was shitting myself,” he said.
“Credit to Griffith, they’re super coached by Grigga, he’s a gun footballer and they were always going to come back. We left it tight, probably too close, but we got there.”
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