Tumut realises a premiership dream

ONE football dynasty ended but another could be poised to start after Tumut smashed the Group Nine premiership dream of Junee at Lavington Sportsground yesterday.Amid high expectation, Junee’s bid to break a 24-year title drought was destroyed as Tumut triumphed 22-8 in the first grand final played on the border.In front of a respectable crowd that paid $26,700 at the gate, the Blues recovered from an early blow to eventually treat Junee’s premiership challenge with almost disdain and contempt.Junee scored the first try in the 13th minute (Nathan McGowan) to lead 4-0, but Tumut struck twice to be up 10-4 by half-time.By the time the cosy lead was increased to 14-4 when centre Daniel Hilly gapped Junee to score a try in the 46th minute, the Blues had one hand on the Group Nine trophy.The Blues momentum was briefly stalled by a barnstorming try to Junee second-rower Cameron Woo in the 51st minute, but the serious damage had already been done.Later as the Diesels lamented their forlorn failure in their first grand final in 24 years, Tumut captain-coach Clay Campbell celebrated his third premiership with the Blues in seven years – and in the last game of his grand career.Campbell, who played an inspirational role, confirmed the grand final victory was the “perfect way to go out”.“It’s a fantastic feeling,” Campbell said.“I’m over the moon. The team couldn’t have done any better.”Set to pass the coaching baton to yesterday’s teammates Matthew Richards and Scott Naughton next year, Campbell said he felt he was leaving the Blues in “great shape”“It’s a young team with so much talent,” he said.“This isn’t the end.”Significantly, Tumut has emerged as the most dominant club of the last decade – and the run could continue well into the future.Yesterday’s fabulous four-tries-to-two drubbing of the Diesels was Tumut’s fourth premiership in eight years.As a potential coach-in-waiting, Richards said he was optimistic the Blues could continue to thrive as a Group Nine powerhouse.“I’d be thrilled to be coaching such a good young team” Richards, 27, said.“We look like we’ll be only losing two players (for next year) so we’ll be sticking together.”Junee was an abject disappointment yesterday, virtually tackled out of the grand final contest by the enthusiastic and tenacious Tumut defenders.The Diesels’ bristling backs were reduced to playing little or no part, while the Tumut forwards were just awesome.Junee coach Mark Elia offered “no excuses”, describing Tumut as “too good”.Elia said Junee had been unable to sustain “field position” and had paid the price for a string of penalties against the team.“We’ll learn from it,” Elia said.“All credit to Tumut.”Junee centre Damian Willis said he felt Tumut’s “line speed” in defence had blunted Junee’s attack.