SATURDAY produced a stunning day for football, with the warm weather bringing a big crowd to McDonald Park for the grand final rematch between reigning premiers East Gambier and runners-up North Gambier.
And the game did not disappoint, with the score see-sawing throughout the day before a victor emerged in the final term.
East 13.8 (86) d North 10.6 (66)
THE highly anticipated Western Border football senior grand final rematch did not fall short of expectations, with the Bulldogs claiming the points over the Tigers, but not before a classic come-from-behind victory.
The contest showed early dominance from the Tigers, who looked set to run away with the game, but after half time that all changed, with a renewed Bulldogs coming out hard and taking the game on.
While new personnel graced both line ups, it was the usual suspects who made their presence felt, with Jayden Eldridge in the contest early after some doubt about his fitness following an injury while playing football in Darwin.
A huge tackle early suggested there was no doubt about his return to the game, followed by the same from Shem Balshaw to put the Tigers on notice this was going to be a tough game.
However, Brock Egan and Mayson Ashby were having an early effect on the contest through the midfield, with the Tigers finally breaking the deadlock for the first major of the day through Nick Moretti.
In contrast, a 50-metre penalty to East’s Tom Williams took him deep into the forward 50, but produced just a behind.
Malcolm Lewis ran into an open goal soon after and when Hamish Telford added the Tigers’ third, the Bulldogs looked in trouble.
Poor disposal robbed East of valuable field position, while the Tigers seemed clinical in their every move.
Giancarlo Cooper was popping up around the ground, with an accurate kick finding Mark Rumbelow in front of goals for the Bulldogs’ first major of the day.
However, by the first break the Tigers were out to a handy four-goal lead, with plenty to do for the reigning premiers.
East lifted its game after quarter time, but still had no answers for the North onslaught.
A long shot was rewarded by the Tigers early in the term and East was looking anything but a premiership side.
Sam Stafford popped another major through and still there was no reply from the Bulldogs.
Cooper continued to find possessions, with Rumbelow and Kev Thomson leading well up forward, but goals were proving hard to come by.
Eventually Eldridge cleared the centre square to find Thomson, who chipped into Rumbelow on a tight angle.
The high-flying forward subsequently ran around the mark and bent it through for a major.
A late clearance from Balshaw found the hard-running Jesse Fry on the boundary, who with deft touch scooped the ball up and banged it high into the forward.
Rumbelow grabbed the mark and slotted another through to keep the Bulldogs in touch.
However, as the siren sounded for the long break, the Tigers led by 22 points, leaving plenty for the home side to do.
After the break the whole game changed, with the Bulldogs suddenly hitting their targets and applying scoreboard pressure.
The Tigers began to look the second-rate side, with the added pressure showing.
Fry was rewarded with an early free kick in the centre, but North resisted the attack.
However, too much short ball movement saw the Bulldogs rewarded with a free kick to Thomson who drilled the goal less than three minutes in and East was up and about.
Just a couple of minutes later Jack Dawe hit the scoreboard on the back of another Cooper pass and suddenly the Bulldogs were right back in the contest.
Tempers boiled over and a melee broke out, with the umpire throwing the ball up to calm the situation.
North’s Nick McInerney left the ground temporarily under the blood rule, while East coach Matt Willson pounced on the loose ball and found Thomson for a set shot.
The kick was a shocker, but somehow fell into the hands of Cooper, who casually hand-balled off to Fry for a major and the Bulldogs were back within four points.
By the final break the margin favoured North by six points, but the hard work was beginning to take its toll, with players from both sides feeling the effect of the heat.
The final term became a classic arm wrestle, with neither side able to make a decisive break.
John Forster continued his impact on the contest for the Bulldogs, running hard and pushing the ball forward.
After a solid three quarters, Cooper popped up on the 50-metre line with a shot at goal, with team mates yelling for him to back himself.
He did just that, goaled to level the scores and the crowd erupted.
A running goal to Cooper shortly after had the Bulldogs out by seven points and the momentum had swung.
From there the game went goal-for-goal, with scores again tied up from a Stafford goal.
Thomson then goaled from the boundary but North responded.
Cooper was again in on the act with a classy goal from the boundary, but this time North had no answer, with Thomson adding another to extend the lead to 12 points.
When Cooper ran onto his fourth for the term, it was all over, with East then able to run down the clock and claim an inspiring victory.
An inspiring defensive game saw John Forster named as best for the Bulldogs, while for the Tigers Tim McInerney was given the nod.
Cooper’s four goals were complemented by three to both Thomson and Rumbelow.
