As the sun set over Blacktown International Sportspark on that memorable Grand Final day, there wasn’t a dry North Shore eye in the house. The Premier Division premiership drought was over, a big win over Manly delivering the Seniors cup to Gore Hill. But there was little time to bask in the glory. There was one more mountain to climb.
Our Reserves were playing in the late game, the last Grand Final of the day. A rivalry clash against Sydney Uni. We beat them in last year’s Grand Final and were looking to go back to back.
This year it was a restructured competition, a divisional structure that saw our Reserves competing against some other clubs’ senior teams. But when it came to the crunch, it was our Reserves against Sydney Uni’s Reserves.
We’d beaten them comfortably twice during the regular season on our way to a second-place finish. But a 10-point loss to them in the Qualifying Final forced us into sudden death; but our Bombers hit back to overcome Pennant Hills and Camden to get through to the big dance.
Ben Cunningham got us off to a bright start, crumbing a marking contest to get the first goal on the board after six minutes. He’s played plenty of Prems footy, and kicked a big bag of goals in last year’s Reserves decider. But for most of the first term, it was a defensive struggle; one goal apiece in the first term and scores were level at the first change.
It had been quiet in the grandstand in the first term, with many of the North Shore faithful still in the rooms celebrating the Seniors premiership. But as the evening unfolded, the Seniors players and the supporters gradually filtered into the grandstand. And they were witnessing a tight contest, an arm-wrestle where goals weren’t easy to get.
Neither team scored a goal in the first ten minutes of the second term, As they would do for much of the evening, our defensive unit was resolute. Our backline was magnificent all night, holding out Uni time and again.
Eventually Ben High broke the deadlock, and a quick snap by James Cubis two minutes later gave us the upper hand. A 50 metre penalty to the Students cut our lead in half; and we would go into the long break with a five point advantage.
This was to be a Grand Final of momentum swings and shifting emotions, and we were in trouble early in the third quarter. Our half-time lead was short-lived as the Students scored twice in the first six minutes to put us seven points behind.
We needed a spark, and it came when Charlie Silvester weaved through traffic around the 50 metre line before driving the ball forward to an unmarked Harry Lawson; who had drifted to the goal square un-noticed and unattended by any of the Uni defenders.
Then, as the clock ticked into time-on, Ben High found space and set the crowd into an almighty roar as he slammed his second goal through the big sticks. We were back in front.
Five points to the good at three quarter time. Coach Jamie O’Dell was revving up the troops, with a cast of hundreds on the ground to listen in. For extra motivation, all the players needed to see was the premiership medals around the necks of Seniors players. This was going to be a grandstand finish, and there were plenty of Bombers in the stands to take in the action.
We’d come from behind to take the lead in the third quarter, and we would have to do it again in the last quarter as Sydney Uni scored two goals in the first four minutes, to put us eight points behind. Momentum was running against us and Sydney Uni were peppering the goals.
Our Bombers would have to dig deep.
But there was no shortage of inspiration to draw on. No shortage of willing support coming from the grandstand. No shortage of guts and determination. This was going to be a cracker. It wasn’t over yet.
Scoring chances were created, but we could only manage behinds. The clock was ticking, time was running out. We got past 17 minutes gone, still two goals behind. We were desperate for a spark. Then we got the one we needed. Veteran Will Bradley collected the ball at half back and could’ve been excused for banging the ball forward, but instead checked his kick and found a diving skipper in Michael Goode on centre wicket square. Goode bounced up after marking and could’ve also been excused for going long, but also showed composure under pressure to spot a target and with an exquisite kick hit a leading Lachie Howarth who marked under pressure 35m out. Howarth, typically found in the back pocket, had only just been moved forward due to a foot injury, but despite the injury and absence of forward line time, he went back and flushed the kick.
Now there was only a kick in it.
Led by Ned Campbell, the “Bombers” chant reverberated around Blacktown Sportspark. The Bombers had a spring in their step.
The midfield generals of Goode and Bastas controlled the following centre square stoppages superbly, resulting in a Ben Cunningham kick that put Ben High into space at half forward. High’s kick was superb and James Cubis used all his experience to take a strong mark in the goal square before taking plenty of pleasure in slamming the goal home to put us back in front.
Our mids won the footy forward again and with our backs they immediately set up a rock solid wall behind the ball. With the footy locked in the forward line, the icing on the cake came at the 24 minute mark. Who else but Ben High? One of our young guns with a big Bomber future in front of him, bringing the crowd into raptures. The roar was deafening, the emotion flowing along with the beverages.
We’d started the day with the Under 19s taking the flag. Then the Seniors broke their long premiership drought. Then in this night fixture, it had been tight. We’d fallen two goals behind twice but come back. The black and red noise was echoing around Blacktown.
The siren sounded, the crowd mobbed the players in scenes of wild jubilation. The perfect football day was complete.
MENS RESERVES (DIVISION ONE)
GRAND FINAL
| North Shore | 1.2.8 | 3.4.22 | 5.6.36 | 8.8.56 |
| Sydney Uni | 1.2.8 | 2.5.17 | 4.7.31 | 6.11.47 |
Goals – B High 3, J Cubis 2, B Cunningham, L Howarth, H Lawson.
Best – A Bastas, S Homsany, B High, C Silvester, M Goode, L Gedge.
At Blacktown International Sportspark, Saturday 21st September 2024.
