Drought breakers celebrate

by ROB McLEAN

ONE of the longest premiership droughts in local football was ended at the weekend when East Murray triumphed in the Riverland Independent A grade grand final.

The Tigers defeated Moorook-Kingston by 51 points in Saturday's grand final at Lyrup, delivering the club's first premiership since 1975.

First year coach Mick Durdin, who joined the club this season after serving a long stint at Brown's Well, said the Tigers' 42 point preliminary final victory over Cobdogla the previous week gave his side a vital confidence boost.

"I was reasonably confident we could win, especially after the way we played the week before against Cobdogla," Durdin said yesterday. "It was a turning point because Cobby had been a team we had never beaten in the finals and they are a club that know what to do at this time of year.

"To run away so convincingly from them took a bit of mental pressure off the guys' heads and the self belief was very evident at training." East Murray started Saturday's match nervously and trailed by 16 points at quarter time.

Durdin said the move of veteran Dave Francis into the ruck part way through the second quarter proved "pivotal".

Francis was named best on ground at the end of the game.

Durdin also mentioned rover Tim Durling and back pocket Richard Parsons as having played "excellent" games.

Leading by just 11 points at three quarter time, the Tigers turned on a trademark final quarter burst of seven goals to run over the top of the flagging Warriors.

Durdin said the celebrations were some of the biggest seen in the Mallee in recent years.

"I haven't ever seen so many people at the Wanbi pub, " Durdin said. "Even the old stalwarts at the pub were as emotional as everyone else and that's what it's all about.

"It's not just for the players, but everyone involved in the club."

First appeared in The Loxton News 10 September 2003.

australianrules.com.au

Disclaimer