The East Coast Eagles won back-to-back reserve grade premierships on Saturday by beating local hills rivals, Pennant Hills, by the smallest possible margin of one point. Jason Duss, in his first attempt at coaching, has done an amazing job at moulding the team into a great unit and is to be congratulated on a fantastic job. Jason has been ably supported by Ryan Madden also in his first year as an assistant coach and the experienced Trevor Hangan as his other assistant. The three have worked together and formed a great coaching team and they and the players deserve every accolade they will receive.

Apart from the great victory it was also a sneak preview into the future for the East Coast Eagles Football Club. Six of the players to take the field on Saturday were still eligible to play under-18s. This would have been seven if Michael Johnston had not been injured two weeks ago. There was also further excitement for the future when Daniel “Boonie” Spiteri, at just 15 years of age in only his ninth senior game, was awarded the medal as best on ground for the grand final. The club looks forward to all seven playing a major role for the club in the years to come.

After thirty seconds the scoreboard read Pennant Hills one goal to nothing and the Eagles looked stunned. But this team has learnt from every game they have played this year and they turned things around quickly; that was the last goal Pennant Hills kicked for the quarter. Unlike the second semi-final, they came back and seized control of the quarter and lead by four points at the first change 2.2 (14) to 1.4 (10).

The second quarter was fantastic with the Eagles kicking four goals to three and forging to a ten-point lead at half time. Mark Peterson was proving very hard to handle up front and Jason Duss and Stephen Bilkey were showing the way as experienced players. The Eagles now only needed another two quarters between then and the ultimate glory.

Going against the wind in the third quarter, the Eagles aimed to hold the lead going into the last quarter. With only a minute to go Pennant Hills had fought back to within two points but a late crucial goal to James Mann pushed the margin back to eight points at three-quarter time. However you could see that the fitness and leg speed of the younger Eagles’ players were starting to have an influence. Daniel Spiteri, Ash Moeller and Andrew Polkinghorne were beginning to have a big impact on the game. Surely the Eagles would not be denied?

The last quarter was a great contest but without much activity on the scoreboard until the Eagles scored a crucial goal half way through the quarter which pushed the margin out to two goals and it was looking safe for the East Coasters. A little bit of Daniel Spiteri magic with about eight minutes to go would have finished the Demons if the snap had not missed. But what a vital point it would prove to be. With five minutes to go and the lead still at 13 points the Eagles were surely home.

As we all know though, grand finals always bring out the best in both sides. Pennant Hills kicked two quick goals and with three minutes to go the margin was back to one point. The last three minutes were frenetic with the ball spending the whole time in the attacking 50 metre arc of Pennant Hills. Jason Duss took two crucial marks in that time and Ben Physick who was switched onto the ball was also critical in helping back up the defence in that last few crucial minutes.

The Demons took a mark on the wing and quickly kicked inside the attacking fifty where the ball bounced off hands to a Pennant Hills player who picked the ball up and hastily threw it onto his boot, not knowing that he had more time to steady. The ball went high into the air and short of the goals as the siren sounded. The Eagles had hung on for a one point victory.

The Eagles had done it. Back-to-back premierships had been achieved and now the party would begin.

It certainly topped off a great week for Tim Physick and Tim Kear who earlier in the week had jointly taken out the league’s best and fairest in reserve grade and now could match that medal with a premiership medal. It certainly topped off a great season for the whole side and the premiership flag was a just reward for all the hard work they had put in.

EAST COAST EAGLES

Goal Kickers: Mark Peterson 4, James Mann 2, Liam Madden, Ash Moeller, Tim Kear, Daniel Spiteri

Best Players: Daniel Spiteri, Jason Duss, Steve Bilkey, Tim Physick, Andrew Polkinghorne, Carl Doering

Bring on 2008 …