Oh when the Saints, Go marching in, Oh when the Saints go marching in, Oh how I want to be in North Ringwood, When the Saints go marching in……… how good it was at the 25th minute mark of the last quarter to hear these words when our boys at the Boronia St end goals burst into song.
After 9 months of hard work the Cup was ours, Division 2 Premiers for 2014 and how sweet was it was to see Moyley and Maxy hold the Cup up and to be joined by the other players up on the podium.
Five years ago we prepared for the stat of the 2010 Season coming off a disappointing 2009 season finishing middle of the road in Division 3.
Enter stage left, our new Coach Brett Moyle, joining him club stalwarts Brad Green and Dallas Van Unen. Between them the long term plan was was put in place and the seeds were planted.
Two years later a Premiership in Divi 3 and we were into Divi 2, another 2 years on another Premiership and finally as of 4.50pm on Saturday, the goal set by Moyley, Brad and Dallas 5 years earlier had now come to life, we as the Nth Ringwood Football Club were back into Division 1 and doesn’t it feel good. For all those no longer at our club who said we were going no were, well there you go, enough said!
Now to the game. We knew this was going to be a tough game and as Moyley had said a couple of times, “a 10 goal win in our last two encounters does not give you a 4 goal start, as of 2.30pm the slate is clean” and how true that was. Croydon came out like we had not seen from them all year going into the 1/4 time break 5 points up, NR: 2.3.15 / CROY: 3.2.20.
The second quarter was just the same, tough and hard with Croydon managing to starve us through the center and not allowing us to break free and play our normal game, this was shaping up to be a tough but great Grand Final. Scores level as the siren went for the main break.
N5: 5.5.35 / CROY: 5.5.35.
Main break over we hit the field, not much else Moyley could do from here, it was now up to the 22 boys to see what they could produce and how much this season meant to them.
Before we knew it, the game was over before the last break, our boys had found their run, their spread as they just bullied Croydon, kicking 8 goals, 6 points and keeping Croydon to just 2 points going into the 3/4 time break 52 points up.
Moyley gave them his last words for the day, “do not take the foot of the peddle, we must still be ruthless for another 30 minutes” and that is exactly what we did kicking another 5 goals 3 to Croydon 2 goals 2 taking out the 2014 Division 2 Premiership by 71 points, our biggest win over Croydon for the year and what a game to do it in.
And for those that are wondering as i know there will be, we had 13 Home Grown young men in our Premiership Side, 11 Junior players, Anthony Sharp, Jason Sharp, James Dean, Jayden Van Unen, Jack Whelan, Sam Whelan, Matt Weeks, Callum Fenton, Aaron Fenton, Tim Jones, Cameron Shield, and two guys not from the Juniors but have only ever played footy at Nth Ringwood, coming from a Gridiron background, Heath and Lincoln Decker.
Congratulations to Tim Jones who was awarded the “Blue Ribbon” Best on Ground Medal. Tim had a brilliant game and season and this award was so well deserved for this man. (Photo to follow).
As any Grand Final team goes through leading up to the match there are good and back luck stories, our side was no different. On Tuesday night at training, Sean Barnard split the webbing between is fingers. He was operated on Thursday afternoon and was given to Friday morning to prove his fitness but unfortunately was ruled out, making way for Aaron Fenton to be called into the side (Story to follow). Our thoughts all go out to Sean who took it so well being there the whole way on Saturday to pump up his team mates, well done champ, your time will come.
To the coaching staff, the 22 players who took to the field and all the other players who have been in the side this year, on behalf of the Nth Ringwood Football Club, we say “THANKS”.
See you all at Presentation night.
GO SAINTS!
