By Pat Koopman | 19th September 2011 - Daily Mercury pg 28
THE Mackay City Hawks completed the first leg of a big premiership double at Harrup Park on Saturday when the club's reserves team claimed the 2011 premiership.
The Hawks ran out 8.8 (56) to 4.8 (32) winners against North Mackay.
The Hawks trailed by nine points at half-time, but rallied in the second half to claim the ultimate prize.
"North Mackay really took it up to us today," Mackay City coach Gary Downes said.
"At half-time I was a little bit worried.
"I said to our boys 'If you believe in yourself, we've done all the hard work, if you believe in yourself and your teammates then we can turn this around'.
"To their credit they came out and did that."
The reserves' premiership set the scene for the club's senior team to break its premiership drought.
Downes said the senior players would have taken a lot out of the reserves' premiership triumph.
"It was good for them to see us get them off on the right foot," he said. "It got them a little bit excited and I'm sure they didn't just want us to win, they also wanted to win as well.
"They'd done all the hard work as well."
Downes was especially delighted with the way his young players stood up to the occasion under the added pressure of grand final football.
The win aside, Downes was also pleased with the way his young charges provided vital leg speed as the game unfolded.
He described it as a great day for the club.
"There's two premiership flags and the boys are excited," he said.
Last Modified on 12/01/2012 17:32