FOURTHS PREMIERS 1991
Tocumwal won their only Under 14 Fourth XVIII Premiership in 1991 under the coaching of 1967 Premiership player John Jones.
The Fourths finished second on the ladder to the dominant Mulwala team who finished well clear at the top of the ladder.
Tocumwal defeated Deniliquin in the Qualifying Final and were well beaten by Mulwala in the second Semi Final. The Bloods then met and defeated Deniliquin for the second time in the finals in the Preliminary Final to get another crack at Mulwala in the Grand Final.
Mulwala had dominated the Fourths competition and were unbackable favourites for the Premiership.
The week leading into the Grand Final at Tocumwal was wet and the ground was saturated then at 9 am the rain started again and it did not let up all day. Conditions were heavy.
The wet conditions as always were a big leveller and that was how it transpired.
Every kick and every push forward was precious in the heavy going and the Bloods booted the first goal through full forward Nathan Tainton, who with 59 goals for the season was the Murray League’s leading goalkicker in the Fourths.
Mulwala took the halftime lead with 2 second quarter goals and then 1 goal each in the third quarter had the Lion Cubs with a 5 point lead at the last change.
Justin Crawford and Matthew Gilmour were strong, tall players at this level with excellent skills and fitness and they both ranged up and down a big wet ground to keep the young Bloods in the game. Crawford booted 2 goals for the game and one in the third quarter was when he gained possession on a wing, booted it forward, followed up, won the ball again and then went on to kick a precious goal.
Gilmour likewise ran himself into the ground ranging upo and down the long Tocumwal ground to be at as many contest as he could.
Scott Baldwin was good across half back and Dale Waterson in midfield also racked up plenty of possessions.
A goal with about 5 minutes to spare put the Bloods 1 point up then for the last 5 minutes Mulwala had the ball deep in their forward line but could not break through a resolute Bloods defence to even scrape a point to level the scores.
Mulwala were again on the attack at half forward when the siren sounded with the Bloods 1 point victors and Premiers.
This was Tocumwal’s second best season behind a triple premiership year in 1946.
Justin Crawford went on the play AFL for both the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn and Matthew Gilmour played in Melbourne before returning to be an integral part of Tocumwals resurgence in the early 2000s. He was akey player in the late 1990s when Tocumwal struggled, being a dual club First XVIII Best and Fairest winner in 1997 and 1998.
Tocumwal 1-1 1-1 2-1 3-2-20
Mulwala 0.0 2.0 3-0 3-1-19
Best: Tocumwal: J. Crawford, M. Gilmour, S. Baldwin, D. Waterson
Goal: Tocumwal: J. Crawford 2, D. Waterson 1.
